Edgar Harrell
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We're so thrilled. Here, look, he's coming in. He sees us. He's some rescue at last. And I look back at that today and I think, Lord, I'm yours. I see that plane coming for me. Back then, I think of the Lord that's coming for me. On this Memorial Day weekend, a first-person story of men who sacrificed their lives in service to their country. Welcome, I'm Wayne Shepherd, and we're going to replay a conversation from a few years ago when we spoke with Edgar Harrell.

He died three years ago at age 96, but at the time of his death, he was the oldest living survivor of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. He and a few other survivors had spent four and a half days in the shark-infested oil slick waters of the Pacific while the Navy had no idea the ship had been sunk. The backstory is that the Indianapolis was given a secret mission to deliver the atomic bombs to an air base in the Pacific.

As a young Marine, Edgar Harrell was assigned to guard the crates, although he didn't know what was inside. After completing the delivery, his ship was sunk by the Japanese, and 72 years later, back in 2017, it was announced that the Indianapolis was finally found 18,000 feet below the surface. Although Corporal Harrell survived, hundreds of men didn't, and he told us the story. I grew up as a country boy in Kentucky during the Depression.

I had an older, younger sister and six younger brothers when I went into the Marine Corps in 1943. Were you a farming family? What did your dad do? Yes, farming. And so I grew up on the farm. I knew how to work. So the war comes along, and how old are you? And what made you, did you sign up? Yes, I volunteered for a service. Actually, I had a deferment permit.

With my granddad, he wanted me to help put out the crop because we were in what was the Tennessee Valley Authority project that they were putting a dam on the Tennessee River. And so they're taking all the farmland. And my granddad said, Ed, why don't you stay with me the last year, the last summer, and help put out a crop before they moved us out. So you enlisted at how old? I was 18 years old.

As an 18-year-old boy, we were hearing all about the war in the Pacific, and, you know, many, many boys were losing their lives. And I tell my dad, I want to get in the Marine Corps.

Yes, we were patriotic very much as a family. And so here I am in the Marine Corps, and then they send me to San Diego for boot camp, and I got through boot camp. They said, you're going to go to sea school. Well, what's sea school? And I needed schooling. Not too many oceans in Kentucky, are there? No. And so anyway, I think after six weeks of sea schooling then,

They sent me up to San Francisco, and they said, you'll catch a large combatant ship. Well, I get up there, and I guess, you know, there's no large combatant ship, and I kind of served some guard duty at what they call Yerba Burma Island for some of our own boys that kind of got in a little trouble, maybe for, I don't know, a couple of weeks or so, and then one day they said,

you're going down to the dock in San Francisco and there was the Indianapolis. And so that's to be my home then for the rest, uh, rest of the war. Was there a mission before, uh, delivering the atomic bombs? Was there a mission to happen? Oh, yes. Okay. I'll go aboard, um, probably in, uh, maybe in March of 44 and we were right in the middle of combat and

The Indianapolis had already had four battle stars, so to speak, and I joined them. And my first combat was, well, any we talk in the Kwajalein Islands, and then I was at Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Sea Battle of the Philippine Seas, where we shot down our Task Force, shot down, I think it was 403 enemy aircraft that day. Mm-hmm.

And then from there, we were down at Peleliu or Palu. Then I was at Iwo Jima. I was at Okinawa. Three-hour strikes on Tokyo. And lastly, then I was a Marine guard that guarded Fat Man and Little Boy, the components of the two atomic bombs that later would be dropped at Nagasaki and Hiroshima. We'll get to that part of the story in a few minutes, but I'm just...

um, astounded all that experience, all that battle experience. I mean, you're, you're young and you're going through that. Do you remember those feelings? Do you remember being frightened or what, what were the feelings you had?

I'm not naive to think that I didn't consider it, but I think I had in mind that, you know, I'm trained to do a job aboard ship. I'm still trained to man five-inch guns and 40-millimeter guns. I had the honor of serving as Captain McVeigh's orderly.

