In the chaotic Battle of Sunda Strait, friendly fire sank more Japanese ships than enemies

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On the night of February 28, 1942, two Allied cruisers stumbled into a massive Japanese invasion fleet. What followed was a desperate, doomed night action where the Allied ships were eventually overwhelmed. Amidst the intense darkness and confusion, Japanese forces accidentally destroyed several of their own vessels in the crossfire.

Following their defeat in the Battle of the Java Sea, the Allied cruisers HMAS Perth and USS Houston retreated to Tanjung Priok, Java. On the evening of February 28, 1942, they were ordered to sail through the Sunda Strait toward Tjilatjap. Unbeknownst to them, they were heading directly into a Japanese invasion convoy carrying the Sixteenth Army, protected by a formidable task force including cruisers and destroyers. The Dutch destroyer HNLMS Evertsen followed the cruisers two hours later, unaware of the impending engagement.

The battle began around 23:15 when the Allied ships encountered Japanese patrols. As the cruisers attempted to break through the blockade, they were encircled by Japanese naval forces. The fighting was fierce and chaotic, occurring in the dark of night. During the engagement, the Japanese task force suffered significant friendly fire, resulting in the loss of approximately four transport ships and the minesweeper W-2. One of the sunk transports, Ryujo Maru, carried Lieutenant General Hitoshi Imamura, who was forced to abandon ship before being rescued.

By the early hours of March 1, 1942, all three Allied ships were lost. HMAS Perth and USS Houston were abandoned and sank after sustaining heavy damage from torpedoes and shellfire. HNLMS Evertsen, after being illuminated and fired upon by Japanese destroyers, was grounded on a reef by her captain to prevent capture, eventually exploding after her crew escaped. The human cost was severe: 696 crew members from Houston and 375 from Perth were killed, including their respective captains, Albert H. Rooks and Hector Waller. Survivors were taken as prisoners of war, with many held for three and a half years.

The engagement remains a stark example of the perils of night naval warfare, where identification was difficult and the risk of friendly fire was high. While the Japanese successfully landed their invasion forces, the battle highlighted the intense, often confused nature of the Pacific War's early naval campaigns, where even superior force could lead to self-inflicted losses in the heat of combat.

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