Jane Gwinn Goodall is the daughter of W.C. Gwinn, the Ventura PV-1 pilot who first spotted and initiated the rescue of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) survivors. Growing up with the story of the historic ship, Jane has been actively involved in projects related to its legacy since 2008.
As Chair of the USS Indianapolis/Gwinn "Angel" Scholarship Endowment Fund and a founding member of the non-profit USS Indianapolis (CA-35) Legacy Organization, Jane has served in various roles to promote and perpetuate the story of the ship and her crew. Her dedication has been recognized by the survivors' organization, which named her father an Honorary Survivor in 1960 and granted Jane the same honor in 2018.
To honor the 75th anniversary of the sinking and tragic loss of nearly three quarters of the ship's crew, Jane co-authored a commemorative book for the Legacy Organization in 2020. The book illustrated the long and distinguished history of naval service and focused on the lives of the sailors and officers who made USS Indianapolis (CA-35) great. It included a 60-page personalization of the final sailing list, representing each of the names of the 1,195 men with an image and brief biographical information.
During the research process, Jane discovered the limitations placed on black sailors in the 1940s and the difficulty in finding even basic biographical information on the men who held job titles such as Stewards, Steward's Mates, and Cooks. This realization stirred an emotional response, and Jane vowed to dig deeper. She assembled an ad hoc committee including members of three of the Steward's Mates families and led the group over a two and one-half year process to bring these men out of the shadows.
Through her work, Jane has ensured that the story of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) and the bravery and sacrifice of her crew will be remembered. Captain William Toti, USN (Ret.) is the chairman of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) Legacy Organization (2022-2024). Bill Toti's relationship with the USS Indianapolis survivors spans more than 25 years. A 1979 graduate of Annapolis, he served for more than 26 years on active duty in the United States Navy, including three tours on the submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697), ultimately becoming the captain of the namesake sub. In the later years of his naval career, he served as commodore of Submarine Squadron 3 in Pearl Harbor, and finally commanding officer of Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Command Norfolk. Captain Toti is most proud of his effort in 1998 to join forces with the Indy survivors to help clear the name of the cruiser's captain, Charles B. McVay III. Bill is an honorary survivor of USS Indianapolis Survivors Organization. He has been featured on numerous documentaries about Indianapolis. After retiring from the Navy, Bill served for more than fifteen years in industry, and has recently published a book titled From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership.