This book concerning the operations of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet in World War II was written principally from official reports contained in the Operational Archives of the U.S. Navy. These were augmented by action reports, pertaining to the battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait, which were generously provided by the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. Three books published by the Naval Institute Press were extremely important in double-checking the accuracy of various segments of this work: United States Destroyer Operations in World War II and United States Submarine Operations in World War II, both by Theodore Roscoe; and Rear Admiral Kemp Tolley’s Cruise of the Lanikai: Incitement to War.
Material researched for my book Ghost of the Java Coast—Saga of the Heavy Cruiser USS Houston, which includes notes from interviews with American, British, Australian, and Dutch naval officers during my three and one-half years as a Japanese prisoner of war, also lent their firsthand ink to the historical pen.
It is noteworthy that the former officers of the wartime Asiatic Fleet whose names are cited in my Acknowledgements generously contributed to the accuracy of this work by making constructive comments about the matters on which they are particularly knowledgeable. In addition, as an officer on board the Asiatic Fleet’s flagship during all of her wartime operations, I gained an intimate understanding of and appreciation for the manifold problems that beset the beleaguered fleet.
Most of the main outlines and detailed accounts contained in this book are readily available to the researcher in the Operational Archives Branch of the U.S. Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. Because many of the sources have been used at various points throughout this book, substantiating reference material is presented in a discursive manner rather than in the standard format. For the sake of convenience and clarity, full citations for both primary and secondary sources have been confined to the bibliography.
I. OPERATIONS
1. PROFILE OF A FLEET
Most of the material upon which this chapter is based is derived from two official reports: Admiral Hart’s “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War, and for 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942” and his “Supplement of Narrative of Events for the United States Asiatic Fleet, 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942.” Other official reports associated with this chapter are: Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell’s “Narrative of Events for 1 December 1941 through March 1942” and “Supplement of Narrative for 1 December 1941 through March 1942,” and Captain Frank B. Wagner’s “Patrol Wing Ten War Diary from 8 December 1941 to 19 March 1942” and “Log and Status of Aircraft, Asiatic Fleet, from 8 December 1941 to 19 March 1942.” The official publication U.S. Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific—The Fall of the Philippines, written by Louis Morton for the chief of military history, augmented Hart’s reports by providing information concerning the status of U.S. Army forces in the Philippines at the beginning of hostilities and the destruction of the U.S. Army Air Corps. Additional source material was found in: Lewis H. Brereton, The Brereton Diaries; Thomas C. Hart, History of the Second World War; Theodore Roscoe, United States Destroyer Operations in World War II and United States Submarine Operations in World War II; and Kemp Tolley, Cruise of the Lanikai and Yangtze Patrol.
An accurate accounting for Japanese ships damaged or sunk is impossible to obtain. Officers throughout the Asiatic Fleet firmly believed that many more Japanese ships were seriously damaged and sunk, during the early months of the war, than the enemy admitted. While searching for the facts, the author found, in the official publication Japanese Major Warship Losses, written in 1946 by the U.S. Technical Mission to Japan, a clue as to why these contentions can never be verified. The introduction to this report states: “The Japanese Naval Ministry probably kept the most meager and inaccurate records of any major Navy Department in the world. The majority of what records were compiled during the war were burned either when the Naval Ministry was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1945, or by order during the period 15–17 August 1945, during which the Japanese Government was reaching the decision to surrender.”
2. CRUISERS
Here again considerable information was obtained from Hart’s “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War,” as well as his “Supplement of Narrative of Events.” Other official reports important to this chapter are: Eccles, “Java Sea Battle, 27 February 1942, and Transcript of Ship’s Log for Period of the Battle”; Glassford, “Narrative of Events in Southwest Pacific, 14 February 1942 to 5 April 1942 to 5 April 1942”; Maher (senior survivor and gunnery officer, USS Houston), “Postwar Reports,” numbers 1 through 5; Parker, “Action between ABDA and Japanese Forces on 27 February 1942”; Robinson, “Engagement of 4 February 1942 with Japanese Aircraft”; Talbot, “Action 23–24 January 1942 against Japanese Forces in Makasar Strait by U.S. Destroyers.” Of particular value, insofar as the battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait are concerned, were the following reports provided the author courtesy of the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy: Gordon, “The Battle of the Java Sea,” dated 1 October 1945; Harper, “Final Action and Loss of HMAS Perth,” dated 1 October 1945; Lowe, “Last Action of His Majesty’s Australian Ship Perth,” dated 5 September 1945; and Waller’s rough report submitted to the commodore commanding the China force at Batavia, Java, concerning the Java Sea battle, 28 February 1942.
