Wow, what a story and it's true! I had to struggle a bit as I read these chapters, The Guilty and The Court-Marshal with all the names and facts to keep focus. It's hard to believe it all started with a father and son watching the movie, Jaws. This is a must read for everyone for many reasons; Yes history can be rewritten, yes a a young boy can make a major impact, and our leaders do make mistakes, grave mistakes. This book is nor for the "faint of heart."

Here is a summary from Google: Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The ship sank in 14 minutes. More than 1,000 men were thrown into shark-infested waters. Those who survived the fiery sinking—some injured, many without life jackets—struggled to stay afloat in shark-infested waters as they waited for rescue. But the United States Navy did not even know they were missing. The Navy needed a scapegoat for this disaster. So it court-martialed the captain for “hazarding” his ship. The survivors of the Indianapolis knew that their captain was not to blame. For 50 years they worked to clear his name, even after his untimely death. But the navy would not budge—until an 11-year-old boy named Hunter Scott entered the picture. His history fair project on the Indianapolis soon became a crusade to restore the captain’s good name and the honor of the men who served under him.

It is my hope that the NC Battle of the Books teams will gain some great insight from reading this historical fiction.
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Nelson explains how the research of eleven-year-old Hunter Scott, who was inspired by a passing reference in the movie, Jaws, uncovered the truth behind a historic World War II naval disaster aboard the USS Indianapolis.

This is a must read for anyone in the military or federal government. It is proof as to what will happen when people lie and try to cover details. Charles Butler McVay was captain of the USS Indianapolis. This is the story how hundreds of the men on the ship died and how it all could have been prevented. McVay was blamed and later court martialed only to have his name and reputation cleared fifty-five years later by a middle school boy doing a social studies report.

Great storytelling by the author. Great job of interleaving past and present storylines. Recommended to my middle schoolers for summer reading. Great example of the importance of source materials. ( )

What began for 13-year-old Hunter Scott as a history project actually resulted in changing history. He set out to discover what really happened when the USS Indianapolis sank. More than 800 sailors died and 300 were left to float in shark infested waters for four days.

Other books to try: In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis, Abandon Ship! Death of the USS Indianapolis, Miracle at Midway, A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor ( )