"Lee Roy Reinert, who left February 24 for service in the U.S. Navy is stationed at Great Lakes, Ill." (March 8, 1944)
Lee Roy Reinert, 21, Reported Missing Since July 30
Maryhill Couple Receive Wire Monday Afternoon
Lee
Roy Reinert, fireman, first class, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew
Reinert of the Maryhill community, is missing in action in the South
Pacific since July 30, his parents were informed by telegram Monday
afternoon. Reinert, who served one and a half years with the navy was
home for a fifteen day leave in the latter part of May. He served
aboard the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis in the Pacific area prior to
his leave, and upon his return to active duty was also assigned to the
Pacific theater. He had seen action at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The 10
brothers and sisters of Lee Roy are: Clarence, Lawrence, Mrs. Del
Boothby (Rosella), Marcus, Mrs. Ernest Carsten (Hilda), Quimby, Rita,
Edward, Cyril, Lorraine, Vernon and Carolina, at home. (Source: Cherokee Daily Times, Aug 14, 1945, pg. 1) | 
USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
The sinking of this 5th Fleet flagship, on July 30, 1945, precipitated the worst sea disaster in the U.S. Navy's history
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Letter To Reinerts Tells Of Death Of Their Son, LeRoy
Mr. and
Mrs. Andrew Reinert received a letter from Charles B. McVay, III,
Captain, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, the
ship on which their son, LeRoy Reinert, fireman first class, was aboard
when he lost his life. The letter, which follows, gives news of the
sinking of the ship:
"It is with great sorrow that I, as Commanding
Officer of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, write to you concerning your son,
LeRoy Reinert, fireman first class, United States Naval Reserve, who
lost his life as a result of the sinking of the INDIANAPOLIS in the
early morning hours of July 30, 1945.
The INDIANAPOLIS was en route
to the Philippines from Guam after a run which set a new speed record
from San Francisco, and after delivery of an atomic bomb, she was
approximately 450 miles from Leyte when two heavy under-water
explosions occurred on the starboard side forward. She filled rapidly
with water through the gaping holes in her under-water body caused by
this explosion and within fifteen minutes sank. Many men lost their
lives almost instantaneously. The exact manner in which your son met
his death is not known, but it is believed that he went down with his
ship.
The first group of survivors were picked up Thursday, August 2, 1945,
and the rest, of which I was one, the next morning, bringing the total
to fifteen officers and three hundred one enlisted men. For days
thereafter the area where the ship went down, and where any possible
survivors could be, was searched by ships and planes but no other
survivors were picked up.
Nothing that I can say will lighten the
burden which is yours at this time, but I do want you to know that your
son had done his part in the team work which made the INDIANAPOLIS an
efficient fighting unit of the fleet.
The surviving officers and
men of my command join me in the expression of wholehearted sympathy
to you in the great loss which you have sustained."
Source: Cherokee Daily Times, Cherokee, IA Oct 19, 1945, pg. 1
| U.
S. Navy Captain Charles B. McVay of the U.S.S. Indianapolis during
World War II, was court-martialed as responsible for the sinking, in
which almost 900 men were killed. He wasn't exonerated of any
wrongdoing until 2000, after his death. (Source: www.history.com) |
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