Battle of Sunda Strait: Tale of Two Ships
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- Опубліковано 16 лис 2024
- The Battle of Sunda Strait 28 Feb - 1 March 1942.
75 years ago on 28 February 1942, two ships and their crews from opposite sides of the world together faced an overwhelming Japanese naval force in the narrow Sunda Strait that separates the islands of Sumatra and Java.
In just over an hour of ferocious sea battle the cruisers HMAS Perth and USS Houston sank with the loss of 696 Americans and 375 Australians including both ships’ captains. The victorious Japanese lost 10 men.
675 Perth and Houston crew were taken prisoners of war, most forced to labour in Japanese mines or on the Thai-Burma railway. Even then the ordeal had not finished for some of them. In September 1944 Perth survivors were among the 1350 POWs being transported in the Japanese cargo ship Rakuyo Maru when it was torpedoed by the American submarine USS Pampanito. Only 191 survived this disaster.
To commemorate the Battle and remember the sacrifices of those involved, the museum’s USA Programs has commissioned the ‘Guardians of Sunda Strait’ exhibition (opens Houston on 1 March then travels to Sydney and Perth) and this short documentary movie about HMAS Perth and USS Houston and the men who sailed in them.
My second Cousin Vincent Bernard McGovern went down with the Perth that night. His Brother Frank Joseph McGovern, survived and was captured by the Japanese f He was forced to work on the Burma Railway until completion. Then sent to Japan, along the way his ship was torpedoed by an American Submarine. He survived and was re-captured, still sent to Japan. One month before the end of the war, his camp was bombed by the USAF and all were killed in the hut, yet he survived once again. Last year, 2019, he turned 100 years old and was awarded an OAM. I only met him about ten years ago for the first time, after reading the book "Cruiser". My eldest Brother has his first name Frank, I have his second name Joseph and my younger Brother is called Bernard Vincent. I am very proud of him and Vincent.
They were good men on the Perth. Their heroism and sacrifice will not be forgotten. There is a special place in heaven for men who fought their ship to a standstill. God bless everyone on Perth and Houston on 1 Mar 1942. Lest we forget.
Another Great Man.
A man named David Burchell found the Perth and the Huston and dived the wrecks retrieving wonderful relics which he donated back to both navies and Cities . He writes about everything in his book My World a facilitating book and a remarkable story .
What a tragic and heroic ending. Perth was out of ammo and firing practice bricks in the end. Surrounded by enemy destroyers and taking 4 torpedos. Captain Waller went down with his ship. Then as Housten was sinking, one of her sailors continued to man a chicago piano firing back at a Japanese cruiser. But the shells were falling way short. I am humbled by these two gallant crews.
I never heard of this battle at sea involving our gallant Australian Allies. As a proud U.S. NAVY veteran I salute the brave crew of those ships
They fought valiantly and want down with their ships while performing their duties. At ease gentlemen, you have fulfilled your duties. 🇺🇸
One of my uncles served on the HMAS Perth, survived. My father was in the US Asiatic Fleet, AO-13, USS Trinity. My uncles two best friends are buried in the Australian Naval Hospital at River Khwai Bridge.
My father also served aboard the USS Trinity
I'm a USAF vet, God bless my WW II American, Australian, New Zealand, British and other brothers in arms.
@David Howard. My Uncle Chas also served on HMAS PERTH and survived the sinking and the horrors of the Thai Burma railway prisoner of war camps. They obviously would have known each other. God Bless all of those brave men for without them we would not have the Liberty we have today. 🇦🇺🇦🇨
@David Howard . My reply was supposed to have both our flags to commemorate our enduring alliance and friendship of brothers in arms. I will get it right this time. 🇦🇺🇺🇲🇦🇺🇺🇲
For those lost and those who survived: thank you for your service.
The stories of HMAS Perth and HMAS Sydney are worthy of both mention and remembrance.
Like and shared.
I am from Houston and I never knew the bond we will forever hold with Perth.
God bless our alliance and our real friendship, Australia and the USA
One of histories forgotten battles. Both ships went down fighting. Amazing courage.
There was more than 2 ships involved because the battle was over 2 days and split into 3 events in fact at the start of the battle it was the biggest sea battle since jutland
@@WELLBRAN no way the battle of Java sea is bigger than other Pacific theatre battle like Leyte Gulf and Philippines sea. At the time? Maybe, but a second biggest after Jutland is an exaggeration
@@anonymousstout4759 between jutland and java where was there a battle?
@@WELLBRAN I think there's Battle of Cape Matapan where the number of ships involved slightly higher than Battle of Java sea. By some people mean with biggest is the number of the ships involved isn't it?
@@anonymousstout4759 yes but the Japanese had the pick out of 5 fleets! And the battle was from 27th Feb to 1st March. My father was sunk in Exeter they had a running battle on the 1st march ship ratio 10 : 1..!
THANK YOU SHARE THE AUSTRALIA HISTORY IN W2 AS MEMBER THEM ALL THROUGH LIFE
Thankful to see this post of remembrance.
