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See the History of World War II IN Indiana
According to historian James Madison, “World War II changed everything in Indiana, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently." Indiana changed a lot during and after World War II with more industrial factories and machine shops opening up, the creation of Camp Attebury, Crane Naval Ammunition Depot, Jefferson Proving Ground, and more, and the surge of civil rights activists. While Indiana's role in World War II was similar to its role in World War I, it was more widespread and more intense.
However, the most famous contribution Indiana made to the war effort was the USS Indianapolis. While only holding the city's name, the USS Indianapolis made a huge contribution to the conflict in the Western Theater as the flagship of the fifth fleet, but even more so when it delivered the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island in late July 1945. This bomb, and its brother, would lead to the end of World War II in the Western Theater.
Mere days after the delivery of the atomic bomb and the uranium it would use, the USS Indianapolis suffered a horrible fate. The ship was torpedoed twice and sunk by a Japanese submarine. After it sank and the long time before rescue came, only around three-hundred sailors survived. This was the most devasting loss of life from a single ship sinking in the Western Theater of World War II. Later, the surviving members would be rewarded for their service, courage, and sacrifice.
Learn More about World War II IN Indiana
While the USS Indianapolis is the most famous contribution to World War II that Indiana made, it is far from the only one. Many people sacrificed and generously gave to help promote the war effort. There are so many more stories and military history to discover in Indiana. With so much to explore, we made exploring easy with our map. Find your location and explore what is near you or plan a trip to see some of the amazing locations throughout Indiana.
The map is currently set to filter only locations pertaining to World War II. Click here if you want to have the control of choosing to filter by conflict, type, or region. You may also click on the map to see what locations are revealed and more information about them.