Video: 'The Story of the Deadliest Shark Attack in US History'

(Monday, July 30, 1945, approximately 12:14 a.m. local time; during World War II) — The U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis was torpedoed and sunk early this morning by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea with only 317 out of nearly 1,200 men aboard surviving.

The Indianapolis, a Portland-class cruiser launched in 1931 and named for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, had just completed a high-speed, top-secret delivery of critical components for the newly developed and still secret atomic bomb to Tinian Island.

Video: 'USS Indianapolis Survivor Relives Horrifying Experience | Memoirs Of WWII #38'

Following the mission, the ship was en route to the Philippines for training duty when it was struck by enemy torpedoes at approximately 12:14 a.m. Navy sources report the ship sank in just 12 minutes.

Of the estimated 1,195 crew members aboard, around 300 are believed to have gone down with the vessel. Approximately 890 sailors were left adrift in the open ocean, many without lifeboats, life vests, food, or fresh water. Exposure, dehydration, and the threat of shark attacks now pose dire challenges to those awaiting rescue.

Video: 'Survivors of USS Indianapolis floating in rubber rafts at sea and being rescued b...HD Stock Footage'

The Navy would not become aware of the disaster until four days later, when the survivors were spotted by the crew of a routine patrol aircraft. A U.S. Navy flying boat was able to land and rescue some of the men, and further search and recovery efforts are ongoing.

The Indianapolis served as the flagship of Admiral Raymond Spruance during major operations in the Central Pacific, including battles across the Marshall and Mariana Islands. It had also carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt partway on his 1943 journey to meet with Allied leaders.