Battle of Balikpapan (1942)

First Battle of Balikpapan

Date	23–24 January 1942
Location	Balikpapan, Borneo
Result	Japanese land victory Allied tactical naval victory

Belligerents

Netherlands

United States

Empire of Japan

Commanders and leaders

Cornelis van den Hoogenband

Strength

Land:
1,100 infantry
Sea:
4 destroyers
1 submarine
Air:
29 aircraft

Land:
5,500 infantry,
1,100 sailors
Sea:
3 patrol boats,
12 transports

Casualties and losses

Land:
Unknown
Sea:
1 destroyer lightly damaged
1 submarine heavily damaged

Land:
Unknown
Sea:
50+ casualties
1 patrol boat sunk,
6 transports sunk

This article concerns the naval and land battles of Balikpapan in 1942. For information on the 1945 landings by Australian forces in the same area, see Second Battle of Balikpapan.

The First Battle of Balikpapan took place on 23–24 January 1942, off the major oil producing town and port of Balikpapan, on Borneo, in the Netherlands East Indies. After capturing the destroyed oilfield at Tarakan from the Allies in the Battle of Tarakan, the Japanese force—the Sakaguchi Detachment (named for its commander, Major General Shizuo Sakaguchi)-moved on to Balikpapan with the hope that the oilfields there had not been destroyed.

In the ensuing conflict, the Japanese successfully landed and seized the oil facilities. A short time later an American destroyer task force ambushed the Japanese invasion convoy and sank multiple transports.

The Dutch army in Balikpapan numbered approximately 1,100 troops, under the command of KNIL Lieutenant Colonel Cornelis van den Hoogenband. The city itself was protected by coast, anti-aircraft, and field batteries. The entrance of the harbor was protected by a minefield laid by the minelayer Soemenep under the command of Lt. T. Jellema.

On 18 January, the Dutch commander ordered the destruction of oil installations in Balikpapan and started to evacuate his staff to Samarinda. However, the destruction was not complete; the only serious damage was to tanks, pipes and special quays in the harbor area.

On 22 January, the Japanese fleet was sighted moving south by an American PBY flying boat, and on 23 January formations of Dutch bombers attacked the convoy. Despite this, the Japanese unit successfully landed approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) southeast of Balikpapan airfield on the evening of 24 January. The assault unit landed without meeting enemy resistance and, by dawn, had occupied the airfield. The southward advance moved slowly as the bridges had been destroyed, and the unit reached the northern outskirts of Balikpapan City on the night of 25 January. The Dutch garrison troops had been withdrawn and the Japanese entered the city without a fight.

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