<P> Navy command did not know of the ship 's sinking until survivors were spotted three and a half days later . At 10 : 25 on 2 August , a PV - 1 Ventura flown by Lieutenant Wilbur `` Chuck '' Gwinn and his copilot , Lieutenant Warren Colwell , spotted the men adrift while on a routine patrol flight . Gwinn immediately dropped a life raft and radio transmitter . All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once . </P>
<P> Navy command did not know of the ship 's sinking until survivors were spotted three and a half days later . At 10 : 25 on 2 August , a PV - 1 Ventura flown by Lieutenant Wilbur `` Chuck '' Gwinn and his copilot , Lieutenant Warren Colwell , spotted the men adrift while on a routine patrol flight . Gwinn immediately dropped a life raft and radio transmitter . All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once . </P>
how long were the survivors of the uss indianapolis in the water
how long were the survivors of the uss indianapolis in the water
three and a half days
three and a half days