The Last Battle Station. The Story of the U.S.S. Houston

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On the night of February 28, 1942, the heavy cruiser USS Houston vanished off the coast of Java in the Dutch East Indies. The flagship of the Asiatic Fleet, she had been one of the best-known ships in the prewar Navy and President Roosevelt’s personal favorite. The Houstons crew, mostly professionals from the old Navy, including many old China hands, were proud and disciplined sailors. They were ready for war but the Houston, unfortunately, was not. A victim of budget slashing and disarmament treaties, she carried thin armor plating, no radar, obsolete firecontrol equipment, and faulty ammunition. America had not been willing to spend the money to maintain her military preparedness—and the Houston and her crew paid the price. For three and a half months after Pearl Harbor, the Houston did battle against overwhelming Japanese air and sea forces, left on her own to fight a delaying action while America belatedly built up its military forces. The crew knew they were expendable, but they fought and bled and died until there seemed to be nothing more to give, right through the night they fought their last and most gallant battle of all. The Houstons disappearanc( remained

THE LAST BATTLE STATION: The Story of the USS Houston

THE LAST BATTLE STATION: The Story of the USS Houston DUANE SCHULTZ

St. Martin's Press/New York

THE LAST BATTLE STATION: THE STORY OF THE USS HOUSTON.

Copyright © 1985 by Duane Schultz. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Schultz, Duane P. The last battle station. 1. Houston (Cruiser : CA-30) 2. Java Sea, Battle of the, 1942. 3. Sunda Strait, Battle of, 1942. 4. World War, 1939-1945—Naval operations, American. I. Title. VA65.H66S38 1985 359.3'253 84-24970 ISBN 0-312-46973-X

First Edition 10 987654321

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To those who stand watch in Sunda Strait

4

Contents 1 2

Overdue and Presumed Lost We'll Be Shooting in a Few Days 3 Prepare the Ship for War 4 It's for Keeps Now 5 A Strange Way to Fight a War 6 Man Your Battle Stations 7 Fire in Turret Three 8 We're Going to Hell 9 Follow Me 10 I Think We've Got It Made 11 The Colors Were Still Flying 12 The Japanese Put Them There to Die Epilogue Presidential Unit Citation Acknowledgments Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

1 10 23 44 65 80 99 121

139 163 187 216 244 249 250 253 261 265

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Index

213, 219-223, 225, 229, 236, 238, 240

ABDA command, 67, 68, 71-73, 120, 127, 128, 132-134, 137-143, 167-170 See also Allied command and operations Abernathy, E. Paul, 54 Adams, Richard L., 91, 94 Alden, 64, 144 Allied command and operations, 3, 16-18, 65-68, 71-79, 109-110, 117-120, 127, 132-134, 137-162, 167-170 intelligence, 137, 142, 144, 145, 169-170, 173 Anderson, H. E., 54 Army-Navy Club, Manila, 38, 40 Arnold, Henry ''Hap," 133 Asiatic Fleet, 3, 6, 10-22, 25, 32, 52, 66, 72, 109, 111, 135, 225 compared with Japanese fleet, 16 See also Allied command and operations Australian military command: See Allied command and operations Australian prisoners-of-war, 212,

Baguio, 20 Bain, Marvin L., 198 Bali, 132 Balikpapan, 56, 75 Ballew, Jim, 48 Ballinger, Jim, 171 Bandung, 128 Bantam Bay, 173, 178, 210, 213, 216 Banton Park Theater, 219-220 Barker, 52 Bartlett, Robert, 1, 2 Bartz, John, 42, 70, 83, 98, 101, 110, 135, 151, 196, 226, 232, 241 Bataan, 3, 16, 18, 60, 68, 75, 132 Batavia, 2, 67, 68, 127, 137, 142, 143, 166-167, 170, 173 Bawean Island, 141, 145 Bernrieder, William A., 26 Bicycle Camp, 225-229 Biechlen, Louis E., 105, 106 Bienert, Joseph B., 101, 103 Bingham, Joseph L., 2

