Battle in the road of Makassar

Bomb damage on USS Marblehead, two days after the battle
battle in the road of Makassar
conflict	the Second World War, Pacific war
date	4. February 1942
place	road of Makassar / Indonesia
result	Japanese victory
4+ destroyed combat aircraft overview hurt contractor the USA the Netherlands Japan commanders Karel Doorman Truppenstärken of 4 cruisers of 7 destroyers of 37 combat aircraft of losses of 2 damaged cruisers 63 dead ones,
104 - Pacific war

the battle in the road of Makassar was a sea-battle during the Pacific war in the Second World War. A fleet of the allied Australian-British-Netherlands-American command (ABDACOM) under the supreme command of admiral Karel Doorman had the intention of intercepting a Japanese invasion convoy when it was attacked by 37 Japanese fall combat bombers and forced to the retreat.

The assigned allied ABDA squadron consisted of two Netherlands and two American cruisers - the HNLMS De Ruyter (1933) as flagship, the HNLMS Tromp, the USS Houston and the USS Marblehead. The cruisers were escorted by the Netherlands destroyers bank ore , Piet Hein , Van Ghent and the American destroyers Barker , Bulmer , Edwards and Stewart.

At the beginning of the monthly February 1942 these ships in the Makassar road between Borneo and Celebes patroullierten. The attempt, to 2. February a Japanese convoy with Kendari to intercept, failed, since the Japanese had already taken off. To 4. February 1942 they ran out again next to Bunda Roads , in order to seek out a large Japanese invasion fleet, which should run reports according to by the strait. It stood under the supreme command of the countering admiral Takeo Takagi and consisted of three cruisers and 18 destroyers, which escorted troop transport ships for an invasion and other ships.

Around 09:49 clock by the sailors of the ABDACOM in the east Japanese bombers were sighted. The Marblehead was met by two bombs and damaged by a close hit near the nose at the starboard side. 15 sailors, 84 died were hurt. The Houston was likewise heavily damaged, 48 men found death and 20 was hurt (data contradictory for this). De Ruyter suffered easy damage.

Doorman was forced to return to Tjilatjap in order to the damaged cruiser provisional repairs makes to leave. The Japanese invasion fleet took during its Balikpapan .