3. SUBMARINES
Admiral Hart’s “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War” and his “Supplement” were most important in delineating the command structure of Asiatic Fleet submarines, and in detailing the many problems encountered in their wartime operations. Admiral Hart’s assessment of damage inflicted upon Japanese ships resulted from reports by submarine commanders who had every reason to believe they were right. These reports do not appear to be completely accurate in the face of postwar findings which do not verify all of them. To provide the best possible assessment of submariners’ claims and to augment Admiral Hart’s reports, I consulted the two most historically important books ever published on the subject: Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II, and Blair, Silent Victory. Official reports specifically relating to accounts contained in part II, but useful here to portray at first hand some of the difficult conditions under which Asiatic Fleet submarines were forced to operate are found in: Chapple, “War Patrol Report for Period 8 December 1941 to 27 December 1941”; Hurt, “Statement Concerning the Loss of the USS Perch on 3 March 1942”; and Schacht, “Loss of the USS Perch on 3 March 1942.”
4. DESTROYERS
In addition to Admiral Hart’s report “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War” and his “Supplement of Narrative of Events,” the following books contributed to this chapter: Roscoe, United States Destroyer Operations in World War II; and Tolley, Cruise of the Lanikai. Official reports used extensively in portions of part II, but important in confirming and augmenting information in this chapter derived from other sources are: Glassford, “Narrative of Events in Southwest Pacific, 14 February 1942 to 5 April 1942”; Bermingham, “Engagements with the Enemy” for 28 December 1941; Catlett, “Sinking of the USS Peary”; Talbot, “Action 23–24 January 1942 against Japanese Forces in Makasar Strait by U.S. Destroyers”; Coley, “Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942”; Cooper, “Action of Allied Naval Forces with Japanese Forces off Surabaja, Java, on 27 February 1942”; Parker, “Action between ABDA and Japanese Forces on 27 February 1942” and “Engagement between U.S. Destroyers and Japanese Forces in Bali Strait on 1 March 1942”; Eccles, “Java Sea Battle, 27 February 1942, and Transcript of the Ship’s Log for Period of the Battle”; Maher, “USS Houston in the Battle of the Java Sea, 27 February 1942”; Crouch, “Report Concerning the Sinking of the USS Langley and USS Pecos”; and Blinn, recorded narrative, “Sinking of the USS Pope.” In the same category as the foregoing reports is that of Captain O. L. Gordon, RN, commanding the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, “The Battle of the Java Sea,” dated 1 October 1945, and interviews with him and Lieutenant Commander E. V. St. J. Morgan, RN, commanding the destroyer HMS Encounter, conducted while we were prisoners of war at Zentsuji, Japan, and recorded in my diary.
5. AIRCRAFT
Having been a member of Patrol Wing 10 prior to being transferred to the aviation unit on board the USS Houston in mid-August 1941, I knew everyone in the wing. On several occasions, during the war, I was able to visit with my former associates and learn first hand of their nerve-racking war experiences. I recorded what they related to me in my diary, which also contained my own day-by-day impressions of the war. On 18 February 1942 I gave this diary to an Australian naval officer in Darwin. As I requested, he sent it to my father in New York City. It has been most helpful in writing portions of this book, especially where Patrol Wing 10 is concerned, for no official, in-depth record of its activities exists.
Admiral Hart’s official reports provided some background information, but the following documents were the most useful: Wagner, “Patrol Wing Ten War Diary from 8 December 1941 to 19 March 1942” and “Log and Status of Aircraft, Asiatic Fleet, from 8 December 1941 to 19 March 1942”; Pollock, “Partial List of Combat Patrol Reports for Period December 1941, and February 1942”; Renard (Asiatic Fleet Utility Squadron), “Summary of War Activities”; McConnell, “Operations, Action, and Sinking of the USS Langley, Period from 22 February to 5 March 1942”; Glassford, “Narrative of Events in Southwest Pacific, 14 February 1942 to 5 April 1942” and “Operations, Action, and Sinking of USS Langley (AV-3), Period 22 February to 5 March 1942.”
6. GUNBOATS
The most complete information concerning the river and coastal gunboats of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet was found in the book by Tolley, Yangtze Patrol and the U.S. Navy in China. Additional information concerning the use and ultimate fate of these gunboats appears in Tolley’s Cruise of the Lanikai: Incitement to War and in the following official reports: Hart, “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War”; Rockwell, “Narrative of Events for 1 December 1941 through March 1942”; and, to a lesser degree, Glassford, “Narrative of Events in the Southwest Pacific, 14 February 1942 to 5 April 1942.”
