This year marks the 65th Anniversary of the worst Naval disaster in US history.

At 12:14 a.m. on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,196 men on board, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remainder, about 900 men, were left floating in shark-infested waters with no lifeboats and most with no food or water. The ship was never missed, and by the time the survivors were spotted by accident four days later only 316 men were still alive.

Each year the survivors and comrades gather.

Nathan was overwhelmingly humbled and honored to photograph the following heroes of our nation.

Thank you to AJ Ploughe of the Columbia Club for giving us this incredible honor.