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| USN Clemson-class destroyer 1,190 Tons 314' x 31' 9" x 9' 3" 4 x 4" guns 1 x 3" gun 12 x 21" torpedo tubes with Mark 8 torpedoes .30 cal MG .50 cal MG   USN February 27, 1942  IJN March 1, 1942  RAN 2023 |
Ship History Built by William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia. Laid down September 15, 1919 as a Clemson-class destroyer. Launched July 29, 1920 as USS Edsall (DD-219) named for U.S. Navy Seaman Norman Eckley Edsall killed on April 1, 1899 and was sponsored by his sister Mrs. Bessie Edsall Bracey. Commissioned November 26, 1920 in the U.S. Navy (USN) assigned to Commander A. H. Rice. Prewar On December 6, 1920 departs Philadelphia on her shakedown via the Panama Canal bound for San Diego arriving January 11, 1921. For most of the year, operated off the west coast and participated in gunnery training with other warship then returned to the east coast. On December 28, 1921 arrives Charleston. On May 26, 1922 departs Charleston bound for the Mediterranean Sea. On June 28, 1922 arrives Constantinople (Istanbul) as part of a U.S. Naval detachment operating off Turkey and for the remainder of the year engaged in humanitarian duties including evacuating Anatolian Greeks from Turkey to Greece. During her cruise visited ports in Turkey, Bulgaria, Russia, Greece, Egypt, Mandate Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Dalmatia and Italy then back to the United States. On July 26, 1924 arrived Boston for overhaul. On January 3, 1925 joined the Asiatic Fleet and participated in maneuvers off Cuba, San Diego and Pearl Harbor then to Shanghai arriving June 22, 1925. Afterwards, operated off the coast of China, Philippines and Japan to protect U.S. interests and frequently visited Shanghai, Chefoo (Yantai), Hankow, Hong Kong, Nanking, Kobe and Manila. During October 1941, placed under the command of Lt. Joshua J. Nix who had served as the Executive Officer (XO) for roughly a year prior. In late October 1927 under the command of Commander Jules James arrives Bangkok and had three of the Royal Princesses aboard for tea. On November 25, 1941 before anticipated hostilities with Japan, U.S. Navy Admiral Hart, commander of the Asiatic Fleet, dispatched Destroyer Division 57 (DesDiv 57) including USS Whipple (DD-217), USS Alden (DD-211), USS John D. Edwards (DD-216) and Edsall plus destroyer tender USS Black Hawk (AD-9) from Manila Bay southward to Balikpapan. Wartime History On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War, Edsall was enroute with destroyers from DesDiv 57 bound for Batavia (Jakarta) on Java when ordered to Singapore to join Force Z. After arrival at Singapore, embarked a British liaison officer and four men from HMS Mauritius (80) to search for survivors of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse sunk December 10, 1941. During the search, captured Japanese fishing vessel Kofuku Maru and escorts it to Singapore. On December 15, 1941 at Surabaya escorts USS Houston (CA-30) to Darwin then escorts a convoy from the Torres Strait to Darwin. In late February 1942, Edsall and USS Whipple (DD-217) were ordered to rendezvous with USS Langley (AV-3) about 200 miles south of Java. On February 27, 1942 at 11:40am bombed by nine G4M1 Bettys from Takao Kokutai (Takao Air Group) roughly 75 miles south of Java. During the attack, USS Langley AV-3 was heavily damaged and scuttled with the escorting destroyers rescuing her crew, Edsall rescues 117. Afterwards, USS Whipple (DD-217) and Edsall were ordered to Christmas Island to transfer Langley survivors to USS Pecos (AO-6). The three ships parted with USS Whipple (DD-217) bound for the Cocos Islands to refuel while the Pecos and Edsall were to proceed to Fremantle. Underway, Pecos was attacked and sunk by D3A Vals from Sōryū. Hearing hear distress calls, USS Whipple (DD-217) turned back and rescued 233 survivors. Sinking History On March 1, 1942 Edsall was last seen over the horizon bound for Java and was never seen or heard from again. She was one of four U.S. Navy destroyers not accounted for. In fact, Edsall was engaged by Japanese warships from CruDiv 8 including Tone, Chikuma, Kirishima and Hiei that fired more than 1,000 rounds at the destroyer but only scored two