@@Drachinifel Oh, I am just tickled pink that I am THIS close to you here with such a rapid response, and moreso that you'll be near me in days time! I'm a big fan of your content and sense of humor, been following you for years, good sir. I'd love the chance to get to meet you in person, but it probably won't happen any time soon. Have a safe trip, and I hope everyone here treats you and your wife well!
@Drachinifel Which day will you be at Battleship Cove in Massachusetts? And do you have any spare time for a short detour, my ship SSV Oliver Hazard Perry is close by and several of the crew are big fans. She's an interesting tall ship and Newport RI is well worth a stop
Native Houstonian here, glad to have our namesake hero ship finally featured. Like her battlemate HMAS Perth she sold herself dearly, not going down until all her main gun ammunition had been spent. The namesake cities became sister cites partially due to the Battle of the Sunda Strait.
Houstonian here too. Read "Ship of Ghosts" by James D. Hornfischer if you haven't already. Provides a lot details on the presidential cruises, battle, and the crew's POW time.
Sadly, Perth would meet a similar fate, but she, like Houston, fought till the last shell was fired, may Perth, Houston, and their crews, rest at the bottom of the sea in peace, love to you Americans from Australia, we owe a lot to you, we will be proud to stand by you once more if the time comes 🇦🇺 🤝🇺🇸 The sea remembers her own
My grandfather was on the Huston. He was a P.O.W. for 3 years in Berma before he was liberated and came home and had a family. He became a drill instructor in San Diego, where my father was born. Thanks for sharing the story
In addition to the Captains CMoH, the Navy Cross was awarded to the Chaplain of the Houston. Commander George Rentz, saw to comforting sailors who went into the water after the battle and eventually gave away his life jacket to a younger seaman who didn't have one. After which he was never seen again. He was posthumously awarded America's second highest naval honor and the only naval chaplain to receive such during the war.
@@rondrees8729 I served on the USS RENTZ (FFG-46) in the mid-90's. While on deployment, we visited the site of the battle in Sunda Straight and laid a wreath to honor the crew.
She was a handsome ship, and was often used to ferry Roosevelt around to various spots on the globe; to the point that he referred to her as “My Houston”. The aerial shot of her that you use a few times in the vid was actually taken with Roosevelt on board; she only flew that flag at her fore masthead when Roosevelt was “in residence,” as it were. Her Commanding Officer, Captain Albert H. Rooks was awarded (posthumously) the Medal Of Honor for his actions that night in Sunda Strait - sadly Captain Hector Waller (known throughout the R.A.N. as “Hard Over Hec” for his ship handling style), HMAS Perth’s Commanding Officer and sunk in the same engagement, was overlooked for the Commonwealth equivalent; the Victoria Cross, despite being the senior officer of the two and the man responsible for making the decision to attack.
Yeah, the book "Ship of Ghosts" by J.D. Hornfischer makes mention of her being 'the presidents yacht' and chronicled a few of his fishing trips using the ship, it was said that he knew a great many of the people who served on her on a first-name basis and felt like the ship was home.
@@tyriaelsoban8909 another good read is “Cruiser” by Mike Carlton, which chronicles Perth’s story, and the story of the men who served in her. Of her original Ships’ complement of 645 or so, only 1/3 survived the war to return to Australia; nearly half were lost when she was sunk (including Capt. Waller), the rest died at Japanese hands as POWs.
A woman who lived with her husband on a plot of land my grandfather sold to them had a brother who was a marine on the Houston when it went down. Got to talk to her about it. Needless to say, after spending the whole war in a Japanese camp, he was apparently a very changed person when he finally came home. She showed me a booklet of things his fellow POWs wrote for him before they parted ways, along with a few other relics. Felt weird putting my grubby fingers on what felt like museum pieces, but definitely a privilege to get to do so.
My grandfather's cousin, Lewis Dodds, went down on the Houston in the Sunda Strait. His name is on the Wall of the Missing at the Manila National Cemetery.
My great-uncle Seaman first class William L Dowling was among those lost on the Houston. I remember my grandma had a memorial to him until she died and never gave up hope he'd return.
2:20 On James D Hornsfisher’s book Ship Of Ghosts, he mentions that the SOC Eagle float plane wasn’t able to launch off of the ship fast enough during the ships first engagement with the Japanese. The concussions from one of the 5”/25 AA guns or the bomb that disabled turret 3 (can’t remember which) blew the fabric skin off of the airplane and had to be jettisoned. The strand pilot later helped out in the ships last stand.
@@pastorjerrykliner3162 not quite correct. HMS Exeter was lost during the second Battle of the Java Sea; HMAS Perth was lost alongside Houston in the Battle of the Sunda Strait.
@@johnnyz2378 Same overall period and theater of battle though. A bit like the demise of SMS Dresden in WWI is typically tied in with the prior destruction of Von Spee's squadron near the Falkland Islands.
The 4 torpedoes that struck the Houston, along with about a dozen that hit the HMAS Perth, were part of 89 long lances fired. The Houston and Perth had gotten between the Japanese screed and landing force, so the remainder of the 89 long lances continued on to sink (if I remember correctly) five Japanese transports and a minesweeper.
@@jim2lane the long lances Where deadly even for the ships that carried them, a splinter or a burst of machine gun fire could detonate the entire stock
Ive always felt the Northamptons to be very handsome ships. Think its the forward hull lines and the superstructure/mainmast looks like it has a forward rake to it.
