Very cool news for history buffs. I'm not much of a diver but might make a trip to see the site next time I'm in Indonesia. http://news.msn.com/world/sunken-vessel-is-world-war-ii-era-uss-houston Sunken vessel is World War II-era USS Houston PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — Navy divers from the U.S. and Indonesia confirmed that a sunken vessel in the Java Sea is the World War II wreck of the USS Houston, a cruiser sunk by the Japanese that serves as the final resting place for about 700 sailors and Marines, officials announced Monday. The Japanese sank the Houston during the Battle of Sunda Strait on Feb. 28, 1942. The ship carried 1,068 crewmen, but only 291 sailors and Marines survived both the attack and being prisoners of war. The Houston'scommanding officer, Capt. Albert H. Rooks, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism. U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Harry Harris said Monday that divers have documented evidence the watery gravesite has been disturbed. Assessments conducted in June to determine the condition of the Houston found that hull rivets, a metal plate and unexploded ordnance were removed from the ship. There is also oil actively seeping from the hull. Officials are working on measures to keep the site from further disturbance. "In my discussions with our Indonesian navy partners, they share our sense of obligation to protect this and other gravesites," Harris said in a statement. "Surveying the site, of course was only the first step in partnering to respect those sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the freedoms and security that we richly enjoy today." The Navy History and Heritage Command concluded that all of the recorded data is consistent with the identification of the former USS Houston. The Houston was nicknamed the "The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast." Resting off the west coast of Java, Indonesia, the ship, which remains sovereign property of the United States, is a popular recreational dive site, the Navy said. The Navy estimates there are more than 17,000 sunken ships and aircraft resting on the ocean floor worldwide. Info on the original battle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sunda_Strait
There was a movie about that battle. Incredibly brave effort by the USS Houston and an Australian cruiser facing a massive Japanese task force. Their sole mission was to stale the Japs advancement south. There were incredibly out-numbered.
I'd never heard of the USS Houston. That's pretty damn cool. And this is pretty damn funny, bravo. :grin:
WWII (and WWI) were fought on a much larger scale in terms of men and materials than more recent wars. 1000 people was nothing.
The Houston carried a detachment of 74 Marines. The rest were US Navy sailors and their officers. They were doing their duty, and doing it bravely. Sometimes, fighting against impossible odds remains the only course left.
From what I read, they met the Japanese fleet by accident and engaged them. If they had fled, they probably would have been pursued anyway. A third Allied ship had caught up in the middle of the fight and tried to escape but the Japanese gave chase and eventually captured the crew. In that situation, is it really a suicide mission if the fight is inevitable and your options are death or surrender? At least by engaging, the opponent doesn't get to pick the time and place of battle or the ships that will be involved. Multiple Japanese transport ships were sunk that would not have been sunk if the fight was delayed. Seems like a sound decision to me, just unfortunate circumstances.
Very interesting. You don't hear a lot about battles that took place in the time between Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal, which the exception of Bataan/Philippines. I consider myself pretty educated in WWII history, but like many others here, I wasn't even aware there was a USS Houston.
