The USS Indianapolis belonged to a class of United States Warships called the Portland Class.

Portland Class ships were heavy cruisers that featured heavier armor than previous ships of similar class. The ships were 610 feet long and had a beam of 66 feet. The ships had 9 8″ guns and 8 5″ guns.
She also sported 5-inch/25-caliber anti-aircraft guns and 2 QF 3-pounder Hotchkiss guns. There were 4 airplanes and 2 catapults to launch them. Typically, the planes were fighter aircraft that were launched from the catapults for aerial reconnaissance. At the end of the mission the pilot had to either find a land-based air strip to land or ditch the plane in the water close to the ship and wait for rescue. The ships had a crew complement of 807 sailors. There were 2 ships in this class, the USS Portland and the USS Indianapolis. Continue reading Memorial to the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis