US Naval Forces

Destroyer Division 58
    Cdr. T.H. Binford
DD John D. Ford DD-228 (F)
DD Paul Jones DD-230
DD John D. Edwards DD-216
DD Alden DD-221

Imperial Japanese Naval Forces (IJN)

Destroyer Division 21
    Capt. Shimizu Toshio
DD Hatsuharu (F)
DD Nenohi
DD Wakaba
DD Hatsushimo
 

The US destroyers were fleeing to Australia following the Java Sea Battles.  While passing through Bali Strait, they met up with Japanese DesDiv 21.  During seven minutes of firing at about 6,000 yards (5,500 m), neither side was able to score anything other than far misses, which the Capt. of USS John D. Edwards attributed to fatigue on both sides.  During seven minutes of firing, John D. Edwards expended 240 rounds of 4in (10.2 cm).

DD Edsall DD-219 (sunk)
    Lt. Joshua Nix

AO Pecos AO-6 (sunk)
DD Whipple DD-217

AV Langely AV-3 (sunk)

Imperial Japanese Naval Forces (IJN)
    Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi

Battleship Divsion 3 (Sentai 3)
BB Hiei (F)
BB Kirishima

Cruiser Division 8 (Sentai 8)
CA Chikuma
CA Tone

Note

Langely was being used as an aircraft ferry, taking a cargo of 32 P-40 fighters to Java when she was attacked and sunk about by about nine land-based bombers on 27 February 1942.  Edsall and Whipple rescued 117 survivors, most of which were transferred over to the oiler Pecos.  However, Rear Admiral Glassford, USN, ordered Edsall to take 32 Army pilots and mechanics to Tjilatjap.  Accordingly, Edsall sailed north for Java while Pecos with about 700 men headed south for Australia and Whipple turned west towards the Cocos Islands.

Four squadrons of Type 99 dive bombers attacked Pecos on 1 March over a period of five hours, sinking her about 240 miles south of Christmas Island.  Only 233 survivors were rescued by Whipple, which made it to safety in Australia.

Edsall sailed into oblivion and nothing was heard of her until long after the war.  She had the misfortune to pass less than 30 miles from Adm. Nagumo's carrier force, and was set upon by bombers, battleships and heavy cruisers.  In a running action lasting about 90 minutes, Edsall was overwhelmed by bombs and shells ranging from 5in (12.7 cm) up to 14in (35.6 cm).  The Japanese battleships fired a total of 297 14in (35.6 cm) and 132 6in (15.2 cm) rounds during the battle with the cruisers adding an additional 844 8in (20.3 cm) and 62 5in (12.7 cm) rounds.  Of these, only one 14in (35.6 cm) hit Edsall while she was underway, but she was hit several times by bombs, setting her on fire and bringing her to a standstill, after which the Japanese ships closed in and and sank her.  Roughly 40 Edsall crewmembers were rescued, but most of these were apparently beheaded at a POW camp near Kendari shortly after being brought ashore.  None of the crew survived the war.

DD Stronghold (H.50) (sunk)
    Lt.Cdr. Giles Robert Pretor-Pinney, RN (retired)

Imperial Japanese Naval Forces (IJN)

CA Maya (F)

DD Arashi
DD Nowaki

Note

Spotted by Japanese aircraft about 300 miles south of Bali, Stronghold was found by a Japanese cruiser/destroyer force at 1743 hours.  Maya fired 635 8in (20.3 cm) rounds, Arashi 290 5in (12.7 cm) and Nowaki 345 5in (12.7 cm) rounds in sinking the British destroyer.  About fifty survivors were picked up by the small Dutch merchant Bintoehan which later transferred them to Maya.

DD Pillsbury DD-227 (sunk)
    Lt. Cmdr. H.C. Pound

Imperial Japanese Naval Forces (IJN)
    Vice Admiral Kondo Nobutake

Cruiser Division 4 (Sentai 4)
CA Atago (F)
CA Takao

Note

Searching for a "Marblehead-class cruiser," the Japanese came across Pillsbury sailing alone at 2036 hours, some 550 miles southeast of Tjilatjap.  The Japanese closed to about 6,000 yards (5,500 m) before opening fire at 2055 hours.  In seven minutes, Atago fired 54 and Takao 112 8in (20.3 cm) rounds at the old destroyer.  Pillsbury sank quickly, leaving no survivors from her crew of 149.

PG Asheville PG-21 (sunk)
    Lt. Jacob W. Britt

Imperial Japanese Naval Forces (IJN)
    Capt. Aruga Kosaku

Destroyer Division 4
DD Arashi
DD Nowaki

Note

Asheville was an old China Station gunboat that was trying to get to Australia.  At about 160 miles southwest of Bali, she ran into Japanese destroyers which opened fire from 9,200 yards (8,400 m) and sank her after about 30 minutes.  The Japanese rescued one crewman, but he did not survive the war.

The Imperial Japanese Navy by Paul S. Dull
The US Navy Against the Axis:  Surface Combat 1941-1945 by Vincent P. O'Hara