U.S. Navy Seaman 2nd Class

Vincent Fast Horse

Denby, Oglala Lakota County (formerly Shannon County), South Dakota

Shannon County

May 10, 1918-July 30, 1945

U.S.S. Indianapolis, Philippine Sea in the Pacific Ocean

Native American Oglala Lakota (Sioux)

Vincent Fast Horse was born on May 10, 1918 to Amos and Elizabeth Fast Horse in Denby, South Dakota. When Vincent was a child, he attended school at Holy Rosary Mission, now Red Cloud School. He enjoyed boxing, basketball and rodeo. Prior to being drafted he worked at an ammunition depot at Igloo, South Dakota. He also farmed and ranched with his father from 1938-1944. He married Edith Two Crow on October 26, 1940 and they had three children, James, Everett and Madeline.

Vincent entered active service on January 20, 1944. He was trained in Farragut, Idaho. He trained at the U.S. Naval Reserve Boot Camp. He was stationed in Oakland, California and eventually posted on the U.S.S. Indianapolis CA 35. The Indianapolis was sent overseas to Tinian Marianas Islands, sailing under secret orders. Onboard, she had a secret cargo, of which her captain was not even aware. Encased in a heavy lead cylinder was Uranium 235, the heart for two bombs of never-before-seen- explosive power that would blow up two major cities and would change the world forever.

After depositing her cargo on the island of Tinian in the western Pacific, she proceeded to Guam. From there, she was to cross the Philippine Sea to a base the Navy established on Leyte in the Philippine Islands. She never arrived. The U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. It is remembered as the greatest single sea disaster in the history of the U.S. Navy.

Late on the evening of July 29, 1945 the ship was sailing peacefully when a Japanese submarine surfaced and blew six torpedoes toward the U.S.S. Indianapolis hitting her in her powder magazines and fuel tanks. Just after midnight, she went down taking only about twelve minutes for the ship to sink. The ship carried a crew of nearly 1200 men aboard. About 300 men went down with the ship. Some 900 men managed to don life jackets and leap into the oil-covered ocean waters. While stranded in the sea for four days, barely a quarter of the crew --317 men-- survived. The rest either perished from dehydration or were killed by sharks.

No one knew the ship was out to sea or that it had been attacked. On the fourth day, survivors were spotted by the pilot of a Navy patrol plane that was on a routine flight. The pilot happened to spot an oil slick with the remaining survivors and debris from the ship. Vincent Fast Horse was one of the crew members that died in the U.S.S. Indianapolis disaster. Prior to his departure in the service he had visualized a full moon that was like blood. Perhaps it was prophetic of the fateful night when his Indianapolis was struck.

Vincent was awarded the Purple Heart, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and a Combat Action Ribbon. He was survived by his wife, Edith, and his children, James, Everett, and Madeline.

This entry was respectfully submitted to the FALLEN SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF SOUTH DAKOTA PROJECT by Sylvia Moves Camp, 11th grade, Crazy Horse School, Wanblee, South Dakota, March 19, 2002. Information for this entry was provided by Mr. James Fast Horse of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, son of

Vincent Fast Horse.

Horse Vincent Fast