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Guardians of Sunda StraitPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates those who served and those who died on the H.M.A.S. Perth and U.S.S. Houston while defending the Sunda Strait against the Japanese naval force during World War Two.
The Battle of Sunda Strait was a naval battle which occurred during World War Two in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java, and Sumatra.
On the night of 28 February – 1 March 1942, the Australian light cruiser H.M.A.S. Perth and the American heavy cruiser U.S.S. Houston faced a major Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) task force. After a fierce battle of several hours duration, both Allied ships were sunk. Five Japanese ships were sunk, three of them by friendly fire. 696 men on board the Houston were killed, while 368 others were saved. Perth lost 375 men, with 307 others saved.
Location
| Address: | 2 Murray Street, Australian National Maritime Museum , Darling Harbour, 2000 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.869478 Long: 151.198895 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 28-February-1942 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 01-March-1942 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Tuesday 28th February, 2017 |
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Guardians of Sunda Strait
On the night of 28 February and 1 March 1942, the Australian cruiser HMAS Perth and the American cruiser USS Houston fought for their lives in Sunda Strait , a narrow sea passage between the islands of Java and Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).
Against overwhelming odds, outnumbered and outgunned by a large advancing Japanese naval force, their crews fought bravely and defiantly but lost the battle. Both ships sank and 1071 Perth and Houston sailors died in that dreadful night in the Battle of Sunda Strait.
USA Bicentennial Gift Fund Dedicated 28 February 2017