So I'm busy, busy, busy, and there's not time, you know, to look inwardly, I guess. You were just doing a job. Yeah, I'm doing a job. Wow. And I was at peace with myself, feeling that, you know, I'm contributing anyhow. Mr. Harrell, before we go any further, I got to ask you about what you're wearing on your coat pocket here.

tell me about these, uh, this metal here. Well, the Indianapolis, uh, I think achieved, uh, 10 battle stars, but six of them was after I came aboard. So, uh, I'm wearing, uh, the bronze and the silver there, which represent the one and, uh, and five or six in total. And then, uh, I guess, uh, I've got, uh, one would be, uh, uh,

Marine Corps, one would be Pacific Theater, one would be combat. And then later then, this gets way ahead of our story, but later because of miscarriage of justice on the part of the Navy and the court-martial of a good captain, because of that we were awarded the

It was a Navy commendation and the Presidential Unit Citation. Okay. Is that the one on the very top there that I see? One of those, right. Yeah. All right. So you find yourself on the USS Indianapolis. It's World War II. You've seen battle. And now comes that fateful trip into the Pacific carrying those crates with those. Did you know what was in those crates? No.

Now, we had been at Okinawa, and there we received the Kamikaze plane. We lost, I believe we lost nine boys. Several were injured, and a big gaping hole all the way through the ship

And we had to come back to the States for repair. All of a sudden, one morning, we saw that we were getting ready to do something or what. I looked out on the dock, and there was a lot of Navy, Marine brass. Not your normal stevedores there. Yeah, and we noticed a big crate out there. And, well, that didn't bother us much. But then we saw our big crane reach over and get that and put it on the quarterdeck.

And my Marine captain said, Harold, I want you to station a guard in the port hangar deck. Well, why don't we have Captain Park? He said, we don't know. Don't know why we're guarding? He said, no, we don't know. The skipper of the ship doesn't know. I looked at that big crate, and I can see it today. When you see the screws that fasten that together, they were countersunk and waxed over. And that kind of looked a little odd. They didn't want anybody messing with it, did they? Yeah.

And then there was a couple of proposed Navy or Air Force, Air Force officers who came aboard. They had Air Force uniforms. And we thought that's odd, you know. And then we saw that they had a little metal cage-like crate, padlock on it.

And they set that on the quarter deck and a couple of sailors had a iron rod. They kind of put that in that, put it on their shoulders and they take it up to the farbord area to a state's room. And Captain Park said, Harold, why don't you station the guard on the outside of the hatch? And okay, so I stationed a guard there and

then there was a couple of sailors that came up with something like a blow torch or welding torch and, and they fastened a piece of metal to the deck over that crate and down on the other side, they were not going to lose that. And we were told that anything happened to the ship, whatever happens, don't allow this to get lost. So that tells us that we got a hot potato anyhow. Uh,

Now, I guess we are ready to get on the way. It was on the 16th of July, 1945. Now, we're going to head, as we were told, to Tinian Island, some 5,300 miles. With the cargo, we don't know what we have. You were actually guarding the crates that held the atomic bomb. We had two guards there.

uh, that were guarding the big crate in the, the port hangar deck and the outside of the hatch. It goes into an unused, uh, one of the captain, uh, Admiral Spruance's cabins. And those two men were in there. And so now we get underway and, um,

We have some 5,300 mile to go to Tinian Island. We understood, in fact, my Marine captain said, the only thing that we are suspicion of is the fact that they tell us that every hour that we delay will cost lives. Really? I mean, anyone knows that, you know, you got a hot potato if that's the case, but

I might say that the big explosion at White Sands Desert had not been set off yet. In fact, it was set off that morning, and the story is told, and I don't know how much factual truth behind it, but that as we were going under the Golden Gate Bridge with our cargo,

that had that explosion, which happened narrowly at that precise time, had it not been successful, we would not have made the voyage. Now, there was only a few that knew what we had. So that's how critical. And of course, those two men aboard said,

were scientists from Los Alamos. I see. And they knew what they had, and they knew what was in the big crate. We'll continue to talk with Edgar Harrell, a survivor of the USS Indianapolis, coming up on First Person.

Here's Ed Cannon on the Vision for FEBC's weekly podcast. The primary purpose of Until All Have Heard, of course, is to share the experience that FEBC has because we have staff on the ground in so many oppressive places. But in addition to that, we're trying to speak to you in a way that only the kind of testimonies you'll hear from around the globe can do. Discover how the gospel is making a difference around the world.

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On this Memorial Day edition of First Person, my guest is Edgar Harrell, a World War II survivor of the USS Indianapolis that was sunk by the Japanese. He continues his story. Three days then out of Guam, sure enough, Seb was out there. Commander Hoshimoto was waiting somewhat at the crossroads. He hadn't been successful in getting a combatant ship the whole war.

And so he was eager. And he surmised that all he would have to do is just wait, and sooner or later someone would oblige. We have no underwater sound gear. He does. And he could put his little periscope up, and he picked us up, let's say, 10 miles out. And so anyway, he announced to his crew to load 620.

torpedoes. The first one cut the bow of the ship off. When I said he cut the bow of the ship off, I was there. I know I was sleeping under the barrels of number one turret. And I, I would surmise that, um, 35, 40 feet of the bow, that long sleek bow was actually cut off.

And being cut off, it was cut off all the way down, which is nearly three decks deep. You saw that with your own eyes. I saw it to the extent that I'm close enough that I can say the bow, there's no more bow there. It's off. And it's about 35 feet wide at that point. And then the second torpedo is back close to the Marine compartment.

And no doubt a big gaping hole there, but no one lived to tell about that because all the water that rushed in, if you were there, you know.

You were wiped out. I realized immediately that the bow is off, and you could hear the bulkheads breaking because here we're moving, say, 17 knots or like 15 mile an hour, and all that water is coming in, and it coming in, you hear the bulkheads breaking and so on, and I could hear the death blow, and I realized that I've got to get back to midship

and preparing to go back. All I've got is a blanket, and I got out of that blanket. I still have my clothing on. I'm sleeping in my clothing. And as I started aft, there were those that were coming out of the forward area on the main deck, and that was more officers' quarters. And as many of those officers were coming out, you could see that they were in their night clothing, maybe just a pair of skivvies.

and many of them were flash burned. And, uh, in some cases, the flesh was hanging off their arms and off their body. And, um, they're pleading for someone to help them. But, uh, I knew that I'm to make my way to my, to the quarter deck to receive orders from our Marine Lieutenant. Now,

Now, normal times, if we're in combat, you know, that's what you do. Anytime you in combat, you go to your prepared station, you know, and received orders to do. So I, before I get to the quarter deck, now I realized that I don't have a, I don't have a capo jacket is done in my locker.

And does that serve like a life preserver? Yeah. It's okay. Yeah. Oftentimes I say it's like a horse collar made out of Kapok as a flotation device that you wear as a vest. But mine was in my locker and I get to the quarter deck. I asked Lieutenant Stauffer permission to cut down a new supply of Kapok jackets hanging on the, up on the deck. And he said, not until we get word to abandon ship.

Well, the ship is sinking even by now. If you can visualize that on the quarter deck, normally on the starboard side, we would be eight feet above waterline, but the ship is listing even now so much to the starboard, there's water on the quarter deck.

And then I saw a Navy commander come through the hatch. And as I saw him come through, I recognized who he was. And he was flash burned and some sailor hollered out, get the commander a life jacket. So they began to cut those down and I managed to reach in and get me a life jacket and put it on like a vest. So the ship is going down and you managed to snag a life jacket.

But you find yourself in the wall. How many men were on board that ship? Okay, there were 1,197 men aboard. Just three short of 1,200 men. Right.

And how many do you think were thrown into the water who survived the initial torpedoes? We surmise that when word trickled down to abandoned ship, I made my way to the port side, the high side, and looked out into the blackness of the night and looked out into that, they said, a half inch of oil on the water. And we surmise that maybe 900 boys, maybe abandoned ship,

and left the ship. If that is the case, then maybe 300 were drowned nearly immediately below or they didn't get off the ship. Those that got off, then we're going to be out there four and a half days. And I recall that I hung on to that rail looking out into the blackness of the night, knowing that this may be the end of life.

And I stepped over the rail after I said my prayers. Now, I'll tell you, I felt somehow, some way,

the assurance that I'm going to make it. Now, I didn't know I was going to be out there, you know, five days, but I felt that the Lord was speaking to me through his word. I'll never leave you nor forsake you. Peace I give unto you, not as the world give I give unto you, but let not your hearts be troubled. Don't be afraid. Well, I can't say that I wasn't afraid, but I really felt confident that I'm going to make it. Now, certainly I had no doubt

no thought of being out there four and a half days. So I leave, but you know that you knew those scriptures, right?