There’s a grace to the Northamptons and other treaty cruisers that is lacking in the frank functionality of the cruisers immediately before the war and wartime designs in my eyes. They were products of peacetime and far from perfect warships, yet they and their crews served with distinction in many roles beyond surface combat. It is unfortunate that not one treaty cruiser exists today to represent that generation as Texas does the dreadnoughts.
Would highly recommend the Rising Sun Falling Skies for a more in depth look at almost completely forgotten theater of War. The exploits of ABDA command in the face of insurmountable odds is a story that needs to be covered more.
"...at almost completely forgotten theater of War" That's the fate of almost all history, other than historians and history lovers like us. Just consider how much you don't know about the Peloponnesian War, though those men were just as human and driven to fight for their people as the Allies in WW2.
When we sailed over the graves of Houston and Perth in 1977 our captain called us attention, told the sto9ry if her gallant fight, and we rendered honors,.
I read that Captain Rooks of Houston basically predicted the ridiculous conditions under which the U.S. Asiatic would have to fight if and when the fecal went into the oscillating rotator. He was a smart man, a highly competent commander, and went down with his ship.
it was given that the fact the war plan orange predicted the movements of the Japanese expansion but being complacent that the Japanese would try bugles my mind.
I first learned of the Ghost of the Java coast when I read the book Last Battle Station which gives some interesting facts of what they went through. When I read the book, I found out that some of the men that built the famous bridge over the river Kwai were sailors from the Houston. In that movie, William Holden plays a US Navy sailor impersonating an officer.
I feel that Drachinifel should do another video about the "harvesting" of ships in the Pacific Ocean - especially the "war graves" of ships from WWII. The Dutch warships are particularly nearly all gone...
I just listened to _Rising Sun, Falling Skies_ about the Dutch East Indies campaign on Audible. Apparently at Makassar Strait _Houston_ suffered from a 75% dud rate with her old 5" AA shells. USS _Boise_ donated her more modern and thus working shells after she had that disagreement with the rock and had to head home. Apparently this was a significant factor in both her poor performance and subsequent damage at Makassar Strait and her impressive performance with the Timor Convoy.
I believe the value comes from the fact that it was formed before the atomic age. There are certain applications where pre-July 1945 steel is necessary. I don't mean to excuse them but rather explain why they do it.
Thank you for this video. I recently learned that my uncle, Charles Button, SEA2C, was killed during her last battle. My father, being born in 1945, never knew him.
The Galloping Ghost herself. She's in the Azur Lane anime along with her sister ship Northampton. I call those two as "The Guardians of the Whills" after Baze and Chirrut in Rogue One.
@@Ushio01 War graves, mate. Would you like the place where your grandfather or any member or your family rests to be disturbed by explosives and other removal equipment. Would you like their remains to be thrown overboard without ceremony when they come out of the depths? I don't think so. And if you don't mind... Well. I do.
An old friend of mine, Donald Kuhn, is the official historian of the USS Houston Survivors Association. His book: “In The Highest Degree Tragic: The sacrifice of the U>S> Asiatic fleet in the East Indies during World War II” Is highly recommended. As a tin can sailor, the story of how these brave men were sacrificed is heart-wrenching.
The first treaty cruiser I studied. Her twin sister, Augusta, in the foreground at 1:20 is my favorite. Houston holds a special place nevertheless. In spite of how uncannily similar their early service was, they never served in the same fleet and only crossed paths twice together when relieving the other as flagship of the Asiatic Fleet in 1933 and 1940.
@@soppa24 Well there's that... and that the RN was the first to use a Torpedo in a sea battle (by HMS Shar; albeit that it missed the target), and the first to sink a ship with an air dropped one (during WWI).
My Mom's Dad was on the Houston. He took a handful of my toy boats and a few rectangles of paper and described to me their actions. He survived the machine gun fire in the water, and the sharks, and was not captured by the Japanese staying in the water until another dutch ship picked him and a handful of others up. He worked in the engine room and had to seal his living shipmates into the engine room and had a hard time explaining that adding that he knew it was for not because the ship was done anyway. Very, very hard to think I didn't pay even more attention to him although I was only 8 at the time.
My dad was on the Huston when it when down. No one would talk about what happen after it sank. The only thing I know is that anyone who knew him said he was never the same after the war.
The first of only 2 times my Grandfather talked about it was to me as he used toy boats and pieces of paper to describe what happened. The second was to the local paper where they couldn't publish more than 3/4 of his story.
She had received orders to return to Pearl Harbor for battle damage repair and was attempting to escape the Japanese controlled waters when she was sunk. Her Captain was killed by aircraft strafing while manning the bridge. She was a good fighting ship and FDR's favorite.
FDR’s fondness for the cruisers is little remarked upon sadly. You may find people who know he had a special bathtub aboard Iowa but not the more than a dozen voyages he embarked upon Houston, Indianapolis, Tuscaloosa, Quincy (the Baltimore-class), and Augusta. It’s unimaginable today to imagine the president taking a cruise with a warship’s crew rather than hopping on Air Force One.
It is terribly sad how Captain Waller (?) Of HMAS PERTH and USN Houston were sacrificed over such a lost cause as the.defense of the Dutch Indies, the Dutch were too emotionnal about it, and it meant the loss of a whole fleet (albeit hodgepodge) and the loss of two of the best Captains of WWII.
You’re correct, Amin - Captain Hector “Hard Over Hec” Waller. He was originally the commanding officer of the famous Scrap Iron Flotilla in the Mediterranean in HMAS Stuart before being given command of HMAS Perth.
