Combat Narrative
The
Java Sea Campaign
Publication Branch
Office of Naval Intelligence * United States Navy
1943
Contents
 
Page
Preface
ii
Foreword
iii
The Java Sea Campaign
1
Organization and disposition of our fleet
1
Withdrawal from the Philippines
6
Adventure of the
Peary
9
Establishment in the Netherlands East Indies
11
Engagement off Balikpapan, January 23-24
16
Dark Interlude
24
Action of Madoera Strait, February 4
27
The Banka Island Attempt, February 13-14
32
Another move to the south
34
Japanese attack on Darwin, February 19
36
Action in Badoeng Strait, February 19-20
40
Dissolution of the Supreme Command
44
Sinking of the
Langley
and
Pecos
, February 27 and March 1
45
The Battle of Java Sea, February 27:
 
     
Preliminaries
50
     
Contact with the enemy
57
     
Retreat to the south,
Exeter
damaged,
Kortenaer
sunk
61
     
Our column reforms
66
     
Thrust to the north
72
     
Retirement of American destroyers, loss of
Jupiter
74
     
Loss of
De Ruyter
and
Java
75
Aftermath of battle
77
End of the Allied naval command in Java
81
Observations
83
Appendix I: Destroyer Division 58's torpedo attack
85
Appendix II: Contact reports before and during the Battle of Java Sea
87
Charts and Illustrations
Chart: The Netherlands East Indies area
Facing Page
Illustrations: The
Houston
 
The
De Ruyter
Frontispiece
Chart:
Raid in Makassar Strait.
 
Illustrations: Balikpapan.
 
The
Marblehead
18
Chart:
Track of destroyers off Balikpapan.
 
Illustrations: The
Bulmer
.
 
Amboina Island
19
Chart:
Track of
Marblehead
in Madoera Strait.
 
Illustrations: Damage to
Marblehead
by near hit.
 
Fantail of
Marblehead
after bomb hit
28
Chart:
Action of Badoeng Strait.
 
Illustrations: The Island of Bali.
 
Oil tanks at Palembang
29
Chart:
Track of
Ford
and
Pope
in Badoeng Strait.
 
Illustrations: Tandjong Priok, port of Batavia.
 
Tandjong Priok, showing Batavia
42
Chart:
Contacts during Battle of Java Sea.
 
Illustrations: The
Langley
.
 
The
Pecos
43
Chart:
Track of the Battle of Java Sea.
 
Illustrations: The
De Ruyter's
antiaircraft battery.
 
The
Java
56
Chart:
Track of our destroyers through Bali Strait.
 
Illustrations: The
Witte de With
.
 
The floating dock at Tjilatjap
57
DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING BATTLE OF JAVA SEA
Disposition of our striking force and first contacts
58
Situation at time of first Japanese torpedo attack
62
Situation about 1655
63
Loss of the
Kortenaer
1713
66
Our column reforms ahout 1730
67
Counterattack by British destroyers 1740
68
Torpedo attack by American destroyers 1822
71
Sinking of the
Java
and
De Ruyter
77
Torpedo attack by American destroyers
85
Last updated: June 18, 2002
Transcribed and formatted by Jerry Holden for the HyperWar Foundation