Entered the service from Missouri.
Alfred Joseph Jurgensmeyer born May 25, 1927, the youngest son of Sam and Mary in Jim Henry Township located in central Missouri. Soon after turning 18 Alfred enlisted in the United States Navy, Service Number: 339-10-15. After completing basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois Alfred was stationed at the U.S. Naval Training and Distribution Center (TADCEN), Shoemaker, California located about 16 miles east of the San Francisco Bay, awaiting further assignment orders.
On 25 June 1945 Alfred was assigned and mustered aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) a Portland-class heavy cruiser. The Indianapolis had been heavily damaged by a kamikaze attack on 31 March 1945 while supporting the invasion of Okinawa. The ship made the long voyage back to the states under its own power and was at Mare Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, California for damage for damage repairs and overhaul from 2 May to 12 July 1945.
After overhaul and sea trials the first mission and voyage for S2c Jurgensmeyer and the USS Indianapolis was of a secret nature. Because of the Indianapolis capability for fast speed and its availability it was selected to transport major components of the"Little Boy"atomic bomb (later dropped over Hiroshima) from Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco to Tinian, Mariana Islands.
USS Indianapolis departed San Francisco on 16 July 1945 with its "special" cargo secured. Traveling at a flank speed Indianapolis with on brief stop at Pearl Harbor arrived at Tinian Harbor 26 July at 0755 (7:55AM) discharged its "special" cargo and departed Tinian Harbor at 1840b(6:40PM) headed for Guam. At Guam, after refueling and resupply Indianapolis departed Guam on 28 July and began sailing toward its next destination Leyte, Philippine Islands without escort vessels.
On 30 July at 0015 (1:15AM) Indianapolis was struck on the starboard side by two Type 95 torpedos, one in the bow and one amidships, from the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. The bow torpedo explosion detached the bow from the ship and combined with the explosion amidships caused the ship to sink within a matter of 15 minutes or so.
The individual circumstances for Alfred are not known. The crew complement of USS Indianapolis was 1,195 crewman. It is estimated 300 of the crew went down with the ship. After four and a half days drifting in the open ocean 316 crew members were eventually rescued leaving 879 crewmen dead and missing with Alfred among the latter group.
On 19 August 2017 the wreck site of USS Indianapolis (CS3-35) was located by Paul Allen’s Research Vessel Petrel, at a depth of 18,044 feet (5,500 m) -at an undisclosed location in the Philippine Sea, offering a final resting place for 879 crewman still missing in actions, remains not recovered.
May future generations never forget the sacrifice of these men so you may be free.
I want to thank the CWGC/ABMC for transferring Alfred to me
Thank you so much Vindicator I for sponsoring Alfred’s Memorial Page
Alfred Joseph Jurgensmeyer born May 25, 1927, the youngest son of Sam and Mary in Jim Henry Township located in central Missouri. Soon after turning 18 Alfred enlisted in the United States Navy, Service Number: 339-10-15. After completing basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois Alfred was stationed at the U.S. Naval Training and Distribution Center (TADCEN), Shoemaker, California located about 16 miles east of the San Francisco Bay, awaiting further assignment orders.
On 25 June 1945 Alfred was assigned and mustered aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) a Portland-class heavy cruiser. The Indianapolis had been heavily damaged by a kamikaze attack on 31 March 1945 while supporting the invasion of Okinawa. The ship made the long voyage back to the states under its own power and was at Mare Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, California for damage for damage repairs and overhaul from 2 May to 12 July 1945.
After overhaul and sea trials the first mission and voyage for S2c Jurgensmeyer and the USS Indianapolis was of a secret nature. Because of the Indianapolis capability for fast speed and its availability it was selected to transport major components of the"Little Boy"atomic bomb (later dropped over Hiroshima) from Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco to Tinian, Mariana Islands.
USS Indianapolis departed San Francisco on 16 July 1945 with its "special" cargo secured. Traveling at a flank speed Indianapolis with on brief stop at Pearl Harbor arrived at Tinian Harbor 26 July at 0755 (7:55AM) discharged its "special" cargo and departed Tinian Harbor at 1840b(6:40PM) headed for Guam. At Guam, after refueling and resupply Indianapolis departed Guam on 28 July and began sailing toward its next destination Leyte, Philippine Islands without escort vessels.
On 30 July at 0015 (1:15AM) Indianapolis was struck on the starboard side by two Type 95 torpedos, one in the bow and one amidships, from the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. The bow torpedo explosion detached the bow from the ship and combined with the explosion amidships caused the ship to sink within a matter of 15 minutes or so.
The individual circumstances for Alfred are not known. The crew complement of USS Indianapolis was 1,195 crewman. It is estimated 300 of the crew went down with the ship. After four and a half days drifting in the open ocean 316 crew members were eventually rescued leaving 879 crewmen dead and missing with Alfred among the latter group.
On 19 August 2017 the wreck site of USS Indianapolis (CS3-35) was located by Paul Allen’s Research Vessel Petrel, at a depth of 18,044 feet (5,500 m) -at an undisclosed location in the Philippine Sea, offering a final resting place for 879 crewman still missing in actions, remains not recovered.
May future generations never forget the sacrifice of these men so you may be free.
I want to thank the CWGC/ABMC for transferring Alfred to me
Thank you so much Vindicator I for sponsoring Alfred’s Memorial Page
Entered the service from Missouri.
Alfred Joseph Jurgensmeyer born May 25, 1927, the youngest son of Sam and Mary in Jim Henry Township located in central Missouri. Soon after turning 18 Alfred enlisted in the United States Navy, Service Number: 339-10-15. After completing basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois Alfred was stationed at the U.S. Naval Training and Distribution Center (TADCEN), Shoemaker, California located about 16 miles east of the San Francisco Bay, awaiting further assignment orders.