Sometimes in war you have to try to save a bad situation with a sacrifice. Hindsight may be 20/20, but the call on the day will often happen with little info. The DEI was a very rich prize for the Japanese, so delaying its fall disrupts their timetable and may give time for oil field destruction. There is also the slant of reinforcing the alliance and morale of the Dutch-in-exile, whether that accomplishes anything real or not. Didn't help with the post-war relationships, though.
They lived very different and storied lives during the era between the world wars than many of their fellows. It’s a misconception that the US was completely passive abroad until Pearl Harbor. After all, many of the admirals that the Navy turned to following Pearl Harbor served in the Asiatic Fleet and had seen firsthand what was brewing, men such as Chester Nimitz, Harry Yarnell, and Ernest King.
My Great Grandpa and his brother were both on the USS Houston when she Sank... The swam in different directions towards land. My Great Grandpa was captured by the Japanese and was a POW for several years before being released. His brother was never seen again.
Ah yes, the ship Robo-Drach' once anounciated as "The Hoo~stun" :D . (and one of her sisters as "The She-cargo" XD) Great to see a vid' on Houston specifically.
My Mom told me my aunt has a boyfriend who went down with his ship in early 1942. Mom remember his last name, and I found out he went down with the Houston.
Just imagine this: Your grandfather/great-grandfather has served onboard Houston or Prince of Wales, or any other ship that has been sunk in this area. You look at the ship and see that her wreck hasn't been found, you sponsor a search for her. You manage to be onboard the searching ship, for whatever reason, and soon, the wreck has been located on sonar. The ship turns to go there and finally you arrive at the place where your family member fought, and probably died in most cases..... Only to find graverobbers (that's what they are to me and you can't change my mind about that) lifting a piece of her on board their ship. You argue with them, telling them this is a war grave, your grandfather/great-grandfather's grave. All they say? "It's a ship that nobody is using. Why let the metal go to waste?"
I'm wondering why it wasn't mentioned that this class were built under the 10,000 ton displacement limit for cruisers. They were sometimes referred to as the "tin plate cruisers" for their thin armor, especially on the turrets. The turrets were built of 1 1/2in STS steel with a 3in face that a Japanese 5in gun could penetrate. The US Navy's design bureau was criticized for underestimating the weight and subsequent ships were better protected.
shame so little of her is left, the "metal recovery Pirates" have done a quick and passionate job on her, Houston, Perth, Java, de Ruiter, Exeter and others have all been grappled to almost nothing left, and the ships lost in indonesian waters that where suposed to be protected as "wargraves" where quickly stripped as the indonesian government stated " they are YOUR wargraves, you want to keep them safe then you can put a ship over them to guard against the scrappers" and now they are virtually gone.
@@The_Bermuda_Nonagon thanks, upon googling it, that would be the right number of cranes, and would make more sense. As far as I know, only (Very obsolete at the time) armoured cruisers would of had so many funnels.
again, as an Indonesian, really really sorry for what some idiots in our country did to her and other vessels like here at the bottom of the Java Sea. They basically just dredge them to bits and sell anything that comes up as scrap metal.
@@jims4539 yes, but there's folding wings involved and the fuselage, due to needing to be floatplane, are similarly bulky and take up a similar footprint. Whilst you can read off top trump statistics on size these take up basically the same room on a ship in storage and there's no real difference in launch systems or recovery cranes on deck for trading a few feet in length or wingspan. Unless you can get something so small it can suddenly be stored in internally or making a significant difference in deck space for aircraft related machinery needs reducing aircraft size won't make much difference. For the technology of the time you can't get an operationally useful aircraft in a smaller package. Something like a Storch or Grasshopper would be significantly smaller but would lack water landing ability.
The big issues are ocean-water landing (can get rough) and more than one occupant (pilot plus navigator/observer, and sometimes another one or two from downed pilot pick-ups). You need a reinforced frame with high wings, floats, and multiple seats. Anything smaller won't survive or accomplish the missions.
Beyond the points raised above, one should bear in mind that these planes are intended to either scout or report shell fall. Both tasks demand that the aircraft have endurance in addition to catapult launch capability. They can’t get much smaller with a given power plant and radio equipment without sacrificing time in the air and lift at low speeds.
Steel and armor plate manufactured before the atomic bombs in 1945 are extremely valuable and rare. It is used for scientific instruments and the absence of radioactive particles in the atmosphere is required. All steel post 1945 has some radioactivity. That is why these ships are being underwater scrapped.
not all, and counter to what all the nuke propaganda from the 70s and 80s told us, the fallout is not permanent and seems to return to 'normal' levels in just a couple of decades. Even when background levels were 'too high' for the science equipment we could make low background radiation steel, it was just a PITA.
... her crew w/ her Captain went down fighting to the end ... starting the last fight w/ a disabled rear turret ... The (1st) Houston along w/ Capt Evans and the Johnston, and the "Sammy B", will always be remembered in the history of the US Navy ... I would like to see one of the next US Aircraft carriers named after their Capt's ... and not some D*mn politician ...
What, was Navy Cross winner Doris Miller not good enough for you? (Perhaps the wrong color?) And I wasn't aware "Enterprise" was the name of a politician.
@@michaelanderson8186 ... Doris Miller was the 1st ... and most recent carrier ... and I agree w/ that honor ... but ... most of the Nimitz carriers where named for Presidents that while they did serve, they did not DIE ... in the service of their country. Unlike the Capt's I referenced ... and I will add another name ... Marine Corp Sgt John Basilone ... It is not about "Color" ... it is about making the ultimate sacrifice ... AND I DO TAKE OFFENSE TO YOUR COMMENT!!!
