1942 – The Battle of the Java Sea begins, where the 14-ship Allied forces (American, Dutch, British and Australian) attempt to stop the 28-ship Japanese invasion.
On This Day
The Battle of the Java Sea began when the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) naval command attempted to stop the Japanese invasion of Java on February 27, 1942. Led by Royal Netherlands Navy Rear Admiral Karel W.F.M. Doorman, the ABDA force was decimated in a seven-hour battle. Lost in battle were Royal Netherlands cruisers Java and De Ruyter (Doorman’s flagship), along with Royal Netherlands destroyer Kortenauer. The Royal Navy (British) destroyers Electra and Jupiter were also sunk. Communication difficulties played a large part in the defeat, and the Japanese invasion continued, only delaying the inevitable by one-day. The cruisers, USS Houston (CA-30), and Australian cruiser, HMAS Perth, would evade being sunk by the Japanese but fate would soon intervene at the Battle of Sunda Strait, February 28-March 1, 1942.
1928
Pilot Cmdr. Theodore G. Ellyson (Naval Aviator No. 1) and crewmembers Lt. Cmdr. Hugo Schmidt and Lt. Roger S. Ransehousen died when their XOL-7 observation amphibian, BuNo A-7335, crashed into the Chesapeake Bay while en route from NAS Hampton Roads, Virginia, to Annapolis, Maryland.
1942
Seaplane tender USS Langley (AV-3), carrying 32 U.S. Army Air Force P-40 aircraft for the defense of Java, is bombed by Japanese naval land attack planes 75 miles south of Tjilatjap, Java. Due to the damage, Langley is shelled and torpedoed by USS Whipple (DD-217).
1942
The Battle of the Java Sea begins, where the 14-ship Allied forces (American, Dutch, British and Australian) attempt to stop the 28-ship Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies colony of Java. The Japanese, during battles over three days, decimates the Allied forces, sinking at least 11 ships, killing more than 3,370 and taking nearly 1,500 prisoners.
1945
Submarine USS Scabbardfish (SS-397) sinks Japanese guardboat No. 6 Kikau Maru, 100 miles northeast of Keelung, Formosa, while USS Blenny (SS-324) attacks a Japanese convoy off French Indochina and sinks merchant tanker Amato Maru off Cape Padaran.
1944
Three U.S. Navy submarines sink three Japanese cargo ships: Grayback (SS-208) sinks Ceylon Maru in the East China Sea; Cod (SS-224) sinks Taisoku Maru west of Halmahera while Trout (SS-202) sinks Aki Maru.
1945
Land-based patrol aircraft from VPB 112, along with others from three British vessels, HMS Labaun and HMS Loch Fada and HMS Wild Goose, sink German submarine U 327 in the English Channel.
1973
First airborne mine sweep in a live minefield takes place in the Haiphong, Vietnam ship channel by helicopters from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Twelve on board USS New Orleans (LPH-11).
2017
The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) is decommissioned after 33 years of service during a ceremony held at Keyport Undersea Museum.