Java Sea
Latter Half of February 1942
1200 Hours. The wind was a Force 4 Easterly at 15 knots. The sky was overcast, and visibility was 24,000 yards. There was no sea haze but there were 4 squalls scattered about with more to come, no doubt. The squalls were heavy and reduced visibility by 6,000 yards into or through them.
RAdm Glassford had all his spotter a/c up. Task Force 5 was deployed in a column with the USN cruiser division (Boise flag, Phoenix, Houston & Marblehead) followed by the RN cruiser division (Mauritius & Exeter). Then came the RN DesDiv 1 (3 E class & a J) and USN DesDivs 57 and 58 (7 Clemson class). Task Force 5 was steaming at 25 knots on a heading of 45 degrees.
Upon contact, Glassford intended to go to quarter line and shield the trailing 4 cruisers and their weak armor with smoke. He intended to fight a long-range gunnery duel until he had weakened the Japanese fire power.
The masthead reported enemy in sight at 1206 hours bearing 4 points off the port bow and heading roughly 60 degrees. Glassford increased speed to 30 knots. Glassford ordered a 2-point turn to port to set up a quarter line approach that would close the range Phoenix began laying smoke as did every cruiser behind her. Glassford ordered his destroyers to flank and to take station on his unengaged flank with a 6,000-yard spacing. The Brooklyn’s opened fire at the lead enemy cruisers. Boise hit Ahigara twice. Phoenix hit Nachi once. Japanese return fire was ineffective. Boise’s first hit caused minor hull damage and the second bounced. Phoenix caused minor hull damage.
1212 hours. Glassford made a 2-point turn to starboard to get into quarter line. The Japanese had increased speed and appeared to have 3 heavy cruisers and a light cruiser as well as about 16 destroyers. The range was down to 21,000 yards. Boise hit Ashigara twice more, Phoenix hit Nachi once. Ashigara missed but Nachi hit Phoenix twice. Ashigara lost her fore turret and suffered more minor hull damage. Phoenix’s hit bounced. Neither of Nachi’s hits caused any damage.
1218 hours. Glassford made a another 2-point turn together to starboard to maintain the range. Nevertheless, it came down a bit but not enough to help the Japanese. Boise missed but Phoenix got a hit. Ashigara hit Boise once and Nachi hit Phoenix twice. Nachi suffered more minor hull damage. None of the Japanese hits caused any damage, the armor was keeping them out.
1224 hours. Glassford made another two-point turn together to starboard. Boise and Phoenix each hit once. Japanese return fire missed. Ashigara lost her second fore turret and Nachi took additional minor hull damage.
1230 hours. The range had come down to 18,000 yards and Maya now opened fire also. Boise hit Nachi twice and Phoenix hit Maya twice. Ashigara and Nachi firing at Boise missed. Maya hit Phoenix thrice. Nachi took more minor hull damage and a bounce. Maya lost her fore turret and a bounce. All of Maya’s hits bounced.
1236 hours. The range remained over 15,000 yards. Boise hit Nachi twice and Phoenix hit Maya once. Ashigara hit Boise twice and Nachi hit her once. Maya hit Phoenix twice. Nachi lost her fore turret and suffered more minor hull damage that reduced her speed. Maya suffered more minor hull damage. All the hits on Boise bounced. Phoenix lost a PS secondary.
1242 hours. The range fell below 15,000 yards and the Allied cruiser line emerged from behind smoke and opened fire. Boise hit Ashigara once. Phoenix hit Nachi twice. Houston hit Maya thrice. Mauritius hit Nagara 4 times. Marblehead and Exeter held fire. Nachi hit Phoenix twice and all other fire from Ashigara, Maya and Nagara missed. Ashigara’s hit bounced. Nachi lost another turret and the second hit bounced. Maya lost two turrets and suffered hull damage. Nagara took a hit to her A/C facilities and a minor fire, she lost her fore gun mount and had a bulkhead damaged.
1248 hours. Takahashi had had enough and turned away under smoke. Nagara failed to repair her bulkhead thrice and between that and the unchecked fire doomed her. Nagara fell behind and the Allied cruisers sank her. Takahashi aborted the invasion of Surabaya.
Force X would sweep the area just before dawn, but the Japanese were long gone back to Davao. RAdm Nishimura would abort the invasion against Dili upon contact saving his combat ships but losing his transports.