@@harrymurphey2634 And I take offense to yours. You brought up "future carriers", and aside from the replacement JFK, there's only one planned that's named for a human being. That's the Doris Miller. John F. Kennedy, George H.W. Bush, and Theodore Roosevelt were true war heroes, not just "some damn politicians". Nor were Abraham Lincoln, the *most beloved* of US presidents, nor George Washington, nor Dwight D. Eisenhower mere "politicians". Each were with our country at a time of great need, and their ability to organize and lead were of immeasurably great help. Carl Vinson, a long-serving member of Congress, was called the "Father of the Two-Ocean Navy". That wasn't me saying that - that was the US Navy. And Chester W. Nimitz was the architect of the US victory in the Pacific, and not a politician at all! (I'll give you John Stennis, but really dude, one out of *more than a dozen*?) So *basta* with your uninformed, half-baked opinions! Learn your own damned history!
Pinned post for Q&A :)
Did you do your USA trip yet? If so, will you be producing content from it?
What was your favourite ship/battle to review? Did you ever think you would get this popular?
@@MarkJoseph81 leaving for this comimg Friday! :)
@@Drachinifel Oh, I am just tickled pink that I am THIS close to you here with such a rapid response, and moreso that you'll be near me in days time! I'm a big fan of your content and sense of humor, been following you for years, good sir. I'd love the chance to get to meet you in person, but it probably won't happen any time soon. Have a safe trip, and I hope everyone here treats you and your wife well!
@Drachinifel Which day will you be at Battleship Cove in Massachusetts? And do you have any spare time for a short detour, my ship SSV Oliver Hazard Perry is close by and several of the crew are big fans. She's an interesting tall ship and Newport RI is well worth a stop
Native Houstonian here, glad to have our namesake hero ship finally featured. Like her battlemate HMAS Perth she sold herself dearly, not going down until all her main gun ammunition had been spent. The namesake cities became sister cites partially due to the Battle of the Sunda Strait.
Houstonian here too. Read "Ship of Ghosts" by James D. Hornfischer if you haven't already. Provides a lot details on the presidential cruises, battle, and the crew's POW time.
Houston boy here...thanks
Houston here, never knew about the connection with Perth. I will now observe and remember! Thanks
I wish USS Texas was open so we could get Drach down here. Maybe his next trip it will be done with the dry dock
Sadly, Perth would meet a similar fate, but she, like Houston, fought till the last shell was fired, may Perth, Houston, and their crews, rest at the bottom of the sea in peace, love to you Americans from Australia, we owe a lot to you, we will be proud to stand by you once more if the time comes 🇦🇺 🤝🇺🇸 The sea remembers her own
I'm glad to see USS Houston featured in its own video. My great uncle was one of the 693 lost with her. RIP to all.
Lest we forget!
Please continue to tell his story, so we continue to remember him
My grandfather was on the Huston. He was a P.O.W. for 3 years in Berma before he was liberated and came home and had a family. He became a drill instructor in San Diego, where my father was born.
Thanks for sharing the story
If your grandfather was Gus, then I met him through various Memorial services. He fought in three wars. What a record.
In addition to the Captains CMoH, the Navy Cross was awarded to the Chaplain of the Houston.
Commander George Rentz, saw to comforting sailors who went into the water after the battle and eventually gave away his life jacket to a younger seaman who didn't have one. After which he was never seen again.
He was posthumously awarded America's second highest naval honor and the only naval chaplain to receive such during the war.
There were however the, " 4 Chaplains " of the S. S. Dorchester sinking. Being Army, they received the DSC.
@@WALTERBROADDUS mhm!
A ship was named after the chaplain.
@@rondrees8729 I served on the USS RENTZ (FFG-46) in the mid-90's. While on deployment, we visited the site of the battle in Sunda Straight and laid a wreath to honor the crew.
RIP USS Houston, respect and admiration from Australia.
Same to the HMAS Perth from Texas. We've got each other's backs!
She was a handsome ship, and was often used to ferry Roosevelt around to various spots on the globe; to the point that he referred to her as “My Houston”. The aerial shot of her that you use a few times in the vid was actually taken with Roosevelt on board; she only flew that flag at her fore masthead when Roosevelt was “in residence,” as it were. Her Commanding Officer, Captain Albert H. Rooks was awarded (posthumously) the Medal Of Honor for his actions that night in Sunda Strait - sadly Captain Hector Waller (known throughout the R.A.N. as “Hard Over Hec” for his ship handling style), HMAS Perth’s Commanding Officer and sunk in the same engagement, was overlooked for the Commonwealth equivalent; the Victoria Cross, despite being the senior officer of the two and the man responsible for making the decision to attack.
Both ships and their captains sold themselves dearly, refusing to go down until all ammunition was spent.
@@jaredthehawk3870 Perth is particularly legendary.
Yeah, the book "Ship of Ghosts" by J.D. Hornfischer makes mention of her being 'the presidents yacht' and chronicled a few of his fishing trips using the ship, it was said that he knew a great many of the people who served on her on a first-name basis and felt like the ship was home.
@@tyriaelsoban8909 another good read is “Cruiser” by Mike Carlton, which chronicles Perth’s story, and the story of the men who served in her. Of her original Ships’ complement of 645 or so, only 1/3 survived the war to return to Australia; nearly half were lost when she was sunk (including Capt. Waller), the rest died at Japanese hands as POWs.
