USS Houston Wreck Designated as a World War II War Grave With Plaque

The vessel, famously known as the “Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast,” went down on March 1, 1942, following intense Japanese gunfire and torpedo attacks during the Battle of Sunda Strait.

While approximately 1,100 sailors were aboard during the engagement, only 368 survived to be captured by Japanese forces. The exact number of American service members who perished with the ship remains unknown.

This underwater memorial serves as more than a marker; it is a formal designation of the site as a World War II war grave. The installation was carried out during a joint diving operation that followed a wreath-laying ceremony at Bandar Bakau Jaya Harbor.

“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 Houston had a storied history long before its final battle in Indonesian waters. A Northampton-class light cruiser commissioned in June 1930, the ship originally served as the flagship of the Asiatic Fleet after being reclassified from CL-30 to CA-30 in 1931.

USS Houston Wreck Designated as a World War II War Grave With Plaque

In 1934, after returning to U.S. waters, the ship was frequently used to transport President Franklin D. Roosevelt on both official and recreational trips. By November 1940, the Houston had returned to the Asiatic Fleet, positioning it in Australian and Dutch East Indies waters just as the United States entered the war the following December.

The ship’s final months were marked by increasing combat intensity. In February 1942, the Houston participated in the Battle of the Java Sea despite suffering damage to its aft gun turret from Japanese aircraft a month earlier. On February 28, while steaming alongside the Australian light cruiser Perth, the Houston encountered a heavy Japanese force supporting amphibious landings on western Java.

Indonesian Navy and US Navy conduct historic dive to the USS Houston wreck

Event Metric	Details
Total crew during final engagement	Approximately 1,100
Total survivors captured	368
Commissioning date	June 1930
Date of sinking	March 1, 1942

The discovery of the wreck in 2014 brought the site under the protection of United States law. Under current regulations, the wreck cannot be disturbed without explicit authorization from the U.S. Navy.

The mission aims to protect historically significant underwater locations while strengthening bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and Indonesia regarding maritime heritage preservation.

The permanence of the plaque ensures that about 650 sailors and marines who died in the sinking remain recognized within the site they call their final resting place.