Out of the Depths by Edgar Harrell with David Harrell

Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, only weeks before the end of WW II, a Japanese submarine launched torpedoes at the USS Indianapolis. Two found their mark and within fifteen minutes the cruiser went down without a trace. Some 900 men were in the shark infested waters of the Philippine Sea. Only 317 remained alive when rescue occurred five days later. This is the story of one of them.

Harrell recounts his experience on the USS Indianapolis, the battles, transporting uranium-235 that would be used in the bombs dropped on Japan, and the submarine attack. His experience in the ocean is amazing. He gives all the glory to God saying it was God's unfailing presence that sustained him. He helps us understand what happens to the body when in water that long. He tells of the thirst, the shark attacks, crying out to God, twelve foot swells, rain, the life jackets getting water logged, and then the miraculous rescue.

There was a naval cover up of the incident as blame was placed on the skipper. The truth finally came out fifty years later when documents were declassified. Several of the men formed a survivors group and went to battle for the skipper, ultimately seeing his name exonerated.

This is a timely account of that war. Memories of WW II are fading and many of the younger generation know nothing of the heroes of that era. This is a great book to remind us of what that generation sacrificed for our freedom.

Edgar Harrell, USMC (Ret.) owned and operated a distributorship for the Pella Window Company in Rock Island, Illinois for thirty five years, served for fifteen years on the board of the Moody Bible Institute, and has been a lay minister throughout his adult life. He and his wife live in Clarksville, Tennessee where they enjoy their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

David Harrell is the senior pastor-teacher of Calvary Bible Church and president of the church's media arm, Olive Tree Christian Resources.

Bethany House Publishers, 192 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from Bethany House for the purpose of an independent and honest review.