@@johnnyz2378 i have that book,
it's a good read
A woman who lived with her husband on a plot of land my grandfather sold to them had a brother who was a marine on the Houston when it went down. Got to talk to her about it. Needless to say, after spending the whole war in a Japanese camp, he was apparently a very changed person when he finally came home. She showed me a booklet of things his fellow POWs wrote for him before they parted ways, along with a few other relics. Felt weird putting my grubby fingers on what felt like museum pieces, but definitely a privilege to get to do so.
USS Houston, (SSN 713), was the sub that appeared as the USS Dallas in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October".
Which was hilariously ironic to those of us aboard the other boats of the Pacific Submarine Force...........................
I'm sure it is only coincidence that the the 713 designation for the submarine just happens to be the original area code for Houston TX.
@@cogitoergopun1406 Nope. That wasn't the issue..
My grandfather's cousin, Lewis Dodds, went down on the Houston in the Sunda Strait. His name is on the Wall of the Missing at the Manila National Cemetery.
The crew of both Perth and Houston are true heroes and shall never be forgotten.
Lest We Forget
My uncle Jack Lewis was killed on Perth
My great-uncle Seaman first class William L Dowling was among those lost on the Houston. I remember my grandma had a memorial to him until she died and never gave up hope he'd return.
2:20 On James D Hornsfisher’s book Ship Of Ghosts, he mentions that the SOC Eagle float plane wasn’t able to launch off of the ship fast enough during the ships first engagement with the Japanese. The concussions from one of the 5”/25 AA guns or the bomb that disabled turret 3 (can’t remember which) blew the fabric skin off of the airplane and had to be jettisoned. The strand pilot later helped out in the ships last stand.
That's a great book!
Sounds a bit like HMS Exeter's priir Spotter 'plane loss at the Battle of River Plate.
@@jimtaylor294, the irony in that is that HMS Exeter was lost fighting alongside the Houston in the Battle of the Sunda Straights...
@@pastorjerrykliner3162 not quite correct. HMS Exeter was lost during the second Battle of the Java Sea; HMAS Perth was lost alongside Houston in the Battle of the Sunda Strait.
@@johnnyz2378 Same overall period and theater of battle though.
A bit like the demise of SMS Dresden in WWI is typically tied in with the prior destruction of Von Spee's squadron near the Falkland Islands.
She gave as good as she got. Rest In Peace Houston and her crew.
The 4 torpedoes that struck the Houston, along with about a dozen that hit the HMAS Perth, were part of 89 long lances fired. The Houston and Perth had gotten between the Japanese screed and landing force, so the remainder of the 89 long lances continued on to sink (if I remember correctly) five Japanese transports and a minesweeper.
Yes, as opposed to their American counterparts, the Japanese torpedoes of that era actually worked
@@jim2lane the long lances Where deadly even for the ships that carried them, a splinter or a burst of machine gun fire could detonate the entire stock
Thus starting the war between IJN and IJA... Cruel and relentless with no remorse from either side lol
So you're saying we should credit USS Houston and HMAS Perth with those kills? XD
Mogami forgot the golden rule of shooting: always know what’s beyond your target.
I'm glad one of my favorite ships finally got the Drachinifel treatment.
Ive always felt the Northamptons to be very handsome ships. Think its the forward hull lines and the superstructure/mainmast looks like it has a forward rake to it.
There’s a grace to the Northamptons and other treaty cruisers that is lacking in the frank functionality of the cruisers immediately before the war and wartime designs in my eyes. They were products of peacetime and far from perfect warships, yet they and their crews served with distinction in many roles beyond surface combat. It is unfortunate that not one treaty cruiser exists today to represent that generation as Texas does the dreadnoughts.
Would highly recommend the Rising Sun Falling Skies for a more in depth look at almost completely forgotten theater of War. The exploits of ABDA command in the face of insurmountable odds is a story that needs to be covered more.
Currently reading in bits & pieces
"...at almost completely forgotten theater of War" That's the fate of almost all history, other than historians and history lovers like us. Just consider how much you don't know about the Peloponnesian War, though those men were just as human and driven to fight for their people as the Allies in WW2.
When we sailed over the graves of Houston and Perth in 1977 our captain called us attention, told the sto9ry if her gallant fight, and we rendered honors,.
Thank you, Drachinifel.
I read that Captain Rooks of Houston basically predicted the ridiculous conditions under which the U.S. Asiatic would have to fight if and when the fecal went into the oscillating rotator. He was a smart man, a highly competent commander, and went down with his ship.
it was given that the fact the war plan orange predicted the movements of the Japanese expansion but being complacent that the Japanese would try bugles my mind.
I first learned of the Ghost of the Java coast when I read the book Last Battle Station which gives some interesting facts of what they went through. When I read the book, I found out that some of the men that built the famous bridge over the river Kwai were sailors from the Houston. In that movie, William Holden plays a US Navy sailor impersonating an officer.
I highly recommend Ship of Ghosts by Hornfischer.
My wife's uncle was serving on the USS Huston when it was sunk. He managed to survive Japanese captivity.
Could you do a post about how the graverobbers were able to locate and harvest the steel from the ships?
Historigraph did an excellent video on this. ua-cam.com/video/Pscqvxiqbfs/v-deo.html
@Aqua Fyre Yes, but he's asking how they do it.
@Aqua Fyre let's be honest, it's not a high priority item.
@Aqua Fyre Not doing anything
I feel that Drachinifel should do another video about the "harvesting" of ships in the Pacific Ocean - especially the "war graves" of ships from WWII. The Dutch warships are particularly nearly all gone...
Wow!!! I've always felt privileged to have served in the U. S. N., but your videos enhance and enlarge that emotion. Thank you.
