Book Review: Out of the Depths {Bethany House}

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Out of the Depths: An unforgettable WWII story of survival, courage, and the sinking of the USS Indianapolis by Edgar Harrell, USMC, with David Harrell*

ISBN: 9780764212604

Hardcover, 192 pages

Publisher: Bethany House

Retail: $16.99

About the book (from the back cover):

The inspiring true story of a World War II hero's miraculous survival at sea.

July 30, 1945- The USS Indianapolis and its 1,196-man crew is making its way toward a small island in the South Pacific. The ship is sailing unescorted, assured by headquarters the waters are safe. It is midnight, and Marine Edgar Harrell and seveal others have sacked out on deck rather than spend the night in their hot and muggy quarters below. Fresh off a top-secret mission to deliver uranium for the atomic bombs that would ultimately end World War II, they are unaware their ship is being watched. Minutes later, six torpedoes are slicing through the Indy...

For five horrifying days and nights after their ship went down, Harrell and his shipmates had to fend for themselves in the open seas. Plagued by dehydration, exposure, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks, their numbers were cruelly depleted before they were miraculously rescued. This is one man's story of courage, ingenuity, and faith in God's providence in the midst of the worst naval disaster in U.S. history.

About the authors:

Edgar Harrell, USMC, owned and operated a Pella Window distributorship in Rock Island, Illinois, for thirty-five years, served for fifteen years on the board of Moody Bible Institute, and has been a lay minister throughout his adult life. He lives with his wife, Ola, enjoying their two children, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Edgar speaks extensively around the United States about his survival at sea.

David Harrell, son of Edgar Harrell, is the senior pastor-teacher of Calvary Bible Church in Joelton, Tennessee. After attending Moody Bible Institute, he graduated from Grace College, Grace Theological Seminary, and the Oxford Graduate School. He is married to Nancy, and together they have three children and six grandchildren.

My thoughts:

This is an excellent book. There may be points I could make against the writing but I won't because the book isn't about how vividly it recounts the ordeal that Harrell went through, nor is it a book that I think they want you to get 'lost in' while reading. No; this book has real emotion and enough detail that it will wretch the gut of those who have compassion and a hope in the Lord. 

When I began the book I thought it slow-going but I had to shift from a novel reading mentality to a nonfiction book about war. Harrell gives backstory- his, the USS Indianapolis, and a bit of the circumstances ultimately leading to the ordeal he and his crewmates endured. One of the things that kept me reading was the very evident belief that God would get him through whatever he encountered. In the book, Harrell mentions that before leaving for the war he hadn't really accepted God- he had be a churchgoer but did not have a relationship with God. That changed right before he shipped out. 

Throughout the book, Harrell relays the verses that kept him holding his head above water- literally. There were so many who were without the peace he had; did they not know God?; did they not have a relationship with God? Many did not; many gave up. Harrell says that the peace he had helped him be okay with however his plight turned out. In one instance, his buddy Miles Spooner, who had major damage to his eyes and was in a lot of pain, wanted to just let go and sink. Harrell prayed with him. Here is what is in the book: 

Years later, my Marine buddy Miles Spooner gave an interview to a newspaper and described me as "a 'hard-shell' Christian, (who) quoted Bible verses, prayed, and pleaded with God during their extended time afloat." 

"I didn't care much for religion then," Spooner said, but he's changed his mind over the years. Did religion save him and Harrell? "Probably so," he said, in a choked voice.

I am thankful that the Lord gave me a steadfast hope and a desire to pray to Him during such an agonizing ordeal. But make no mistake; it was the God of the Bible, not mere religion, that saved us. pg. 138 (emphasis mine)

Towards the end of the book, Harrell talks more about after the rescue; the lack of reception for the survivors; the hush-hush attitude of the higher-ups; the strange court-martial of Captain McVay; and the "Journey for Justice," the last chapter. I will say that it leads one to believe that the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the USS Indianapolis were avoidable and that the US government handled this in a very poor manner. Harrell references other books if one is interested in researching it further. I appreciate that he does included those references as opposed to stating only his feelings on the matter, although this is a biography of his experience.

All-in-all, a very good book. It doesn't take long to read but it stays with you for awhile. It does have quite a bit of detail on the explosions of the USS Indianapolis, but without such gory detail as to be unreadable. And when they are in the water, Harrell accounts the shark attacks that took many of his crewmates  

I am giving this book to my almost 15-year-old son to read. It is a great book about courage, but mostly faith in God during extreme trials. 

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of this review. All opinions stated are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.