USN
Heavy Cruiser
Sunk
February 28, 1942
Wartime History
USS Houston was base at Cavite then sailed to Ilo
Ilo arriving December
4, 1941. At Ilo Ilo, the USS Houston fueled, victualed and made ready
for action which was felt to be imminent by those in USN Command. The
ship left Ilo Ilo at 6:30 PM on December 7, just before a Japanese
bombers attacked the Port. The USS Houston was joined by the light
cruiser, USS Boise, and on the following day by destroyers USS Stewart
and USS Edwards, the seaplane tender, USS Langley and the fleet oilers,
USS Pecos and USS Trinity. The convoy, thus formed, turned south and
steamed toward Balikpapan Borneo arriving December 15.
The USS Houston and HMAS Perth were at Tanjong Priok at 2.30pm on February 28, 1942 after the Battle of the Java Sea. There they received orders to escape through Sunda Strait, which runs between Java and Sumatra, and make for Tjilitap on the south coast of Java. At this time, Houston only 50 rounds left per gun.
Battle of Sunda Strait & Sinking
At 10.30pm on February 28, 1942 Perth and Houston were sighted by the Japanese
destroyer FUBUKI which quietly shadowed them for the next half
hour, the ensuing battle became known as the Battle
of Sunda Strait.
At 2355, Houston scored hits on Mikuma causing her to lose electrical power. This was soon restored. FUBUKI fired her torpedoes at Perth and Houston but missed, instead hitting the Jap transports. Other Japanese Destroyers engauaged and overpowered the two ships.
Shipwreck
Houston lies at position 05.48.45S
106.7.55E Only 368 Houston crew members survived the Battle of Sunda
Strait
and
were taken prisoners of war by the Japanese for 3 1/2 years. Another
77 men perished die to torture, disease and starvation while working
on the "Death Railway" in Burma / Thailand.