265

266 Black, Isaac, 183, 204 Blackman, A. S., 229 Blake, Paul, 183 Blue Bonnet, 35, 119 Boise, 17, 50, 52, 55, 74, 114, 119, 122, 135 Bonkoski, John A., 185 Borneo, 19, 73-75, 132, 142 Bourgeois, Frederick}., 199 Brain, Donald C., 91, 93, 96, 106, 131 Brereton, Lewis, 72, 133 Brett, George H., 73 British military command: See Allied command and operations British prisoners-of-war, 219, 222, 231-233, 236 Brooks, Howard, 37, 59, 70, 88, 100, 101, 165, 171, 175, 191, 194, 203 Broome, 124, 127, 129 ^^Buda" (Tai Chi-Sah), 189-190 Bulmer, 128 Bunch, Jerry Judson 10, 22, 42, 43, 247 Bunda Roads, 77, 79 Burge, Jack, 33, 46 Burma railway, 235-242 Burroughs, Clement D., 87, 107, 193 Bush, E. A. '7oe," 46, 50, 103, 124 California, 13 Cavite Naval Base, 18, 19, 22, 24, 30, 53-54 Cebu, 50 Celebes, 74, 132 Changi barracks, 231-233, 235, 236 Churchill, Winston, 76, 133, 161 Clark Field, 49-50, 66 Corregidor, 2, 3, 18 Corsberg, Howard C., 125 Cray, H. R., 116, 117

Index

Cruiser Houston committee, 26 Dai Nichi Maru, 231 Dalton, J. F., 35, 83, 208, 223 Darwin, 59, 61-63, 68-69, 71, 72, 74, 76, 111, 121, 127-129, 132 Davis, George E., Jr., 84, 105 Day, Raymond '"Rainy," 240 De Ruyter, 78, 79, 95, 131, 137, 141, 144, 146, 148, 152, 158, 160, 161 Detre, George E., 49, 63, 95, 108, 111, 181, 189, 197, 217 Dillon, Joe, 203 Djocja, 113, 114 Doorman, Karel W. F. M., 77-79, 105, 109, 117, 118, 128-129, 132, 137, 141-148, 151-154, 156-161, 165, 170 Douglas, Griff L., 69, 86, 102, 125, 126, 148-149, 158, 171, 173, 196, 205, 207 Dupler, Harley H., 241, 242 Durban, 128 Dutch civilians, 56-57, 113, 114, 143, 144 Dutch East Indies, defense of: See Allied command and operations Dutch military command: See Allied command and operations Dutch prisoners-of-war, 218, 219, 222, 236 Early, Stephen, 224 Eddy, Merritt "Chips," 45, 46, 101, 105, 106, 111, 136, 151, 174, 226 Edsall, 64 Edwards, 53, 55, 144 Elam, R. W., 202, 211 Electra, 143, 144, 148, 153 Encounter, 143, 144, 158, 159 Epstein, William A., 86, 87, 107, 201, 241

Index

Evertsen, 168, 172 Exeter, 143, 144, 146, 151, 153, 154 Faulk, Hugh, 191 Ferguson, Homer L., 27 Feuchak, Steve, 191 Flores Sea, 69 Formosa, 19, 50 Forrester, John E. "Pee Wee," 209 Forsman, M. L. "Gus," 135, 182, 197, 203, 209 Fubuki, 173 Fulton, Robert, 11, 41, 42, 56, 70, 71, 87, 88, 90, 92, 102, 108, 112, 118, 134, 155, 167, 173, 182, 194, 206, 209, 210, 217, 218, 223, 234, 242 Galbraith, Gracious, 223-225 Galbraith, W. Jackson "Jack," 13, 15, 20, 24, 31, 41, 45, 71, 82, 83, 89, 93, 150, 158, 159, 172, 179, 184, 217, 222, 223, 235 Gallagher, F. E., Jr., 223 Galyean, George L. "Bandy," 112, 212 Gama, 21 Gans, Philip T. "Joe," 32, 36-38, 88, 91, 184, 194 Gee, Jim, 14, 32, 33, 42, 43, 47, 61, 92, 111, 116, 118, 161, 171, 173, 191, 200, 204, 208, 216 Gingras, Richard "Shorty," 20, 49, 87, 88, 167, 172, 177 Glassford, William A., Jr., 50, 51, 54-56, 59, 63, 66, 72, 74, 133, 168, 169, 224, 230 Glover, Ross M., 220 Graf Spee, 143 Grodzki, Henry S., 185 Guam, 3, 52 Hamlin, Harold S., Jr., 49, 63, 149-151, 157, 173, 174, 195,

