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| Koninklijke Marine Royal Netherlands Navy Admiralen-class destroyer 1,310 Tons (standard) 322' x 31' x 9.8' 4 x 4.7” (4x1) 2 x 3" AA guns (2x1) 4 x .50 cal MG 6 x 21" torpedoes (2x3) 24 x mines Aircraft crane with Fokker C.VII-W floatplane  Koninklijke Marine 1930s  Koninklijke Marine 1935 |
Ship History Built by Burgerhout in Rotterdam. Laid down August 26, 1925 as an Admiralen-class destroyer. Launched April 2, 1927 as Hr. Ms. Piet Hein (PH) named for Dutch Admiral Piet P. Hein. Commissioned January 25, 1929 in the Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy) with large "PH" on the bow white and sent overseas to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Wartime History On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War under the command of Lieutenant Commander J.M.L.I. Chömpff. Assigned to the American, British, Dutch, Australian Flotilla (ABDAFLOAT) in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). On February 4, 1942 departs with the ABDAFLOAT under the command of Dutch Admiral Karel Doorman including cruisers Hr Ms De Ruyter, Hr Ms Tromp and USS Houston (CA-30), and USS Marblehead (CL-12) plus seven destroyers Hr Ms Banckert, Hr Ms Piet Hein, Hr Ms Van Ghent, USS Barker (DD-213), USS Bulmer (DD-222), USS John D. Edwards (DD-216) and USS Stewart (DD-224). The warships are to intercept the Japanese invasion force in the Makassar Strait but the warships were spotted by Japanese reconnaissance flying boats from Toko Kōkūtai (Toko Air Group) locate and shadow the warships. At at 9:40am at the start of the Battle of Makassar Strait attacked by Japanese land based bombers including 36 G4M1 Bettys (27 from Kanoya Kokutai and 9 from Takao Kokutai) plus 24 G3M2 Nells from 1st Kokutai off the Kangean Islands that target the light cruisers and ignore the escorting destroyers. Afterwards, the warships abort and return to Tjilatjap. On February 18, 1942 departs Tjilatjap with a group of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA) under Dutch Admiral Karel Doorman bound for the Badung Strait to intercept the Japanese invasion force off Bali. Sinking History On February 19, 1942 at 10:00pm at the start of the Battle of Badung Strait (Bali Sea Battle), the first group of Allied warships including Hr. Ms. De Ruyter and Hr. Ms. Java with destroyers USS John D. Ford (DD-228), USS Pope (DD-225) and Hr. Ms. Piet Hein spotted the Japanese in Badung Strait. At 10:40pm, the Allied destroyers came into range with Piet Hein led the two American destroyers in calm seas, with little wind and a dark night at a speed of 27 knots. At 11:05pm Piet Hein was observed to zigzg and turned behind a smokescreen and was targeted by concentrated Japanese gun fire. At 11:10pm Piet Hein fired five torpedoes and opened fire with Asashio returning fire and scored hits hitting her searchlight platform and cut her main steam line to her aft engine room and went dead in the water on fire. Meanwhile, Oshio and Asashio fired a spread of nine torpedes with at least one hitting and at 11:16pm the destroyer sank in the Badung Strait with 64 of her crew lost in the sinking. Fates of the Crew Afterwards, 30 of her survivors find motor whaleboat jettisoned by destroyer USS John D. Ford (DD-228) and reach Java. Lieutenant Commander J.M.L.I. Chömpf, her mount 2 commander and an officer from engineering all received medals for gallantry in action and bravery while abandoning ship. Memorials Chompff is buried at Kembang Kuning Nederlands Field of Honour at KDH A 49 in Surabaya on Java. References MST Inventaris van de bouwtekeningen van schepen van de Nederlandse Marine, 1683-1996 Fire in the Night: The loss of Bali and Timor FindAGrave - Jan Marie Lodewijk Ignatius Chompff (grave photo) FindAGrave - Contribute
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