For a people that claimed to put such store in 'honour' the Japanese frequently demonstrated that they possessed very little of it themselves.

The real tragedy is that so few Japanese officers and NCO's were ever tried for there crimes.

Thank you for listing the names of those murdered - they are not forgotten as long as we remember them. And they shall be remembered.

She was a heroic little ship with a very Mighty crew

Lest we forget. Another piece of history I didn't know. A missing warship. Japanese involvement, ending predictably in atrocity.

Japan has never accounted for, admitted to nor atoned for their atrocities during the Second World War. It reveals a shocking lack of national character.

The Edsall was my grandfather's first command 1926-28. He showed the flag on the Yangsee and brought his ship into Bangkok on a diplomatic mission. He loved the Edsall and likely was devastated. In March 1942, he was Commandant of NAS Bermuda and well-connected into the Office of Naval Intelligence. Nicely presented version of this battle and war crime.

There is a very good book to recommend on the subject: "A Blue Sea of Blood: Deciphering the Mysterious Fate of the USS Edsall"

Thank you Mark for another fascinating piece of history. As a teenager at school in the 70's I had a maths teacher who was once in the RN. He served the majority of his career in HMS Exeter, seeing action on the River Plate and ultimately the Java sea, where he was captured. If time permitted at the end of our maths lessons he would relate to us (a boisterous gathering of adolescent males) his experiences as a WW2 naval officer and POW. Needless to say we were always absorbed in his 5 minute dits. (RIP Mr Wood) Thanks once again Mark, terrific performance

Brave men and her captain Joshua Nix. Never seen again. Her actions saved the USS Whipple.

I'll remember this next time that I bemoan my grandfather's fate on the Perth. Thank you Mark, I'd heard about the Edsall, but not in this detail.

I recall visiting a relative, in the late 1970's, who had been a prisoner of the Japanese. He was so scared by the brutal treatment he would have no products of that nation in his house. I don't know any further details as he could not bring himself to talk to anyone about his time in the east, not even to his wife. He was a kind, gentle and quiet man. God rest his soul.

Work with older gentleman in the 1980s at fish processing facility on Canadian east coast. The day Japanese purchasers came into the plant for caplin fish. He just stood and stared at them, never said a word , went to lunchroom pick up his belongings and never came back. Later found out he was a veteran of the pacific war. I can,t imagine what went through his mind that day.

The Japanese thinking it was a cruiser, and the DD turning to engage against all odds reminds me of the likes of the Johnston and Samuel B Roberts at Samar.

" Ship of Ghosts", by James Hornfischer ; covers the USS Houston and what happened in Java, etc also briefly mentions the USS Edsall as he ran down what happened to each ship that was trying to get out of the area. I highly recommend the book, btw. A handful of survivors of the Houston suvived captivity all the way through the war in POW camps. Thanks for the video on the USS Edsall.

And to think in the same year, two dead Japanese submariners, who attacked Sydney Harbour in a mini sub, were laid to rest with full military honours, with a 21 gun salute and all , by the Australians.

Japanese in WWII were brutal to their prisoners. R.I.P to those on the USS Edsall.

Heartwrenching...RIP brothers. Every Japanese ship involved in the destruction of the Edsall and our allies ships, were destroyed in later Pacific battles.

Not first but here and listening! Rest in peace brave sailors of the USS Edsall.

Imagine the frequency of spouts from Japanese shells appearing all around the American ship - a courageous crew.

What a surprise the Japanese not being very forthcoming

This is one of my favorite war stories. Sure they got her in the end, but she forced the IJN to expend over 1300 large calibre shells, thousands of litres of aviation and ship fuel, and caused consternation and strife up and down the chain of command. Militarily that's a win, though a small one.

Truman made the correct decision.

I hope there is a memorial to these gallant men, and where they fell. Thanks for bringing this to light, Mark

Thank you Mark. My uncle Jack was the XO of the Edsall. Heartbreaking to listen to, but very grateful to you for putting this together.

