INDIANAPOLIS — Sunday marked 78 years since the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. In total, 879 heroes were lost at sea July 30, 1945, when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the ship.
To mark the occasion, the USS Indianapolis legacy organization held the eighth annual "Honor Watch" at the memorial near the Downtown Canal.
As part of the ceremony, they read letters written between William Bray, the last living survivor of the USS Indianapolis, and the last living survivor of the Japanese submarine.
Organizers said this is an important way to remember past heroes.
"It behooves all of us to remember precious freedoms we have today," said Michael Emery, who lost a relative on the USS Indianapolis.
Organizers also raised an American flag that flew over the ship three months before it sank.