WreckThe HMAS Perth & USS Houston - Intro | Historical Background Part 1 | Part 2

HSMA Perth and USS Houston
The fascinating historical background [Part 1]
On 27th February the HMAS Perth, with USS Houston, took part in the Battle of the Java Sea. After surviving the battle both ships where ordered by Admiral Doorman to return to Tanjung Priok on the morning of 28th February and immediately obtain oil and ammunition. They could get the first, but the badly needed ammunition was not available. At this time, the Perth only had about 20 rounds per gun left, the Houston only 50 rounds. The Perth and Houston sailed from Tanjung Priok at 7pm on the 28th February for Sunda Straits and ran into a Japanese invasion force off Banten Bay at about 23.00 consisting of 1 cruiser and 11 destroyers. In the area was also another landing force at Merak consisting of light cruiser Yura and four destroyers and a support group in the Java Sea with the light carrier Ryujo, the heavy cruisers Mogami, Mikuma, Kumano and Suzuya. Mikuma and Mogami who were cruising very close to the landing site in Banten Bay.

The Perth and Houston, as said, sailed at top speed directly to Sunda Strait and encountered the Japanese destroyer Fubuki, which guarded the Eastern approaches. She fired her 9 Long Lance torpedo's at about 3000 yards and retreated. The cruisers now saw the invasion force in the Banten Bay and fired on the several dozen transports there. At that time, there were two destroyers in the bay and those immediately tried to make smoke screens to protect the transports. Nevertheless, the Allied cruisers scored hits on the transports, but no ship was sunk.

Japanese destroyers fired about 28 torpedoes, of which luckily none found their targets. The Perth and Houston replied which rapid gunfire and in the case of Perth, also torpedoes and managed to score several hits on the destroyers, but were themselves also slightly damaged by gunfire. At this time, the stronger Japanese forces of the Java Sea Support Group were closing in on the small squadron and as they arrived on the scene the heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma opened up with their 8 inch guns and torpedoes surrounding the Perth and Houston.