Battle of Sunda Strait

Date	28 February – 1 March 1942
Location	Sunda Strait, Netherlands East Indies
Result	Japanese victory

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

Strength

American:
1 heavy cruiser
Australian:
1 light cruiser
Dutch:
1 destroyer

Casualties and losses

1 heavy cruiser sunk
1 light cruiser sunk
1 destroyer sunk
1071 killed
675 POWs

1 minelayer sunk,
4 troopships sunk or grounded,
1 cruiser damaged,
10 killed,
37 wounded

The Battle of Sunda Strait was a naval battle which occurred during World War II in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra. On the night of 28 February – 1 March 1942, the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth and the American heavy cruiser USS Houston faced a major Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) task force. After a fierce battle of several hours duration, both Allied ships were sunk. Five Japanese ships were sunk, three of which by friendly fire.

In late February 1942, Japanese amphibious forces were preparing to invade Java, in the Dutch East Indies. On 27 February, the main American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) naval force, under Admiral Karel Doorman–a Dutch officer–steamed northeast from Surabaya to intercept an imperial Japanese navy invasion fleet. This part of the ABDA force consisted of two heavy cruisers, including USS Houston under the command of Captain Albert H. Rooks, three light cruisers, including HMAS Perth under Captain Hector Waller, and nine destroyers. Only six out of nine of USS Houston's 8-inch (203-millimeter) heavy guns were operational because her aft gun turret had been knocked out in an earlier Japanese air raid. The ABDA force engaged the Japanese force in the Java Sea. The Allied ships were all sunk or dispersed. Houston and Perth both retreated to Tanjung Priok, Java, the main port of Batavia, Dutch East Indies, where they arrived at 13:30 hours on 28 February.