USS Houston (CA-30)

The USS Houston (CA-30) was a Northampton-class heavy cruiser commissioned in 1930 and affectionately nicknamed the “Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast” for her daring actions in World War II. Serving as flagship of the Asiatic Fleet, she fought valiantly against overwhelming Japanese forces during the early months of the Pacific War, including the Battle of the Java Sea. On the night of February 28–March 1, 1942, alongside HMAS Perth, she engaged a much larger Japanese invasion force at the Battle of Sunda Strait. After a fierce fight that saw her expend nearly all her ammunition, Houston was sunk by torpedoes and gunfire, with over 600 of her crew lost. Her sacrifice made her one of the most famous U.S. Navy ships of the war, and her legacy was later honored by the naming of the light cruiser USS Houston (CL-81).