This video is totally inadequate. The story of the HMAS Perth and USS Houston is far more dramatic and gut -wrenching than this 6:08 attempt conveys. In the history classes I teach, I make sure my students know and understand the sacrifice these brave sailors made.
Its easy to be critical when you are an "expert" Harry, but as with books you have to consider the objective behind the making of these videos, are they intended to be a an in depth historical account or are they intended to encourage remembrance amongst subsequent generations who are sadly ignorant of such events. I believe it to be the latter in which case the video is hardly totally inadequate as you allege, it is however moving and a fine tribute to those who were lost in action in the Sunda Strait action.
I think the politicians and rich business people in your country skipped your classes, and have therefore helped create an imperialist power dominated by a corrupt all powerful government, which threatens to drag the world into yet another war.
@@petersone6172 "Imperialist power"? Oh my. That's rich. Do you even understand what "Imperialist" means? I don't believe you have any clue.
Ed Frawley clearly you think you do so put up.
@@petersone6172 Imperialist Power. China today, Russia and later the Soviet Union. England in the 19th century. Rome and Persia those were Imperialist Powers.
Everyone else just wants to influence other countries to be on their side should an argument happen.
Our Govt should be deeply ashamed over its treatment of the HMAS Perth wreck.
Put simply , it’s gone!
Salvagers and scavengers have scoured the sea floor and took our dead away with the scrap iron.
It’s a national disgrace.
David Sargent salvagers were Chinese & you can’t guard a wreck all day..China (& I say this as my girlfriend is Chinese) are brought up with such a large volume of people that life has low value & money is everything as it represents security so they care nothing for desecrating graves or environment or life..notice there cars are rarely allowed to be sold in the west...it’s because they don’t pass the safety standards or emission standards..they have very different mindsets..
@@k956upg the fact that Chinese salvers were responsible should come as no surprise. The present Chinese leaders breeds such unscupulousness that even among a people noted for their respect a the dead and the past disprespect of each especially not associated with the CCP has been normalized in the name of profit. How lovely.
Along with all the fleet.. an international scandal..my dad was there HMS Exeter
@@sweeps4037 Why would I if i work in a IT company? Lol, sure dont mind us bud ;) just ignore and pretend we dont exist
@@sweeps4037 I'm living in New Zealand :) also your original comment was about "a war", i'm not sure if you noticed but you already lost it
As a child my neighbor Uncle Bill Clarke was a survivor of HMAS Perth, I believe he was a Chief Petty Officer. Uncle Bill ..... We shall remember them!
Losing
In the US Sundra Straits is called The Battle of the Java Sea. Sadly, not only Australian and Americans died in this battle and more then two great ships and their men suffered. The command included British and Dutch ships and was lead by a Dutchman, Admiral Doorman. The command was disjointed, with leadership speaking different languages and never having trained together. Yet this rather modest command met an overwhelming Japanese force and losing virtually every ship. Doorman, in true naval tradition, went down with his ship. I knew about Japanese mistreatment Allied POWs, but not specifically about men from Perth and Houston. Thank you for enlightening me of their deaths and survival. No, their sacrifices, and all those of the ABDA Command, should not be forgotten. At least I won't forget them.
I remember reading about the dives on the Perth and Houston . The leader of that expedition recovered a brass voice tube from the bridge, where Captain Hec Waller died. He gave the tube to Capt Waller's widow. Other things were recovered as well, even the Perth's Bell I think.
Twice in my life I had to face my mortality, Vietnam and Desert Storm. Each time I knew it could kill me, but with the knowledge that I had to die someday I faced it. No, not bravely, but not knowing when I would die I faced it. I carried on the thoughts of my dad, his brothers and cousins; all WWII Vets. Your Country calls, you man up and answer. That is what the men of both ships did.
We thank you for your service.
Being ex-Australian Navy I'm well familiar with this story. Well done all those men.
I'm so sorry those ship were salvage by illegal company in my country :(
I am glad that some people in your country have respect for war graves.
I served onboard the USS Rentz FFG-46, from 99-03.
George S. Rentz , my ships namesake, was onboard the Houston. He was 59, survived the sinking, gave up his life vest to a younger sailor, and later drown.
"We're here to fight the Japanese. And there they are." I think that was the captain of HMAS Perth when the Perth and Houston came across a Japanese invasion fleet of some 76 ships
No fair making me cry when my day just started! God bless the good ships and their valiant crews! Fair skies and following seas to them forever.
It was the fighting Perth and the Galloping Ghost - they got their wish of a willing foe but no sea room - but they gave a good account of themselves anyway. No fair weather sailors in those crews. They pushed Japanese survivors away from their own rafts. Tough hard men, doing tough hard work to buy freedoms we are frittering away in fear...
My dad was on HMS Encounter bless him
We will remember them.
Don't worry HMAS perth and uss hutson will take out from water by Indonesian government and placed on Lampung harbour
Lovely tribute.
