Battle of Sunda Strait
1942: February 28 - March 1: Battle of Sunda Strait
Following the Battle of the Java Sea, USS Houston (CA-30) and the Australian cruiser, HMAS Perth, were traveling from Tanjong Priok, Batavia, to Tjiltjap, Java, when they encountered Japanese vessels and transports. Engaged in a fierce overnight battle, both Houston and Perth were sunk by the enemy, and the survivors were taken as prisoners of war. Soon after this action, the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) naval force was disestablished. The Pacific War would be led by the U.S. Navy against the Japanese, achieving victory in August 1945.
Image: NH 93153: Sinking of USS Houston (CA-30) during the Battle of Sunda Strait, February 28-March 1, 1942. Artwork by Joseph Fleishmann, 1950. Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.
