Oral History Interview with L. D. Cox, August 10, 2007

Oral History Interview with L. D. Cox, August 10, 2007

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Track One 2:23:57

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L D Cox. Cox joined the Navy in 1944 and served aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35). He was assigned to a deck division, and later the Navigation Division. He describes some of his job functions and life in general aboard the ship. In the spring of 1945 they launched an attack on Tokyo to cover the landings on Iwo Jima and participated in the Battle of Okinawa. He provides details of these events. They traveled back to the States for repairs. Cox then describes their secret mission of picking … continued below

Physical Description

1 sound recording (2 hr., 23 min., 56 sec.)

Creation Information

Cox, L. D. August 10, 2007.

Publisher

National Museum of the Pacific War
Place of Publication: Fredericksburg, Texas

Audiences

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Provided By

National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation

Established in 1967, the Museum honors the 8 million Americans who served in WWII in the Pacific Theater by sharing their stories with the world. Located in Fredericksburg in the restored Nimitz "Steamboat" Hotel, the Museum partners with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve the historical resources of the era.

Description

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with L D Cox. Cox joined the Navy in 1944 and served aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35). He was assigned to a deck division, and later the Navigation Division. He describes some of his job functions and life in general aboard the ship. In the spring of 1945 they launched an attack on Tokyo to cover the landings on Iwo Jima and participated in the Battle of Okinawa. He provides details of these events. They traveled back to the States for repairs. Cox then describes their secret mission of picking up the wooden box in San Francisco which carried parts for the Little Boy atomic bomb and delivering it to Tinian. En route from Guam to Leyte Gulf, in July of 1945, a Japanese submarine struck the Indianapolis with 2 torpedoes, and the ship sank within 12 minutes. Of the 1,197 crew members, Cox was one of the 317 who survived the sinking and five nights and four days in the Philippine Sea. He provides vivid details of this horrific event, his injuries and the court-martialing of Captain McVay. Cox was discharged in March of 1946.

Physical Description

1 sound recording (2 hr., 23 min., 56 sec.)

Subjects

Keywords

Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms

Library of Congress Subject Headings

World War, 1939-1945

University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure

Language

English

Item Type

Sound

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this recording in the Portal or other systems.

Accession or Local Control No: OH02608
Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metapth1609439

Relationships

Oral History Interview with L. D. Cox, August 10, 2007, [transcript] ark:/67531/metapth1605627

Collections

This recording is part of the following collections of related materials.

National Museum of the Pacific War Oral History Collection

This oral history collection depicts an instrumental era in American history. In these transcripts of interviews with World War II veterans are personal experiences with the war, from the Doolittle Raid and D-Day to the Battle for Bataan.

National Museum of the Pacific War Digital Archive

The Digital Archive presents digitized collections from the Center for Pacific War Studies collections at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Collections and material are continuously being added and represent only a small portion of the archives' physical holdings.

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