HMAS Perth and USS Houston
IANTD divers visited the wreck sites in 2015 before illegal salvage was undertaken . The HMAS Perth was sunk along with the USS Houston during the battle for Java in 1942, they are unprotected from illegal salvage. IANTD dived the HMAS Perth and USS Houston in 2015. At that stage both vessels were relatively complete . With over a thousand sailors lost on both vessels it is a very sad to see such loss of life. Our plan was to return in 2016 to dive the HMS Exeter and German U boat 168 , however illegal salvage has taken its toll.
The Perth was a modified Leander class Cruiser Originally commissioned as the British ship HMS Amphoion in 1936, she was sold to Australia in 1939. She served actively in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific areas before she was sunk by Japanese forces on March 1, 1942. The Perth was sunk just after midnight alongside the USS Houston after running out of ammunition while trying to break through to Australia. Three hundred and Fifty three of her 681 crew members lost their lives, including Captain Hector Waller. Survivors endured brutal conditions as prisoners of war. On board USS Houston, shells were in short supply in the forward turrets, so the crew manhandled shells from the disabled number three turret to the forward turrets.
The Houston was struck by a torpedo shortly after midnight, and had scored hits on three different destroyers and sank a minesweeper, but she was struck by three more torpedoes in quick succession. Captain Albert Rooks of the Houston was killed by a bursting shell at 00:30, and as the ship came to a stop, Japanese destroyers moved in, machine-gunning the decks and men in the water. A few minutes later, Houston rolled over and sank. There were 1,061 aboard, 368 survived, including 24 of the 74 marine detachment , only to be captured by the Japanese, interned in prison camps, and forced to work on the infamous Death railway. Navy and Marine Corps numbering were taken prisoner, 77 died in captivity from a combination of starvation, treatment at the hands of Japanese soldiers, and diseases.Both the US and Australian Governments did not know the fate of the ships and crew until the cessation of hostilities. Both ships were massive with the USS Houston lying on her port side on a muddy bottom in 20 meters. The HMAS Perth stands upright in 32 Meters.
USS Houston October 1935
Above Indonesian salvage of a WW2 Dutch submarine .It is feared our ship may endure the same fate unless agreement can be made with the Indonesian Government .
The Perth was found in 1968 at a depth of 32 Meters .Portholes and other precious metals have been removed over the years . IANTD travelled to Port of Anyer from where we motored to the sites of the wrecks .Several dives were made on both the Houston and Perth. No wreck penetration was permitted as these sites are war graves. We were fortunate as this was prior to the illegal salvage.