I just listened to _Rising Sun, Falling Skies_ about the Dutch East Indies campaign on Audible. Apparently at Makassar Strait _Houston_ suffered from a 75% dud rate with her old 5" AA shells. USS _Boise_ donated her more modern and thus working shells after she had that disagreement with the rock and had to head home. Apparently this was a significant factor in both her poor performance and subsequent damage at Makassar Strait and her impressive performance with the Timor Convoy.
Great book.
A great ship n brave crew. Such a shame some countries have no respect for war graves.
The pre 1945 armor plate is extremely valuable
I believe the value comes from the fact that it was formed before the atomic age. There are certain applications where pre-July 1945 steel is necessary. I don't mean to excuse them but rather explain why they do it.
China needs that cheap steel
I believe the robbing is done by individuals breaking the law, rather than by nations themselves.
Your right, these individuals just horde the steel for no reason
Love this Ship.
My Mums cousin served on HMAS Perth. Have a very warm fondness for both theses fine ships.
god, its always such a shame to end these talking about graverobbing. a good video nonetheless!
Thank you for this video. I recently learned that my uncle, Charles Button, SEA2C, was killed during her last battle. My father, being born in 1945, never knew him.
The Galloping Ghost herself. She's in the Azur Lane anime along with her sister ship Northampton. I call those two as "The Guardians of the Whills" after Baze and Chirrut in Rogue One.
You forgot Chicago.
@@simonbengtsson9241 . She's not in Azur Lane
@@andrewmontgomery5621, she is. Or did I miss an update that removed her?
@@simonbengtsson9241 . I mean the anime
@@andrewmontgomery5621, that explains it.
My grandfather was a fire tender on CA36 at Tossafaronga, stayed with her to pearl.
Been a fan of the Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast since I read 'The Fleet the Gods Forgot' as a teen. Thanks!
A beautiful ship
I actually have a rather personal connection to the Houston since I'm partially named after a relative that went down on it.
The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast
Just read through KCQ again so reading about Houston in that the same day as this gets posted was a nice coincidence
My Wifes Uncle was a Marine on Houston. His name was Houston Vaughan
Saturday Drac!!
Excellent
May every grave robber get a fatal case of the bends.
in their defense, it was everybody else that left these wrecks there and never bothered to really clean up any of them
@@AsbestosMuffins The silliest comment I've read. War graves, mate.
Unfortunately, they do it with grappling hooks rather than send divers down.
@@The_Modeling_Underdog not their war just their colonisers so why should they care?
@@Ushio01 War graves, mate. Would you like the place where your grandfather or any member or your family rests to be disturbed by explosives and other removal equipment. Would you like their remains to be thrown overboard without ceremony when they come out of the depths? I don't think so. And if you don't mind... Well. I do.
I would love a video on CA-27 USS Chester. My grandfather served on that ship throughout WWII. I have some scrapbook photos of it I could send
A tough as nails ship and the eldest of the class.
"Fair Winds and Following Seas" Brothers on your eternal patrol.
I’m glad Pete Alden made it off Houston in Surabaya and made his way to USS Walker
An old friend of mine, Donald Kuhn, is the official historian of the USS Houston Survivors Association. His book:
“In The Highest Degree Tragic: The sacrifice of the U>S> Asiatic fleet in the East Indies during World War II”
Is highly recommended. As a tin can sailor, the story of how these brave men were sacrificed is heart-wrenching.
Your videos sooth my soul!
Ah, my favorite cruiser of all time.
The first treaty cruiser I studied. Her twin sister, Augusta, in the foreground at 1:20 is my favorite. Houston holds a special place nevertheless. In spite of how uncannily similar their early service was, they never served in the same fleet and only crossed paths twice together when relieving the other as flagship of the Asiatic Fleet in 1933 and 1940.
I appreciate your dry humor Drach!
Been waiting this AM, great choice today
If nothing else, the US pre-war treaty cruisers were great looking ships!
It's a solid testimony to the effectiveness to the "Long Lances" that the Allies had to learn the hard way
Well... the US at least. The Royal Navy after all didn't have defective torpedoes, and knew *exactly* how deadly they could be.
@@jimtaylor294 yeah the Royal Navy was very wary of torpedoes after losing a carrier and multiple battleships to U-Boats
@@jimtaylor294 Jim - there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Mark 14 torpedo, you are just using it wrong - US NAV BuOrd.....
The IJA learnt the hard way as well lol. Just ask the General in charge of the landings
@@soppa24 Well there's that... and that the RN was the first to use a Torpedo in a sea battle (by HMS Shar; albeit that it missed the target), and the first to sink a ship with an air dropped one (during WWI).
The Houston and the Scrap Iron flotilla in just a week. What a treat!
My Mom's Dad was on the Houston. He took a handful of my toy boats and a few rectangles of paper and described to me their actions. He survived the machine gun fire in the water, and the sharks, and was not captured by the Japanese staying in the water until another dutch ship picked him and a handful of others up. He worked in the engine room and had to seal his living shipmates into the engine room and had a hard time explaining that adding that he knew it was for not because the ship was done anyway. Very, very hard to think I didn't pay even more attention to him although I was only 8 at the time.
My dad was on the Huston when it when down. No one would talk about what happen after it sank. The only thing I know is that anyone who knew him said he was never the same after the war.
The first of only 2 times my Grandfather talked about it was to me as he used toy boats and pieces of paper to describe what happened. The second was to the local paper where they couldn't publish more than 3/4 of his story.
Wonderful story. Wish that some underwater photos of her were out, so people can see her.
thank you Doc for mentioning the grave robbing. i guess my comment on the last guide wasnt too out of line.