267

203, 227 Hancock, 129 Harris, D. A., 128 Harris, Lanson H., 213, 214 Hart, Thomas C., 6, 10, 12, 16-20, 38, 41, 43, 45, 50, 51, 53, 54, 60, 65-68, 72-77, 105, 109-111, 117-120, 127, 128, 133, 224 Helfrich, Conrad E. L., 67, 68, 73, 74, 76, 110, 117, 118, 127, 132, 134, 137, 141, 142, 145, 162, 168, 169 HiU, Donald W., 220 Hogan, James E., 15 Holcombe, Elizabeth, 26, 27 Hollowell, John A., 130, 188 Hong Kong, 52, 60 Hoover, Herbert, 26 Houston (AK-1), 27 Houston (CL-81), 27, 229, 231 Houston (SSN-713), 27 Houston (CA-30): abandon-ship orders, 178, 188-189, 193-194 air attacks on, 88-98, 123-126, 144-145 ammunition, 5, 15, 84-85, 89, 92, 94, 95, 122, 149 antiaircraft personnel, 13, 15, 50, 58, 81-83, 89-90, 93-95, 97, 114, 123-126, 132, 144-145, 177, 181-183 aviation personnel, 17, 31, 38-40, 50, 78, 85-86, 90-92, 123-124, 127, 129, 146, 147, 167-168 battle stations, 13, 80-88 convoy duty, 59, 61, 68-71, 74, 121-129 decorations and tributes, 104, 181, 204, 229-231, 235, 248, 249 disciplinary actions, 58, 63, 227-228 engine room personnel, 71, 81,

268 engine room personnel (cont.) 87-88, 90, 92, 95-96, 108, 124, 136, 144, 150, 156, 177, 181-183 fuel, 71, 114, 129-130, 167 launching, 25-27 marine detachment, 24, 32-33, 191 medical personnel, 86-87, 102, 103, 107-108, 126, 193 morale, 5-6, 32-34, 89, 93, 136-137, 165, 107-173, 175 physical description, 4-5, 15, 19-20, 24-25, 30-32, 42-49, 137, 166 presidential cruises, 27-30 training, 5, 12, 13, 15, 31-32, 53 tactics, 95-96, 108-109, 124-125, 150, 176-177 turret personnel, 81, 84-85, 100, 102-107, 114-115, 148-150, 153-155, 166, 174, 177, 184-186 Houston (CA-30) survivors: abandon-ship experiences, 178-201 capture of, 201-215 data on, 3, 201-202, 242 prisoner-of-war experiences, 1-3, 8-9, 216-223, 225-229, 231-243 return to Sunda Strait, 247-248 Houston, Texas, 25-27, 229-230 Humphrey, E. C., 182 Ickes, Harold, 29 Iloilo, 21 Iloilo harbor, 30, 31, 49, 51, 52 Imamura, Hitoshi, 175, 176 Isaacs, E. C. "Chuck," 57, 62 Jahncke, Ernest L., 27 Japanese advances. Southwest Pacific, 3, 16, 20, 52, 53, 60, 68, 73, 75, 127, 132, 137

Index

Japanese military, American views of, 11, 13-14 Java, 137, 141, 144, 146, 151, 158, 160 Java, defense of: See Allied command and operations Java Sea, Battle of the, 147-156, 161, 162 criticism of Allied strategy in, 146-148 Javanese, 8, 133, 211, 219, 221 John D. Edwards, 53, 55, 144 John D. Ford, 74, 144 Jupiter, 143, 144, 153, 158, 159 KGEI radio, 134 King, Ernest J., 110 Kirkpatrick, Harlan G., 57, 185, 223 Knox, Frank, 135, 231 Kooper, Leonard "Dutch," 24, 34, 35, 49, 57, 58, 62, 83, 90, 94, 97, 198, 237 Korean prison camp guards, 235, 241 Kortenaer, 144, 146, 152, 159 Kunke, C. J., 85, 100 Kwai river bridge, 9, 235-242 Lamade, Jack, 11, 38, 39, 42, 43, 46, 61, 69, 85, 86, 89, 90, 92, 103-105, 108, 112, 113, 123, 124, 127, 129 Langley, 17, 53, 54 Lee, Jack, 189 Legaspi, 35, 38 Lembang, 72, 75, 109 Levitt, Herb, 161, 187-189, 194,