hits. At 5:47pm Kirishima and Hiei open fire with their 152mm main guns at a range of 14 1/2 miles but miss. At 6:24pm she received the first direct hit from Hiei and at 6:35pm a second direct hit from cruiser Tone. Also, Edsall was attacked by nine D3A Vals from Soryu and eight D3A Vals from Akagi. The dive bombers scored several hits and by 6:50pm was on fire and dead in the water and the crew were ordered to abandon ship. Finally, hit by gunfire from cruiser Chukuma. At 7:00pm the destroyer sank stern first at roughly Lat 13° 45'S, Long 106° 47'E. In total, the amount of shells expended at the destroyer amounts to 297 15" shells and 844 8" shells. Fate of the Crew A total of 195 were lost in the sinking including the crew of 153 and 31 U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) personnel are listed as Missing In Action (MIA). List of crew and passengers. After the sinking, seven or eight survivors were picked up by Chikuma and became Prisoners Of War (POW). On March 11, 1942 the POWs were disembarked at Staring Bay on Celebes (Sulawesi) and turned over to the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) at Kendari. They joined a group of three dozen Allied POWs including crew from MV Modjokerto were turned over to the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF). On March 24, 1942 five including Amory, Andrus, Cameron, Vandiver, Watters were executed at Kendari II Airfield and buried in a mass grave. F2c Loren S. Myers was executed at another location and buried. Recovery of Remains On September 21, 1946 a local eyewitness to the execution directed Allied searchers to several mass graves with a total of 34 bodies including six from Edsall, five USAAF personnel from Langley, Javanese, Chinese, and Dutch merchant sailors from MV Modjokerto. Five were identified by their dog tags as crew of Edsall: Amory, Andrus, Cameron, Vandiver and Watters. On November 12, 1946 the recovered remains were buried at the American Military Cemetery Barrackpore. Three years later, they were exhumed and transported to the United States for permanent burial. The remains of F2c Loren S. Myers were found at another location and identified by his dog tags. On October 5, 1946 he was buried at the U.S. Military Cemetery in Barrackpore, India. Later, transported to Hawaii for permanent burial. Shipwreck In the middle of 2023, the shipwreck was discovered by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) auxiliary naval vessel MV Stoker in the Indian Ocean at a depth of 18,00' and approximately 200 miles east of Christmas island and recorded sonar images. On November 11, 2024 U.S. Navy (USN) and Australian officials announced the discovery and released a sonar image. Awards Edsall earned two battle stars for her World War II service. Memorials The crew and passengers are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. USS Edsall (DE-129) was the second ship with the name, laid down July 2, 1942 as the lead ship of the Edsall-class destroyer escort. On December 20, 1949 five recovered from Kendari including Amory, Andrus, Cameron, Vandiver, Watters were buried in a group burial at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at section 79, site 340A-C with a date of death listed as March 2, 1942. In fact, all five were executed March 24, 1942. On March 31, 1950 Myers was buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at P, 424. References Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - Edsall I (DD-219) Destroyer History Edsall (DD 219) NavSource - USS Edsall (DD-219) FindAGrave - Norman E Edsall FindAGrave - Ens Norman Eckley Edsall (photo) Office of Naval Intelligence - The JavaSea Campaign: Sinking of the Langley and Pecos February 27 and March 1 pages 46-47 Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - H-Gram 067: The Dancing Mouse: USS Edsall's Last Stand, 1 March 1942 (2002) Every Day A Nightmare American Pursuit Pilots in the Defense of Java, 1941-1942 (2010) pages 355-357, 364-365 U.S. Navy (USN) Statement from CNO on discovery of the location of the wreck of destroyer USS Edsall (DD-219) November 11, 2024 A Blue Sea of Blood: Deciphering the Mysterious Fate of the USS Edsall (2009) Donald Kehn Contribute
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