She had received orders to return to Pearl Harbor for battle damage repair and was attempting to escape the Japanese controlled waters when she was sunk. Her Captain was killed by aircraft strafing while manning the bridge. She was a good fighting ship and FDR's favorite.
FDR’s fondness for the cruisers is little remarked upon sadly. You may find people who know he had a special bathtub aboard Iowa but not the more than a dozen voyages he embarked upon Houston, Indianapolis, Tuscaloosa, Quincy (the Baltimore-class), and Augusta. It’s unimaginable today to imagine the president taking a cruise with a warship’s crew rather than hopping on Air Force One.
It is terribly sad how Captain Waller (?) Of HMAS PERTH and USN Houston were sacrificed over such a lost cause as the.defense of the Dutch Indies, the Dutch were too emotionnal about it, and it meant the loss of a whole fleet (albeit hodgepodge) and the loss of two of the best Captains of WWII.
You’re correct, Amin - Captain Hector “Hard Over Hec” Waller. He was originally the commanding officer of the famous Scrap Iron Flotilla in the Mediterranean in HMAS Stuart before being given command of HMAS Perth.
@@johnnyz2378 he drove the perth like he stole it :P
@@grumpyoldman-21 that he did. : )
Sometimes in war you have to try to save a bad situation with a sacrifice. Hindsight may be 20/20, but the call on the day will often happen with little info. The DEI was a very rich prize for the Japanese, so delaying its fall disrupts their timetable and may give time for oil field destruction. There is also the slant of reinforcing the alliance and morale of the Dutch-in-exile, whether that accomplishes anything real or not. Didn't help with the post-war relationships, though.
@@gregorywright4918 the Japanese had the oilfields up and running after 2 days...
If you look really close at 4:25 there is William Holden manning one of the AA guns....
Yeah, I don't think so.
@@Sshooter444 Reference "The Bridge over the River Kwai...."
He thought officers would be treated better then enlisted. He was mistaken.
Had a great uncle Robert Y. Orcutt served on the Houston died during the attack that damaged the rear turret. Feb 4 1942.
We need more content about the ships of the not so famous US Navy's Asiatic Fleet.
They lived very different and storied lives during the era between the world wars than many of their fellows. It’s a misconception that the US was completely passive abroad until Pearl Harbor. After all, many of the admirals that the Navy turned to following Pearl Harbor served in the Asiatic Fleet and had seen firsthand what was brewing, men such as Chester Nimitz, Harry Yarnell, and Ernest King.
My Great Grandpa and his brother were both on the USS Houston when she Sank... The swam in different directions towards land. My Great Grandpa was captured by the Japanese and was a POW for several years before being released. His brother was never seen again.
She is a good looking ship.
#RememberTheAlamo!
Great work Sir thank you
2:25. You have to make one on the eight funneled ship in the bachground....
NOT funnels... cargo cranes.
@@WALTERBROADDUS Sorry, I always forget some people have no sense of humour, and don't understand jokes....
@@Lassisvulgaris I enjoy humor. Don't see any.👀
Ah yes, the ship Robo-Drach' once anounciated as "The Hoo~stun" :D .
(and one of her sisters as "The She-cargo" XD)
Great to see a vid' on Houston specifically.
My Mom told me my aunt has a boyfriend who went down with his ship in early 1942. Mom remember his last name, and I found out he went down with the Houston.
_Houston, we have a problem_
It's an older code sir but it checks out. I was about to clear them...
Please review, if not done so already, Pensacola class ships. Great Video!
ua-cam.com/video/0rPhXR2N2mw/v-deo.html
Read a relatively recent book on the Houston and the ordeal of the crew after capture--made your video all the more enjoyable
I would love to see a video on the USS Reno!
You really need to tell the story of the light cruiser CL 81 Houston.
Just imagine this:
Your grandfather/great-grandfather has served onboard Houston or Prince of Wales, or any other ship that has been sunk in this area. You look at the ship and see that her wreck hasn't been found, you sponsor a search for her. You manage to be onboard the searching ship, for whatever reason, and soon, the wreck has been located on sonar. The ship turns to go there and finally you arrive at the place where your family member fought, and probably died in most cases.....
Only to find graverobbers (that's what they are to me and you can't change my mind about that) lifting a piece of her on board their ship. You argue with them, telling them this is a war grave, your grandfather/great-grandfather's grave.
All they say?
"It's a ship that nobody is using. Why let the metal go to waste?"
Hey Drach! Would it be possible if you would review the Myoko Class heavy cruisers. Love the channel and videos!
WOOOO! Another drach video.
I'm wondering why it wasn't mentioned that this class were built under the 10,000 ton displacement limit for cruisers. They were sometimes referred to as the "tin plate cruisers" for their thin armor, especially on the turrets. The turrets were built of 1 1/2in STS steel with a 3in face that a Japanese 5in gun could penetrate. The US Navy's design bureau was criticized for underestimating the weight and subsequent ships were better protected.
ive been waiting for this for a long time
I generally don't rate American ships for aesthetic but that is a nice looking cruiser.
Could you make a video of the USS Massachusetts? She did a lot of heavy lifting.
About three years ago...
ua-cam.com/video/8WQr_R--gOk/v-deo.html
The galloping ghost of the Java Sea! Anyone interested needs to read the book Ship Of Ghosts.
the bomb that hit her broke apart on the rear mast and part of it entered the rear of her rear turret.
Thanks for the video!
So sad when I heard about the salvage of these wrecks!
Could U review the starship Yamato and her almost unreal ability to survive a German space submarine Torpedo attack, Thank you.
shame so little of her is left, the "metal recovery Pirates" have done a quick and passionate job on her, Houston, Perth, Java, de Ruiter, Exeter and others have all been grappled to almost nothing left, and the ships lost in indonesian waters that where suposed to be protected as "wargraves" where quickly stripped as the indonesian government stated " they are YOUR wargraves, you want to keep them safe then you can put a ship over them to guard against the scrappers" and now they are virtually gone.
In the picture at 2:20 with the spotter plane, there appears to be a ship in the Background with 8(9?) funnels.
What on Earth is that?
I think that is a collier and that those are derricks not funnels. Maybe the USS Proteus ?
@@The_Bermuda_Nonagon thanks, upon googling it, that would be the right number of cranes, and would make more sense.
As far as I know, only (Very obsolete at the time) armoured cruisers would of had so many funnels.
Such a beauty.
again, as an Indonesian, really really sorry for what some idiots in our country did to her and other vessels like here at the bottom of the Java Sea. They basically just dredge them to bits and sell anything that comes up as scrap metal.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Ship wrecks in Asian Regions are in grave danger.
Force Z, ABDA, there are rumors Kongo’s wreck no longer exists….
Wonder if you could do 6-7 minute video on the WWI USS Marblehead
Wondered? When ships carried aircraft was there any thought given to using smaller planes?
Those are small planes. How small are you thinking?
@@davem2369 Small small. A Curtiss SOC-1 had a wingspan of 36' where a Fairley Swordfish's was only 10' wider.
@@jims4539 yes, but there's folding wings involved and the fuselage, due to needing to be floatplane, are similarly bulky and take up a similar footprint. Whilst you can read off top trump statistics on size these take up basically the same room on a ship in storage and there's no real difference in launch systems or recovery cranes on deck for trading a few feet in length or wingspan. Unless you can get something so small it can suddenly be stored in internally or making a significant difference in deck space for aircraft related machinery needs reducing aircraft size won't make much difference. For the technology of the time you can't get an operationally useful aircraft in a smaller package. Something like a Storch or Grasshopper would be significantly smaller but would lack water landing ability.
The big issues are ocean-water landing (can get rough) and more than one occupant (pilot plus navigator/observer, and sometimes another one or two from downed pilot pick-ups). You need a reinforced frame with high wings, floats, and multiple seats. Anything smaller won't survive or accomplish the missions.
Beyond the points raised above, one should bear in mind that these planes are intended to either scout or report shell fall. Both tasks demand that the aircraft have endurance in addition to catapult launch capability. They can’t get much smaller with a given power plant and radio equipment without sacrificing time in the air and lift at low speeds.
“Clever expedient of not being there” … best way to survive an attack that anyone has come up with as of yet 😏
Do a video about SMS Friedrich Carl.
"Houston, zekkōchō!"
Can someone tell me what ship or kind of ship we are seeing in the background at 2:20? It looks like it has 8 or 7 funnels? That can't be true right?
Some sort of transport maybe an ocean liner is my guess.
Likely a collier. Those are cargo crane derricks.
Steel and armor plate manufactured before the atomic bombs in 1945 are extremely valuable and rare. It is used for scientific instruments and the absence of radioactive particles in the atmosphere is required. All steel post 1945 has some radioactivity. That is why these ships are being underwater scrapped.
This is no longer required. Since we stopped testing nukes steel has reached low enough background radiotion levels.
not all, and counter to what all the nuke propaganda from the 70s and 80s told us, the fallout is not permanent and seems to return to 'normal' levels in just a couple of decades.
Even when background levels were 'too high' for the science equipment we could make low background radiation steel, it was just a PITA.
No Japanese was ever tried for crimes against humanity.
... her crew w/ her Captain went down fighting to the end ... starting the last fight w/ a disabled rear turret ... The (1st) Houston along w/ Capt Evans and the Johnston, and the "Sammy B", will always be remembered in the history of the US Navy ... I would like to see one of the next US Aircraft carriers named after their Capt's ... and not some D*mn politician ...
What, was Navy Cross winner Doris Miller not good enough for you? (Perhaps the wrong color?) And I wasn't aware "Enterprise" was the name of a politician.
@@michaelanderson8186 ... Doris Miller was the 1st ... and most recent carrier ... and I agree w/ that honor ... but ... most of the Nimitz carriers where named for Presidents that while they did serve, they did not DIE ... in the service of their country. Unlike the Capt's I referenced ... and I will add another name ... Marine Corp Sgt John Basilone ... It is not about "Color" ... it is about making the ultimate sacrifice ... AND I DO TAKE OFFENSE TO YOUR COMMENT!!!
... and Seaman Doris Miller died in the service of his country too!!!
@@harrymurphey2634 And I take offense to yours. You brought up "future carriers", and aside from the replacement JFK, there's only one planned that's named for a human being. That's the Doris Miller.
John F. Kennedy, George H.W. Bush, and Theodore Roosevelt were true war heroes, not just "some damn politicians". Nor were Abraham Lincoln, the *most beloved* of US presidents, nor George Washington, nor Dwight D. Eisenhower mere "politicians". Each were with our country at a time of great need, and their ability to organize and lead were of immeasurably great help. Carl Vinson, a long-serving member of Congress, was called the "Father of the Two-Ocean Navy". That wasn't me saying that - that was the US Navy. And Chester W. Nimitz was the architect of the US victory in the Pacific, and not a politician at all! (I'll give you John Stennis, but really dude, one out of *more than a dozen*?) So *basta* with your uninformed, half-baked opinions! Learn your own damned history!