House Resolution No. honors the Iowans who were either killed or survived the attack on the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945. The USS Indianapolis, commissioned in 1932, served valiantly in the Pacific during World War II, earning ten battle stars and playing a crucial role in delivering components for the first operational atomic bomb. Tragically, while traveling unescorted from Guam to Leyte Gulf, the ship was struck by two torpedoes from a Japanese submarine, leading to its rapid sinking and the loss of many lives.

Of the 1,195 crew members aboard, approximately 900 entered the water, but only 316 were rescued after enduring harrowing conditions, including shark attacks, for nearly five days. Among those on board were 34 Iowans, with 30 losing their lives in the attack. The resolution specifically honors the service and sacrifice of these individuals, recognizing the four Iowans who survived: Seaman First Class Charles O. Wells, Seaman Second Class Glen Laverne Milbrodt, Electricians Mate Second Class Edward Chris Koch, and Seaman First Class Robert H. Brundige.