Hunter Scott

Who is Hunter Scott?

Hunter Alan Scott is best known for the research he did on the sinking of the USS Indianapolis as a sixth-grade student, which led to a United States Congressional investigation. and exoneration for her captain.

Scott lived in Pensacola, Florida. At twelve years old, he created a National History Day project on the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. Scott became interested in the subject after seeing it discussed in the film Jaws. Scott interviewed nearly 150 survivors of the Indianapolis sinking and reviewed 800 documents. The young man concluded that the ship's Captain Charles Butler McVay III who had been blamed for the tragedy, was innocent. Scott appeared before the US Congress with survivors of the USS Indianapolis to argue that McVay should be exonerated.

In his testimony, Scott said: "This is Captain McVay's dog tag from when he was a cadet at the Naval Academy. As you can see, it has his thumbprint on the back. I carry this as a reminder of my mission in the memory of a man who ended his own life in 1968. I carry this dog tag to remind me that only in the United States can one person make a difference no matter what the age. I carry this dog tag to remind me of the privilege and responsibility that I have to carry forward the torch of honor passed to me by the men of the USS Indianapolis."