Yes, I knew those scriptures. So you knew the Lord. You loved the Lord. And I like to say that the Lord spoke to me. Now, I didn't see any, you know, visage or anything of the Lord or anything. But immediately as I prayed, I know that the Lord just brought those scriptures to mind. I'll never leave you nor forsake you. And I want to say thank you, Lord. And, you know, peace I give unto you. Well, anyway, I leave the ship.

swim out then to some bodies out there. Maybe about 80 of us. There's two other Marines. Many of them didn't have K-pop jackets. And, of course, the other big thing that we had after the first day was sharks, sharks, sharks. And many boys would be mauled by sharks. You circled up in the water.

And you'd see men disappear as they were tugged under by the sharks? Oh, yes. Yes.

Yeah, many times. But you could imagine if you see big dorsal fins cutting through the water all around, you know, maybe 60, 80 boys and some then maybe had drank some salt water or maybe they had swallowed some salt water and then they're beginning to hallucinate and all of a sudden they surmise that they see an oasis out there and they're going to swim out to their imaginary place

oases and they leave the group and you hear a blood-curdling scream and you look and you see that capon jacket go under and after a little bit like a fish cork it brings the body back up you dare not to go out there because you see all kinds of fins coming around the blood

And, uh, sometime later before you maybe ever come up to that body and, and really check to see who it might be and take off maybe his dog tags. And so that's going to happen many, many times, uh, by the second day, if you could just imagine you're swimming in, in 110 degree weather, uh,

bareheaded and you're so thirsty not only are you swimming but the the temperature too and and we would see boys maybe uh tear off some of their clothing and strain some of the salt water and drink a little bit and try to tell you that's not bad you know it's 85 degree water or so and it's wet and but within the hour you begin to see what's taking place they begin to lose it and

They even could become your enemy thinking that you have a hidden canteen of water in your Cape Mount jacket. And maybe they would take out their sheath knife and stab a buddy and then the more blood and so on. I think different one says any of you can pray. We've got to pray that we aren't going to make it. There's only 17 of us. So we had a we had a prayer meeting. Is that right? And what was that like?

Well, it's pouring out your heart to the Lord. And I recall this one boy, God, if you're out there, I don't want to die. I've got a son back home that I've never seen. And so he was praying. He may not have known in person the Lord that he was praying to, but he certainly was praying. And any of us that would pray audibly would be asked questions.

to pray and various things of their families back home and so on. Everyone, it was the hope that we had of making it. And the families, it was a calling card, you know, for us to, to pray and desire to, to go home. But,

Let me break in here and say that soon after that prayer meeting, a plane appeared, a plane not even looking for survivors since the Navy didn't know the ship had gone down. However, in God's timing, the pilot of that plane happened to notice something shining on the ocean surface, which led to the rescue. Time doesn't permit us to tell the whole story today. It's in Mr. Harrell's book. But let me return to our conversation today.

as I ask him if he ever thinks about the moment of that rescue. I look back at that, and here we're just so thrilled. Here, look, he's coming in. He sees us. He's some rescue at last. And I look back at that today, and I think, Lord, I'm yours.

I gave my heart and life to you back August 1, 1943, and you were with me through those years, and I see that plane coming for me. Back then, I think of the Lord that's coming for me one of these days.

And I expect the Lord to come. I really thought that the Lord would come in my life. And as I look at our world today, I'm still convinced that he's on his way and he could be here at any time. He may come during your lifetime. He may come during my life. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Thank you for your service.

So many men didn't come home from that war, but God brought you through it. We're so happy you did. And we do thank you sincerely for your service for our country and your service for our Lord all these years. Thank you, sir. It's been a delight to be with you today.

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This first-person interview was made possible by the Far East Broadcasting Company. To thank FEBC, please visit the website febc.org and look for the podcast Until All Have Heard, featuring FEBC President Ed Cannon. You'll hear how God is using FEBC programs around the world to tell many the good news of Jesus Christ. Again, go to febc.org.

Now, with thanks to my friend and producer, Joe Carlson, I'm Wayne Shepherd. Join us next time for First Person.