Amazing. This was a full out, full scale naval gun, ship versus ship, minute to minute, naval battle.

Gallant last stand, with a tragic end.

I don't know how you manage to produce such amazing work Mr Felton. But I am extremely glad you do. Many thank's, again.

My father was part of that fleet..every story was not exciting but very tradgic. And also forgotten.

My Uncle served as a marine in the pacific. In the 50’s he would come over to our house while we were just little kids. He came over without the wife or kids to talk with my dad who thankfully joined too late for WW2. I can still remember them sitting on the front porch drinking a beer or two and talking about the war. While I don’t remember all they said I do remember being terrified by some of the stories they told of the barbarity of Japanese troops. His last campaign was on Iwo Jima where he was thought dead after a bomb went off nearby, put in the makeshift morgue and sneezed as an orderly walked by - saving his life. After what he’d seen he hated the Japanese. After what I heard I certainly understand why.

I'll never understand this Bushido code thing... If it had been Germans they probably would have saluted their prisoners and thrown the officers a dinner. Thankyou for this story Dr. Felton. Bravery or desperation, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

The USS Edsall was avenged at Midway. Nagumo and his carriers were destroyed and the tide of the war in the Pacific turned.

A tactical victory for the Japanese, technically, sinking the ship; but an operational victory for the American vessel. The amount of resources that the IJN fleet poured into the pursuit and firing of one single obsolete destroyer meant that those resources weren't available to do damage elsewhere. Absolutely courageous, the crew of the Edsall, and thank you for listing the names of the men killed by their captors. Too bad the internment camp crew probably escaped justice.

I used to think they did the decapitations as a mark of respect to brave warriors, bushido code. The truth i think is that they were a pack of lousy bastards who enjoyed killing defenseless men. Just like the captured crewmen at Midway, who they pulled from the water, tortured and then murdered. And of course, not 1 of them ever suffered justice. Regardless of the allies sinking all of the ships involved, when they were sunk in return, we didnt pull the survivors out of the water and murder them.

As an old retired U. S. Sailor i want to thank you for this kind of story. You have the ability to make the simplest thing sound so amazing. If someone thinks history is boring. It's because they never had you to listen to.

The _Edsall_ was not an" elderly" ship. She had been in commission for only about 21 years, a not especially long period of time in 1941. The Dutch cruiser _Java_ , for example, had been put in service in 1916. Several of the Dutch destroyers were of nearly the same vintage. Some of the more modern ships ships, like HMS _Exeter_ , mounting the latest radars, and the USS _Houston_ , both commissioned in 1931, were also sunk by the Japanese. The problem in the several battles of the Java Sea was the Japanese were superb night fighters, having intensively trained for it during the interwar years. The Allies just assumed that the Japanese, like themselves, would not engage in night actions but wait until daylight. The night attacks came as a complete shock to the allies, and that's one of the chief reasons why we lost those battles.

It was great to hear a story on a Clemson class destroyer as they are often over looked. My grandfather served on Tin Can 210 the USS Broome; when talking about how old the ship was, he was always very positive. Thank you for sharing.

Grandpa took it out on them on Okinawa.

Fascinating how even to this day I can learn new tid-bits about history. I recently finished a book about the tragic tale of the USS Houston and her crew when they were lost off Java with the Australian cruiser Perth. Had never heard of the USS Edsall's odyssey though. Thank you Dr. Felton. You've shown me you're never too old to be slapped by history.

Now Mark’s first channel has 1mil subs it’s time for this one to hit 1mil subs

When my parents moved house about 35 years ago, their new neighbour employed a gardener who had been a prisoner of the Japanese. He wouldn't buy anything made in Japan. He explained why so many of the camp guards were so brutal. He said that they were the lowest of the low within the Japanese armed forces, those consigned to guarding prisoners were themselves viewed as little better than the 'failed warriors' they were guarding. They were the stupidest, most incompetent, least soldierly misfits and miscreants in the Imperial forces and they took out their frustrations on those within their power, the prisoners. Old John said that a guard just walked up to him one day as he was sitting taking a breather, and casually broke his wrist for no reason. He loathed the Japanese all his life and I cannot blame him. His favourite moment of captivity was when he observed a Japanese soldier sitting on a tree branch, industriously sawing through it. Point was, he was on the 'outer side' of the saw cut. John never said a word, just smiled to himself as the branch gave way and the moron fell twenty feet to the hard ground below. He's gone now of course but I miss his stories.