Because there are no official reports concerning the wartime operations and final disposition of Asiatic Fleet minecraft to be found in the Operational Archives Branch of the U.S. Naval Historical Center in Washington, this composite was made from fragmentary information contained in the following sources: Roscoe, United States Destroyer Operations in World War II; Karig and Kelly, Battle Report—Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea; Morison, The Rising Sun in the Pacific; and Tolley, Cruise of the Lanikai. In addition, the following official reports were useful: Bulkeley, “Summary of Operations from 7 December 1941 to 11 April 1942”; Glassford, “Narrative of Events in Southwest Pacific, 14 February 1942 to 5 April 1942”; Hart, “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War, and for 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942”; and Morrill, “Escape from Corregidor.” Last but not least was the personal diary of Lieutenant (jg) Marion H. Buass, for the period from 29 November 1941 to 7 March 1942.
8. TORPEDO BOATS
This account of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 closely follows Lieutenant Bulkeley’s two reports: “Summary of Operations from 7 December 1941 to 11 April 1942” and “Report to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet.” Considerable detailed information was obtained from Bulkeley’s At Close Quarters. Some confirming information was obtained from two additional reports: Hart, “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War, and for 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942”; and Rockwell, “Narrative of Events for 1 December 1941 through March 1942.” The former commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, Rear Admiral John D. Bulkeley, USN (Ret.), personally reviewed the entire account and made pertinent suggestions, which have been incorporated in the text.
II. BATTLE REPORTS
9. THE DOOMED DESTROYER—USS PEARY (DD-226)
This account was written from information contained in the following official reports: Bermingham, “Engagements with the Enemy,” and enclosures A through F, which cover the time frame 10 December to 21 December 1941; and Catlett, “Sinking of the USS Peary.” Additional material about the ship’s bombing in the Cavite Navy Yard was found in Roscoe, United States Destroyer Operations in World War II; and in Rockwell, “Narrative of Events for 1 December 1941 through March 1942.”
10. THE OLD LADY—USS CANOPUS (AS-9)
The most important source was the privately published and distributed monograph by Commander Earl L. Sackett, USN, last commanding officer of the Canopus. Especially helpful was a postwar interview with Rear Admiral Henry W. Goodall, USN (Ret.), who, as a lieutenant commander, was the ship’s executive officer and in command of the “Mickey Mouse Navy.” Additional information about the Canopus and the naval battalion on Bataan was extracted from the following reports: Bridget, “Action at Longoskawayan Point”; and Rockwell, “Narrative of Events for 1 December 1941 through March 1942.” A wartime interview with fellow prisoner of war Lieutenant (jg) George Trudell, USNR, who was wounded during the fighting on Longoskawayan Point, was also useful. Two additional sources were: Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II; and Morton, U.S. Army in World War II: The War in the Pacific—Fall of the Philippines.
11. THE S-38 IN LINGAYEN GULF
Written from information contained in the following: Chapple, “War Patrol Report for Period 8 December 1941 to 27 December 1941”; and Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II. Rear Admiral Wreford G. Chapple, USN (Ret.), who, as a lieutenant, commanded the S-38 in this engagement, reviewed this account and made constructive suggestions.
12. DISASTER AT JOLO
This chapter is based upon the following official reports: Christman, “Dawn Bombing Attack on Jolo, P.I., on 27 December 1941”; Dawley, “Bombing Attack on Jolo, Sulu, on 27 December 1941”; Wagner, “Patrol Wing Ten War Diary from 8 December 1941 to 19 March 1942.” My personal diary was a source for additional material. It contains notes taken by me during a visit with officers of Patrol Wing 10 on 28 January 1942 in Surabaja, Java. Among the naval aviators I talked with were four who survived the Jolo raid: Jack B. Dawley, E. L. Christman, W. V. Gough, and Ira W. Brown.
13. THE LITTLE GIANT-KILLER—USS HERON (AVP-2)
Chapter based upon the official report by Kabler, “Attack by Japanese Aircraft on 31 December 1941.”
14. A FIRST FOR THE NAVY
Chapter based upon the official report by Ralston, “Aerial Combat, and Resulting Experiences.”
15. THE BATTLE OF BALIKPAPAN
Chapter primarily based upon the official report by Talbot, “Action 23–24 January 1942 against Japanese Forces in Makasar Strait by U.S. Destroyers.” koscoe’s United States Destroyer Operations in World War II was also useful. Admiral Hart’s report, “Narrative of Events for the Asiatic Fleet Leading to War, and for 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942,” added nothing definitive.
