At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. One sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

With no aerial support, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse − the pride of the British Royal Navy − were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. One sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

With no aerial support, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse − the pride of the British Royal Navy − were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

While the shipwreck of the USS Houston remains largely intact, there is conclusive evidence of destruction to the grave site. Between 638 and 650 sailors either went down with the ship or died in the water nearby in one of the single worst loss of lives for the US Navy during the war.

At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. One sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

With no aerial support, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse − the pride of the British Royal Navy − were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

These British and Dutch ships all sank within five days of each other during the Battle of the Java Sea, which led to the Japanese occupation of the present day Indonesia. All shipwrecks have either vanished from the seabed or have been damaged.

While the shipwreck of the USS Houston remains largely intact, there is conclusive evidence of destruction to the grave site. Between 638 and 650 sailors either went down with the ship or died in the water nearby in one of the single worst loss of lives for the US Navy during the war.

At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. One sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

With no aerial support, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse − the pride of the British Royal Navy − were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

These British and Dutch ships all sank within five days of each other during the Battle of the Java Sea, which led to the Japanese occupation of the entire Dutch East Indies, present day Indonesia. All shipwrecks have either vanished from the seabed or have been damaged.

While the shipwreck of the USS Houston remains largely intact, there is conclusive evidence of destruction to the grave site. Between 638 and 650 sailors either went down with the ship or died in the water nearby in one of the single worst loss of lives for the US Navy during the war.

At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. Only one sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

With no aerial support, these two ships — the pride of the British Royal Navy — were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

These British and Dutch ships all sank within five days of each other during the Battle of the Java Sea, which led to the Japanese occupation of the entire Dutch East Indies, present day Indonesia. All shipwrecks have either vanished from the seabed or have been damaged.

While the shipwreck of the USS Houston remains largely intact, there is conclusive evidence of destruction to the grave site. Between 638 and 650 sailors either went down with the ship or died in the water nearby in one of the single worst loss of lives for the US Navy during the war.

At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. One sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

With no aerial support, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse — the pride of the British Royal Navy — were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

These British and Dutch ships all sank within five days of each other during the Battle of the Java Sea, which led to the Japanese occupation of the entire Dutch East Indies, present day Indonesia. All shipwrecks have either vanished from the seabed or have been damaged.

While the shipwreck of the USS Houston remains largely intact, there is conclusive evidence of destruction to the grave site. Between 638 and 650 sailors either went down with the ship or died in the water nearby in one of the single worst loss of lives for the US Navy during the war.

At least 100 sailors died when this British Royal Navy destroyer hit a mine and sank during the five-day Battle of the Java Sea, a disastrous defeat for Dutch, British, American and Australian allies by Japanese forces in 1942.

Attacked by dozens of dive bombers at the end of the Battle of the Java Sea, the crew of this American destroyer made a lucky escape overboard and tried to sink their own ship. One sailor died and is believed to be entombed on the seabed. The remaining 151 men were taken as prisoners of war. Of those, 27 died in Japanese camps.

With no aerial support, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse — the pride of the British Royal Navy — were battered by a Japanese aerial armada of more than 80 planes, with the loss of 840 men. Many were trapped in ship compartments or drowned in the oil-filled waters in what was called Britain’s “Pearl Harbour”. In 2014, the wrecks were found to have been damaged by scavengers.

These three Japanese cargo transporters were torpedoed on the same day during the 1944 Pacific War by US forces. 128 sailors went down with them. Now salvaged for metal, they were known as the Usukan wrecks, and their near-pristine state and rich coral and marine life had attracted recreational divers to Malaysia.

These British and Dutch ships all sank within five days of each other during the Battle of the Java Sea, which led to the Japanese occupation of the entire Dutch East Indies, present day Indonesia. All shipwrecks have either vanished from the seabed or have been damaged.

While the shipwreck of the USS Houston remains largely intact, there is conclusive evidence of destruction to the grave site. Between 638 and 650 sailors either went down with the ship or died in the water nearby in one of the single worst loss of lives for the US Navy during the war.