In light of the Shark Week and the documentary Ocean of Fear (premiering today, July 29), I found myself over at the USS Indianapolis Survivors web site reading about Woody James. His day by day chronology of events is most engaging.
From Day 3 of his ordeal:
The day wore on and the sharks were around, hundreds of them. You’d hear guys scream, especially late in the afternoon. Seemed like the sharks were the worst late in the afternoon than they were during the day. Then they fed at night too. Everything would be quiet and then you’d hear somebody scream and you knew a shark had got him.
It didn’t ever get any cooler in the daytime. In fact, Newhall asked me, he said, “James, do you think it’s’ any hotter in hell than it is here?” I said, “I don’t know, Jim, but if it is, I ain’t goin.”
Read the whole thing, if you have the time. James’ keen sense of irony is present throughout.
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