The surviving ships of that fleet after the battle fell back in different directions due to ocean depth. The US “Scrape Iron” Destroyers went one way falling back to Australia which they reached successfully. The Perth and Houston due their larger size had to take a different route which lead them straight into a Japanese invasion force which Dutch Naval intelligence did not report/detect. Houston had one half their ships guns out of action due to battle damage. Perth was on lead to their cover and compensate. Two ships vs an unexpected invasion fleet.
i believe my great great uncle was on the perth. and my great grandpa believed he was a p.o.w so he travelled to japan to try to find him but never did. we still got all the stuff he brought back and apparently i used to play with them and i had no clue of how old these items was (being i was like 8 in 2008)
both the HMAS Perth and USS Houston have been heavily damaged by metal scavengers
HMS Exeter's wreck, now isn't. Just a seabed dent ... I think it time some of these wrecks were (unofficially, of course) booby trapped ...
I read recently that almost 60% of Perth has been taken.
Let's not be under prepared again.
What is interesting is the survivors of the Houston, Perth, and the Evertsen were treated well by Japanese standards. As well as the lowest man in any IJN ship was. While poor by any western standard it was many time better than what happened when they were turned over to the Japanese army. Yet the crew of other ships that fought against odds were not treated well.
now Indonesia is protecting USS Houston and HMAS perth from illegal companies from the past until now & i also pray for the crew members who were victims of the battle
This is a thin account of what happened to the abda fleet much more to it than what is covered .
My father was a member of that fleet
My uncle Jack Lewis gave his life for his country on the Perth that night.
Thank you Jack. You and your shipmates will never be forgotten.
Thank you for defending East Indies
Lest we forget.
Imagine my grandfather being the spectator of this battle
God bless those sailors.
I wonder what those 4 men who were survivors of HMAS Perth were thinking when they got saved by the USS Huston
It doesn't say that they were rescued by the Houston, just that they were rescued. That would have been a cruel twist of fate - seeing the ship's name on the side, they might have wondered in their state if they were still alive or boarding a ghost ship.
@@MrAlumni72 those two Houstons looked nothing alike.
Those men were not rescued by USS Houston, they were on the Rakuyo Maru one of two Japanese transport ships taking British and Australian POWs from Singapore to Japan that were sunk by US submarines (Rakuyo Maru by USS Sealion II and Kachidoki Maru by USS Pampanito). Of the over 2200 allied POWs on these two ships about 500 were picked up by the Japanese and 150 were later picked up by various US submarines, 1559 perished. These survivors picked up by US submarines provided some of the earliest eyewitness accounts of the Thai-Burma railway.
This wasn't the only incident of it's type throughout the Pacific war somewhere around 19,000 allied prisoners were killed throughout the war on Japanese transports attacked by allied forces.
lndonesia : hi dad
Netherlands Royal : Oh shi...
lndonesia : Hi uncle
japan : oh no messiah, im gone
A battle which should not have taken place. Arrogant inept Dutch Admiral.
Admiral Doorman seems to get plenty of heat, tho he was following orders of Admiral Helfrich. The same admiral that basically deposed Admiral Hart, whom I believe would never have thrown lives and ships away like in manner that happened around Java.
@@roboticus71 well said and true
I don't think it is fair to call Admrial Doorman arrogant or inept. He and his squadron were outnumbered and outgunned. He had orders to intercept the Japanese convoy to prevent an invasion of Java. He knew that if he would fail, the Dutch East Indies would be lost. He pressed on, knowing that the odds were stacked against him, and that the chances of victory were slim. However, in this scenario, disengaging was not an option. The ABDA command could not stand by idly and watch the invasion take place. They had to take action. I think it is a tragic story of a man trying to fulfill his duty in a period of the war where the allies were hard pressed on all fronts.
My understanding is that HMAS Perth and USS Houston were making a run for Fremantle, and stumbled into the massive Japanese invasion fleet in the Sunda Strait, at night. Read that in an excellent book, 'Ship of Ghosts' by James D. Hornfischer.
They stood absolutely zero chance, and fought valiantly to the end. God rest their souls.
Sekretariat Presiden Nusantara
Well,don`t change a ship`s name,it brings bad luck to the vessel.
So did the Houston have a name change as well???????
Who's here after reading Red Lead?
Another Shocking Waste of Great Men.
Houston. The saviour of Timor Convoy
Hooah!
3 ships
Invading another country... Hero? Come on
🌹🙏
Welcome to the lndonesian glory Rice Nasi
lndonesia Flashback countryballs SUS ❤❤❤❤❤
"Make lndonesia A Greater Place" | countryballs
Ok indonesia is my country
You lost Houston and your crew got the same treatment you gave to all the non-Europeans in the colonies
Those stupid japan anime is invading my country 》:(
Glory to asia.. Japan..
Yankees be damned,on sea and elsewhere.
Go fuck yourself.
greenie melb here here my brother, may I co-sign that with a heart filled YES
@@greeniemelb I don't think Peter Pim would know how greenie melb.
Ask whose torpedoes did for Perth.