211, 212 Liberty ports, 12, 35-40, 56-59, 61-63, 68-69, 74-75, 115-117 "Lost Battalion" (2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery), 227, 236, 241 Lusk, Joe, 75

Index

MacArthur, Douglas, 66 McFadden, E. L., 182, 197 Madson, Q. C., 47, 70, 83, 111, 112, 126, 142, 145, 152, 160, 168, 178, 195, 202, 203, 205, 220, 225-227 Madura Island, 77 Maher, Arthur L. ''Al," 15, 20, 21, 23, 30, 32, 45, 46, 55, 56, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 89, 91, 98, 102-104, 109, 118-120, 125, 126, 148, 149, 151, 152, 154, 163, 166, 169, 174, 176, 177, 184, 188, 189, 202, 211, 212, 222, 223, 234, 235 Makasar Strait operations, 73-74, 76-79, 88-98 Malaya, 9, 45, 50, 52, 60, 75 Manila, 35-40, 60 U. S. Navy headquarters at, 10, 18, 19, 21, 22, 53 Marblehead, 17, 74, 77, 78, 90, 93, 94, 97, 105, 109, 111, 113, 114, 118, 119 Marsh, Samuel J., 100 Martin, '"Sampan," 35 Martinez, Alfred, 204 Mason, Redfield, 128 Mauna Loa, 126 Meigs, 126 Morison, Samuel Eliot, 3, 4 Morotrambangan, 130 Moulmein, 236

269

Ofuna interrogation camp, 233-235 Oldendorf, Jesse B., 23, 34, 35, 41, 42 Omori prisoner-of-war camp, 234 OSS forces, 1, 2 Owens, Floyd I. "Sheep," 200

Nagatomo, —, 236 Naval limitation treaty, 4 Nelson, J. B., 37, 43, 47, 48, 84, 105, 110, 117 Nethken, A. F., 71 New Guinea, 75 Newport News, 26, 231 Nickel, Henry, 35, 199 Nishimura, Masao, 223 Northampton, 41

Pacific Fleet, 16, 18, 23, 25, 50, 52 Palliser, Arthur F. R., 73 Pan American Airways, 22 Panama Canal, 27, 29, 30 Panay, 14 Pandeglang, 212 Parrott, 74 Paul Jones, 52, 74, 77, 144 Payne, Thomas B., 14, 38-40, 44, 46, 47, 51, 57, 62, 69, 77, 78, 85, 86, 91, 108, 109, 119, 123, 124, 129, 136, 142, 165, 167-169, 179, 193, 209, 210, 222, 223, 233, 235 Pearl Harbor, 3, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, 24, 25, 45-47, 49, 53, 68 Peary, 121, 123, 125, 129 Pecos, 53, 54 Pensacola, 68 Perth, 143, 144, 146, 151, 157, 158, 161-163, 165, 166, 168-176, 212, 213, 219-221, 223 Phelps, 41 Poirier, Roger P., 100 Pope, 74 Pownall, Henty R., 73, 76 President Harrison, 11 Presidential Unit Citation, 231, 249 Prince of Wales, 53 Pryor, Charley, 31, 33, 42, 45, 54, 55, 69, 70, 83, 101, 106, 125, 131, 132, 135, 156, 160, 173, 188, 193, 198, 202, 215, 217, 222, 232, 239 Purnell, William R., 39, 66, 72

O'Brien, Robert, 183

Radar, 17, 50, 52

Index

270

Ramsey, Frederick, 156 Ranger, John W., 104, 105' Red Cross, 2, 217, 224, 232 Reddingius-Soeters, Mrs. C. E., 113, 114 Reese, Seldon, 186, 203, 205, 207 Rentz, 204 Rentz, George Snavely, 70, 71, 97, 103, 112, 154, 204 Repulse, 53 Roberts, David W., 106, 188, 189, 194 Robinson, Arthur G., 105, 114 Robinson, Marvin E. "Robbie," 21, 180, 191, 202, 220, 232 Rogers, Leon, 14, 45, 54, 57, 59, 82, 89, 136, 154, 156, 166, 171, 181, 192, 205, 212, 227, 228, 237, 239, 240 Rooks, Albert H., 7, 11, 12, 15, 19-21, 31, 41-43, 45, 46, 49-51, 54, 59, 62, 63, 70, 77, 90, 95-97, 102, 105, 108, 109, 112, 114, 115, 119, 120, 122-130, 136, 142, 149, 150, 152, 158, 160, 161, 163, 167-170, 173, 174, 176-178, 180, 184, 186-189, 193, 231 report on Far East situation,

