This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Michael D. Withers (Mike), OSCS
to remember
Hayler, Robert Ward, VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Sandusky, OH
Last Address Carmel, CA
Date of Passing Nov 17, 1980
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Robert Ward Hayler was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. He was a three-time recipient of the Navy Cross, the Navy's second highest military decoration for valor. Two of these awards were received while serving as the commanding officer of the light cruiser USS Honolulu at Guadalcanal and Kula Gulf and the third as a rear admiral and Commander, Cruiser Division Twelve during the Battle of Surigao Strait in October 1944.
Following the Second World War, Hayler remained in the Navy and served as Commandant, Sixth Naval District and President, Permanent General Court Martial for the Ninth Naval District until his retirement in July 1953.
CLASS - PORTLAND
Displacement 9,950 Tons, Dimensions, 610' 3" (oa) x 66' 1" x 24' (Max)
Armament 9 x 8"/55, 8 x 5"/25, 8 x 0.5" 4 Aircraft.
Armor, 5" Belt, 2 1/2 Turrets, 2 1/2" Deck, 1 1/4 Conning Tower.
Machinery, 107,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 4 screws
Speed, 32.7 Knots, Crew 621. Operational and Building Data
Keel laid on 31 MAR 1930 at New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, NJ
Launched 07 NOV 1931
Commissioned 15 NOV 1932 Fate: Torpedoed and sunk 30 JUL 1945 by Japanese submarine I-58
USS Indianapolis (CL/CA-35) was a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy. She was named for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana.
She was the flagship of Admiral Raymond Spruance while he commanded the Fifth Fleet in battles across the Central Pacific. Her sinking led to the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the U.S. Navy. On 30 July 1945, after delivering parts for Little Boy, the first atomic bomb used in combat, to the United States air base at Tinian, the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58, sinking in 12 minutes. Of 1,196 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship.
The remaining 900 faced exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks while floating with few lifeboats and almost no food or water. The Navy learned of the sinking when survivors were spotted four days later by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura on routine patrol. Only 317 survived.