Show McVay Deni s Charges in n Cruiser Loss Loss' W WASHINGTON Dec 4 R Cp- Capt Charles B. B McVay III skipper of ot the Ill fated cruiser Indianapolis entered formal pleas pleM of ot Innocent to charges of or negligence gence and Inefficiency In the loss of the vessel Tuesday The charges were read to him himat himat himat at his public martial court-martial and when asked how he pleaded h ho replied In a firm voice Not No guilty Asked If fl he had any admission to make mate In open court court with regard to the charges and specifications he replied through his counsel I Capt John P P. P Cady that he was yas i commanding officer of the crul cruiser cr Indianapolis on July 30 1915 1945 the the date she was sunk a and d that the ship was en route from Guam to Leyte Capt McVay in n r response pome to an Inquiry said laId th these e acknowledgements acknowledge acknowledge- ments were made with willi his consent As court opened counsel for tor the accused officer reported the defense de defense de- de WM was re ready dy to proceed with the trial and the charges anc and I specifications were read to him The seven man court headed by Rear Adm Wilder D. D Baker was convened Monday but granted thed the d defense a a. a hour 24 r postponement to o complete preparation of its cave case after alter rejecting a defense motion motion motion mo mo- tion to quash one of the charges Defense counsel Capt Cady entered en- en enter entered en en- ter d. d an objection to the he charge that Capt McVay through negligence negligence gence permitted h his 1 ship hip to be endangered by falling failing to order the ship tt tp to ta sail sall a zigzag course e al- al al although lQ l- l though Q it was traveling without eJ ort through an area in which enemy submarines might b be en en- en countered He argued U unsuccessfully that the charge failed tailed to state an but merely set out a conclusion ion Although loss of ot the heavy Bruiser has been officially attributed attributed attributed attrib attrib- to enemy action there has been no explanation of exactly what caused CAwed the disaster The ship survivors related sank Bank In 15 minutes There were cas ens- casualties I among the ships ship's 1196 personnel per per- Bonnel Dead and missing miming totaled SO SEO and the remainder remainder- were in In- Had De Been en Warned The prosecution Introduced testimony testimony tes tes- Tuesday Tuesday through its first witness that the Indianapolis had been warned of ot submarine contacts contacts contacts con con- within n miles l of the route the cruiser was in instructed to take This testimony was waa given by Lt Joseph oseph J. J Waldron tho the convoy routing officer at Guam The lieutenant described how the route was devised from Guam to Leyte and a copy copy of it and intelligence in intelligence intelligence in- in instructions was was intro The instructions were that the Indianapolis India w waa to proceed at 15 knots on a special course plotted out in specific longi longitudes and latitudes latitudes latitudes lati lati- tudes and arrive at Leyte on July uly 31 The commander was Instructed Instructed instructed In In- to zigzag at his own dis dis- |