11-12 Rooks, Edith Redfield, 231 Roosevelt, Franklin D., 3, 4, 25, 28-30, 76, 134, 224, 230, 231 Sabuko Island, 172 St. Nicholas Point, 172, 174 San Jacinto, 229 Sandercook, Theodore F., 186 Sangley Point, 22 Schilling, —, 170 Schwarz, Otto, 11, 14, 21, 32, 33, 37, 47, 56, 58, 84, 107, 108, 119, 120, 126, 135, 136, 155, 173, 179, 190, 195, 203, 205, 206, 218, 225, 226, 247, 248 Serang, 219-223

Shanghai, 24, 36 Shark, 60 Sheppard, Morris, 27 Shippy, Clair, 183 Shireman, Raymond L. "Highpockets," 37 Singapore, 60, 73, 75, 127, 132, 231-233 Smith, C. D., 122, 157, 185-189, 221, 228, 238 Smith, Jack D., 14, 33, 61, 85, 100, 101, 105, 107, 112, 117, 196, 207 SOCs (scout planes), 17, 31, 50, 78, 85, 86, 123, 124, 167, 168 Sonar, 123 Sparks, Ray, 33, 36, 37, 40, 42, 83, 89, 97, 174, 195, 220, 225 Stark, Harold, 66 Starkenburge, A. W. L. Tjarda van, 67 Stewart, 53-55, 131 Stewart, William J., 180, 199, 200, 202, 208, 219 Stilwell, Joseph, 36 Stivers, John B., 44, 240 Stoddard, George, 156 Su, Marco, 222, 223 Sumatra, 130, 132, 206 Sunda Strait, 130, 137, 168-172, 174, 177, 188, 201, 202 battle of, 172, 175-186 survivors return to, 247-248 Surabaya, 56-59, 65-66, 72, 74-75, 128-132, 137, 138, 147, 153, 167 air raids on, 79, 115, 130-132, 141-143, 145 Suzuki, —, 227-229 Swan, 121 Tanjong Priok, 142, 166-168, 172 Task Force Five, 50-52, 72, 74 Thanbuyzat, 236 Thompson, R. B., 185 Thursday Island, 68, 74

Index

Timor Island, 69, 121, 127, 132 Tjilatjap, 74, 109-118, 121, 129, 130, 168, 169, 171 funeral at, 110-113 Tokyo Rose, 6, 118, 121-122, 129 Trinity, 53 Tromp, 78 Tubbs, Robert Lee, 124, 127 U. S. Army, 3, 16, 18, 49-50, 54, 60, 66, 68, 75, 132 U. S. National Guard, 121, 227, 236 U. S. Navy Department, 2, 19, 51, 72, 95 Vagadapdap, 21 Venus incident, 54 Wake Island, 3, 52, 60 Waller, Hector, 161, 162, 167-169, 172, 174, 176 War plans, 16, 19 Warrego, 121 Wassell, Corydon McAlmont, 113 Wavell, Archibald, 67, 72, 73, 76,

271

133 Weissinger, Bill, 11, 14, 31, 33, 40, 41, 43, 47, 48, 55, 62, 80, 83, 91, 94, 101, 106, 108, 111, 115, 143, 148, 151, 152, 157, 160, 161, 172, 183, 189, 192, 198, 204-207, 213 Weller, Maurice '"Dutch," 45, 46 Whaley, J. H. "Ben," 205, 214 Whipple, 64, 77 Wilbur, Curtis D., 26 Willey, Lloyd V., 69, 75, 83, 89, 101, 116, 125, 150, 156, 171, 189, 232, 241, 242 Williams, John M. "Warhead," 94 Winslow, Walter "Windy," 2, 18, 32, 38, 39, 46, 50, 65, 71, 77, 79, 103, 104, 124, 130, 131, 143, 153, 159, 166, 223 Winters, Jack, 116 Witte de With, 144, 153 Wolos, A. J., 213, 214 Zentsuji prisoner-of-war camp, 235

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