When I was in college in the 1970s I found an old book at a used book store which detailed the loss of the USS Langley. I looked at the photos and skimmed the story. From what little I read it was apparent the author was very critical of the decision to send the old ship and its weak escort into such dangerous waters. I did not not buy the book, much to my regret now, but I do remember one photo of a sailor manning a Lewis Gun and a derisive description of it being a part of the vessel's air defense armament. My God, we were unprepared for war in 1941 and 42.

Surprised this ship wasn't ordered to join Admiral Karl Doorman's strike force of 2 Dutch Light Crusiers and a handful of Allied destroyers that were destroyed during the Java Sea Battle.

It seems that the Japanese give a whole new meaning to the phrase sore winner.

A sad story, but the sacrifice of these brave servicemen must be remembered!! Thank you Mr. Felton for presenting this video!

In the early seventies my flight instructor who was from the Philippines told me how most nations in the Pacific still hated the Japanese for the horrible atrocities they committed during the war. Then fifty years later, I heard the same from my son staying in Korea. They are truly hated for what they did and how they refuse to admit it.

Memory eternal.

Mark - I reckon the answer to why these sailors were executed lies in that the Japanese lost face as a result of that battles - one of the most important things we Westerners overlook. When a Japanese officer loses face - there absolutely must be consequences - if not he would be unable to carry on. It's something that's hard for us to grasp, but of utmost importance to the Imperial Japanese. I absolutely love these subjects, and I start searching info on related subjects - 8 hours later I try to remember what started it all. Damn, I really love history - maybe not as much as the professors, but it's always been an important part of my life.

Yay!!! I saw your post and hadda stop everything to watch/listen Thank you, Mark!!!

Love the videos Mark, very interesting ! Congrats on reaching 1 million subscribers!

Japanese no honour what so ever.

Well Mark with the end of this War Story I have now listened to all the stories in your current catalogue and they are always enjoyable and enlightening. Your delivery of each story is wonderful and the personal details of the people involved make the stories even more compelling. Thank you

another display of hypocrisy by WWII japanese...claim to value honor yet willingly killed those who couldn't fight back and enjoyed killed those who embarrassed them in battle.

It would have been nice if you could have included the video that the Japanese took of the sinking of the Edsall. As a docent on the battleship Texas and at the National Museum of the Pacific War, I use the example of the Edsall to explain how difficult the gunnery fire control problem can be. Great Episode!!

Tx u for bringing us hidden unheard historical stories...great work..much appreciated...👍🏻👍🏻

First read of this ship in the book Tin Cans by Theodore Roscoe. Was proud that I had known this ONE thing before being told by Professor Felton.

Lest we forget.

Fine ship and brave crew unfortunately you knew from the start it would end in survivors being murdered

As always a great piece of history that Mr. Felton has provided..Excellent content as always!

Oh yes! New Mark Felton! Nice one.

Crew life aboard the "4 Pipers" was abysmal according to my father who knew a few sailors who served aboard them. They were a decent ship for the inter-war period patrolling shallow water regions. I can only imagine how difficult it must've been living aboard one of these on convoy duty in a gale in the north Atlantic. Everything below deck would've been swamped.

Dr. Felton, you should do an episode on why the Japanese were notoriously bad at identifying Allied ships.

My grandfather was a crew member on the Dutch freighter mentioned.(M.S Modjokerto) The graves were rediscovered in 1946 near Kendari 11. I have read the findings from at least 7 mass graves at his location. The Edsall and M.S Modjokerto crew were all found together in two of the graves. 18 in one, 16 in the other. The were several, maybe 10 or so that could not be identified. Fortunately the Edsall crew found had dog tags and all the Modjokerto native crew had name plates. Those without were not identified unfortunately.

