Hey Rolltide. you'll be glad to know I know of ONE Alabama fan that was an Indy survivor...my Dad.  He was born and raised in Abbeville, AL., and entered the US Navy V-12 program from the recruiting center in Dothan in early 1944.  After he and his classmates purposely flunked out of the 1 year aviator training program because they heard the war might end before they graduated, they went in enlisted.  Dad entered radio school and graduated, then was assigned his first ship...the 5th Fleet Flagship of Admiral Spruance...the USS Indianapolis.  You know the story from there, however what you might want to know is that he didn't give up on the Navy...he re-entered in 1950 to go to Korea, and later served in Vietnam as well.  Jim Belcher retired as a Chief Petty Officer in July 1969.  A little known fact I learned last year...8 years after my Dad passed away in May 2001...there were two boys from Abbeville on the Indy when it sank on July 30, 1945...George Strickland did not survive the ordeal, and according to my mother, Dad never really forgave himself for that.  Also from Alabama on the Indy were Woody James (who later settled in Utah. and is now deceased) and moving to Mobile was Maurice Bell, who has since passed.  I cannot speak to the love for Alabama football of the others, but my Dad was THE FAN of Alabama football...to the tune of having a nephew and niece who are Tide grads...(we won't speak about the other two nephews who are Auburn Tiger grads...lol).  Anyway, because of him, we are all Alabama fans for life, too!  Take care, and God bless.