U.S. Honors USS Houston War Grave Wreck With Plaque
About 650 US Navy sailors and marines who died when their ship was sunk by the Japanese in Indonesian waters during World War II have been immortalized after a plaque was placed near the wreck of their ship.
The U.S. embassy in Indonesia said that divers have placed and secured a commemorative plaque on the seabed near the wreck of the USS Houston (CA-30), a U.S. Navy cruiser that was sunk by heavy Japanese gunfire and torpedoes during the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942. More than 650 sailors and marines lost their lives when the ship that was famously nicknamed the ‘Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast’ sank to the bottom of the sea.
With the wreck of the ship and its crew designated as a World War II war grave, the plaque is expected to serve as a lasting tribute to the fallen service members and a reminder of the shared responsibility to protect the wreck and honor those who rest there. The plaque was placed during a joint diving operation following a wreath-laying ceremony at Bandar Bakau Jaya Harbor.
Historical accounts that Houston was a Northampton-class light cruiser that was commissioned in June 1930. The ship was originally designated a CL-30 but was reclassified as CA-30 the following year and became the flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. In the first two years of service, Houston was deployed to protect US interests in Chinese waters.
When she returned to the US waters in 1934, Houston would regularly transport President Franklin D. Roosevelt on both official and recreational excursions. In November 1940, the ship returned to the Asiatic Fleet where she was deployed to Australian and Dutch East Indies waters when the US entered World War II the following December.
The events leading to Houston’s tragic sinking started to unfold in February 1942 when she joined Dutch cruisers and US destroyers in the Madura Strait. A month earlier, the ship’s aft gun turret had been damaged by Japanese K?k?tai aircraft. Despite the damage, Houston remained in the area and took part in the Battle of the Java Sea.
On February 28, the ship was ordered from the area, and while steaming with the Australian light cruiser Perth, she encountered a strong Japanese force supporting an amphibious landing on western Java. Despite a valiant fight against the enemy in the Battle of Sunda Strait, both Houston and Perth were sunk by Japanese gunfire and torpedoes.
U.S. Navy records show that about 1,100 sailors were aboard the vessel when she encountered the heavy bombardment. Only 368 survived and were captured by the Japanese. To date, it remains unclear how many American sailors went down with the Houston. The ship’s wreck was discovered in 2014 and protected under U.S. law. The wreck cannot be disturbed without authorization from the U.S. Navy.
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“Placing this plaque is a promise that we will protect this war grave and ensure it remains respected for generations to come,” said Chief Warrant Officer Chet Schroeter from Commander Task Force 73.
The plaque installation reflects the shared commitment between the US and Indonesia to honor those lost at sea, protect historically significant underwater sites, and strengthen cooperation in maritime heritage preservation.