On 25 June 1945 Alfred was assigned and mustered aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) a Portland-class heavy cruiser. The Indianapolis had been heavily damaged by a kamikaze attack on 31 March 1945 while supporting the invasion of Okinawa. The ship made the long voyage back to the states under its own power and was at Mare Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, California for damage for damage repairs and overhaul from 2 May to 12 July 1945.
After overhaul and sea trials the first mission and voyage for S2c Jurgensmeyer and the USS Indianapolis was of a secret nature. Because of the Indianapolis capability for fast speed and its availability it was selected to transport major components of the"Little Boy"atomic bomb (later dropped over Hiroshima) from Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco to Tinian, Mariana Islands.
USS Indianapolis departed San Francisco on 16 July 1945 with its "special" cargo secured. Traveling at a flank speed Indianapolis with on brief stop at Pearl Harbor arrived at Tinian Harbor 26 July at 0755 (7:55AM) discharged its "special" cargo and departed Tinian Harbor at 1840b(6:40PM) headed for Guam. At Guam, after refueling and resupply Indianapolis departed Guam on 28 July and began sailing toward its next destination Leyte, Philippine Islands without escort vessels.
On 30 July at 0015 (1:15AM) Indianapolis was struck on the starboard side by two Type 95 torpedos, one in the bow and one amidships, from the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. The bow torpedo explosion detached the bow from the ship and combined with the explosion amidships caused the ship to sink within a matter of 15 minutes or so.
The individual circumstances for Alfred are not known. The crew complement of USS Indianapolis was 1,195 crewman. It is estimated 300 of the crew went down with the ship. After four and a half days drifting in the open ocean 316 crew members were eventually rescued leaving 879 crewmen dead and missing with Alfred among the latter group.
On 19 August 2017 the wreck site of USS Indianapolis (CS3-35) was located by Paul Allen’s Research Vessel Petrel, at a depth of 18,044 feet (5,500 m) -at an undisclosed location in the Philippine Sea, offering a final resting place for 879 crewman still missing in actions, remains not recovered.
May future generations never forget the sacrifice of these men so you may be free.
I want to thank the CWGC/ABMC for transferring Alfred to me
Thank you so much Vindicator I for sponsoring Alfred’s Memorial Page
Alfred Joseph Jurgensmeyer born May 25, 1927, the youngest son of Sam and Mary in Jim Henry Township located in central Missouri. Soon after turning 18 Alfred enlisted in the United States Navy, Service Number: 339-10-15. After completing basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois Alfred was stationed at the U.S. Naval Training and Distribution Center (TADCEN), Shoemaker, California located about 16 miles east of the San Francisco Bay, awaiting further assignment orders.
On 25 June 1945 Alfred was assigned and mustered aboard the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) a Portland-class heavy cruiser. The Indianapolis had been heavily damaged by a kamikaze attack on 31 March 1945 while supporting the invasion of Okinawa. The ship made the long voyage back to the states under its own power and was at Mare Island Navy Yard, San Francisco, California for damage for damage repairs and overhaul from 2 May to 12 July 1945.
After overhaul and sea trials the first mission and voyage for S2c Jurgensmeyer and the USS Indianapolis was of a secret nature. Because of the Indianapolis capability for fast speed and its availability it was selected to transport major components of the"Little Boy"atomic bomb (later dropped over Hiroshima) from Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco to Tinian, Mariana Islands.
USS Indianapolis departed San Francisco on 16 July 1945 with its "special" cargo secured. Traveling at a flank speed Indianapolis with on brief stop at Pearl Harbor arrived at Tinian Harbor 26 July at 0755 (7:55AM) discharged its "special" cargo and departed Tinian Harbor at 1840b(6:40PM) headed for Guam. At Guam, after refueling and resupply Indianapolis departed Guam on 28 July and began sailing toward its next destination Leyte, Philippine Islands without escort vessels.
On 30 July at 0015 (1:15AM) Indianapolis was struck on the starboard side by two Type 95 torpedos, one in the bow and one amidships, from the Japanese submarine I-58, commanded by Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. The bow torpedo explosion detached the bow from the ship and combined with the explosion amidships caused the ship to sink within a matter of 15 minutes or so.
The individual circumstances for Alfred are not known. The crew complement of USS Indianapolis was 1,195 crewman. It is estimated 300 of the crew went down with the ship. After four and a half days drifting in the open ocean 316 crew members were eventually rescued leaving 879 crewmen dead and missing with Alfred among the latter group.
On 19 August 2017 the wreck site of USS Indianapolis (CS3-35) was located by Paul Allen’s Research Vessel Petrel, at a depth of 18,044 feet (5,500 m) -at an undisclosed location in the Philippine Sea, offering a final resting place for 879 crewman still missing in actions, remains not recovered.
May future generations never forget the sacrifice of these men so you may be free.
I want to thank the CWGC/ABMC for transferring Alfred to me
Thank you so much Vindicator I for sponsoring Alfred’s Memorial Page
Family Members
Siblings
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William Conrad Jurgensmeyer
1912–1984
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Hattie Catherine Jurgensmeyer Naylor
1914–2005
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Elvinia Marie Jurgensmeyer Schwaller
1916–1983
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Norbert C. Jurgensmeyer
1918–1992
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Beatrice Marie Jurgensmeyer
1920–1969
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Teresa Emma Jurgensmeyer Kaiser
1923–2018
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Seaman Second Class Alfred Joseph Jurgensmeyer
1927–1945