16. THE MIRACULOUS SURVIVAL OF COMMANDER GOGGINS
The primary source of information for this chapter was the report by Commander Goggins, “Narrative of Events from 25 November 1941 to 13 March 1942.” Important secondary sources were: Robinson, “Engagement of 4 February 1942 with Japanese Aircraft”; and Smellow’s monograph on the wartime activities of the Marblehead.
17. DELAYED REPORT OF A “ROUTINE PATROL”
Chapter based upon the official report by Hargrave, “Aerial Combat and Resultant Experiences.”
18. THROUGH HELL AND HIGH WATER
Chapter based upon the official report by Moorer, “Aerial Combat on 19 February 1942 and Resultant Experiences.”
19. THE HEAVY CRUISER USS HOUSTON (CA-30)
In writing this chapter I have drawn on many sources, all of them related to research for my book, Ghost of the Java Coast—Saga of the Heavy Cruiser USS Houston. The most significant information was obtained from the following reports: Coley, “Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942”; Eccles, “Java Sea Battle, 27 February 1942, and Transcript of Ship’s Log for Period of the Battle”; Goggins, “Narrative of Events from 25 November 1941 to 13 March 1942”; Maher, “Postwar Reports,” numbers 1 through 5; Parker, “Action between ABDA and Japanese Forces on 27 February 1942”; Robinson, “Engagement of 4 February 1942 with Japanese Aircraft”; Sholar, “RNNS De Ruyter’s Final Action”; Gordon, “The Battle of the Java Sea”; Harper, “Final Action and Loss of the HMAS Perth”; Lowe, “Last Action of His Majesty’s Australian Ship Perth”; Waller, rough report concerning “The Java Sea Battle.”
In addition to the foregoing were the discussions I had as a prisoner of war with Australian, British, American, and Dutch naval officers concerning the battles of the Java Sea and Sunda Strait. Important aspects of these battles were entered in my diary, which I kept hidden from the Japanese and took home with me after the war. My other diary, covering events in Southeast Asia from before the war to 12 February 1942, also provided pertinent information. My account of the Houston appeared in 1949 in the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings and the following year in Reader’s Digest.
20. THE CRUEL FATE OF THE DESTROYER USS POPE (DD-225)
Chapter based upon the official report by Blinn in the form of a recorded narrative, “Sinking of the USS Pope.” Additional information was obtained while a prisoner of war from Lieutenant Commander Morgan, RN, commanding officer of the destroyer HMS Encounter. Rear Admiral Welford C. Blinn, USN (Ret.) reviewed this account and offered interesting suggestions, which have been incorporated.
The main report used in writing this chapter is that of McConnell, “Operations, Action, and Sinking of the USS Langley.” Other significant reports are: Crouch, “Report Concerning the Sinking of the USS Langley and USS Pecos”; Glassford, “Narrative of Events in Southwest Pacific, 14 February 1942 to 5 April 1942” and “Operations, Action, and Sinking of USS Langley (AV-3), Period 12 February to 5 March 1942”; Karp, “The Sinking of the USS Langley (AV-3), and USS Pecos (AO-6)”; King, “Letter to Secretary of the Navy Concerning Operations, Action, and Sinking of USS Langley, Period 22 February to 5 March 1942.”
22. LOSS OF THE USS PERCH (SS-176)
Chapter written from the following reports: Hurt, “Statement Concerning the Loss of the USS Perch on 3 March 1942”; Schacht, “Loss of the USS Perch on 3 March 1942”; and Crist, “Statement Concerning the Sinking of the USS Perch.” Information contained in Roscoe, United States Submarine Operations in World War II, was quite helpful.
23. THE EXPENDABLE SHIP USS ISABEL (PY-10)
Two very interesting reports provided the information for this chapter. They were Buass, “Personal Diary, Period 29 November 1941 to 7 March 1942”; and Payne, “Activities of the USS Isabel from 3 December 1941 to 7 March 1942.” Tolley’s book Cruise of the Lanikai was especially enlightening in suggesting the reasons behind the Isabel’s strange orders to patrol off the Indochina coast a few days prior to the outbreak of war with Japan.
24. A REFUSAL TO SURRENDER
Chapter written principally from the report by Morrill, “Escape from Corregidor.” Rear Admiral John Morrill reviewed the entire chapter and made some very helpful suggestions.