This is similar to the fight between AMC (Armed Merchant Cruiser) Jervis Bay and a German heavy cruiser (from memory the Admiral Scheer) or similar. The Jervis Bay, a veteran cargo liner, equipped with old, ex WW1 guns and hopelessly outgunned was defending a convoy against the German ship. Her Captain, Foggerty Fegan RNVR sailed straight into the attack, and kept on attacking until the old ship went down, for which he received a posthumous Victoria Cross. The German captain told his crew that it had been an honour to have met such heroes, and that should the day ever come when they needed to know how to conduct themselves, to remember the men of the Jervis Bay, and do the same.

truly an interesting event...a single destroyer making an entire fleet focus on destroying her.

Good Video!

Thanks for creating the story of this brave crew. My great uncle was a crewman aboard the Edsall so this story is story is dear to my family. My great grandfather sadly died before he ever learned the truth of what happened to the ship and my uncle Ralph.

Excellent as always.

Drop what you're doing! New video!

I didn't know. Thanks for the education Dr. Felton.

Another great lecture. Thank you Dr. Felton.

thank you mark for your amazing videos!

@ 9:26 automatic closed captioning reads: “...a blazing wreck with a final effort the edsel’s bowels were turned towards the rapidly advancing enemy....”

Bing! Dr Felton is calling... Tea Time! ;)

Amazing story Great work mark

Phenomenal story Dr. Felton

Outstanding you never cease to amaze me with you knowledge have a great day everyone.

Thanks for another fantastic video I always looking forward to them . Could you possibly do a video on HMAS Perth and her last stand. Big fan from down Under.

I read a book about this while on a sailing trip. Being at sea made it hit a bit harder. Brave souls. Rest In Peace gentleman. The Dutch East Indies campaign is a rarely told story. Thank you for sharing with such eloquence sir!

Heck yeah more Felton!!

The more I learn about Japanese atrocities in particular, the more I come to the conclusion that all Japanese soldiers suffered from tiny manhood syndrome. I also think that two nukes wasn't enough

Sir, have you already done a video on USS Houston, and or the early battles between the allied and japanese fleets? I feel this particular "front" doesn't receive anywhere near enough attention.

Thanks for the video!

Thank you for this lesson. I learn so much with each Mark Felton video. Two books I enjoyed regarding the USN in WWII..."The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors" and "The Spirit of the Sammie B"

When is Mark going to host a Q and A drinking session with his followers?

I had thought Nagumo was a better man...guess not...still have no qualms about the Atom bombs when I hear of executions by beheading...

INFOATIVE AS EVER THANK ONCE AGAIN CHEERS FROM SCOTLAND .

Enjoyable again as ever Mark

I've got a vid suggestion. The infamous 'Cafe wars' of the French Colonial War. I found an obscure reference which said as many as 5,000 people were killed in it. Its outside of the Anglo - US etc. experience but is quite interesting nonetheless.

Greetings from Finland! It is out independence day and it came to my mind could you do something about our winter or continuation war? I think Finnish history of WW2 has more than enough great stories to tell :)

What an amazing story. Thanks so much.

Thanks for giving me something else to think about mark!

Excellent video. I'd love to see a video on the sinking of the HMAS Sydney and the pervasive conspiracy of Japanese involvement.

USS Edsall was not the only Clemson-class four-stacker to be mistaken for an Omaha-class cruiser to her detriment; USS Peary was sunk during the carrier strike on Darwin after her silhouette drew down a full squadron of dive-bombers.

Wow! Thank you for telling their story.

Thanks Mark, you've done it again, great stories. Congrats on the 1M, well deserved.

No wonder there where few qualms about using the A bomb.

I read a different account of the rescue of the Edsall’s crew, quote from “Rising Sun, Falling Skies” by Jeffrey R. Cox : “The Chikuma closed on the Edsall’s sinking position to recover survivors, but was forced to cut off the attempt by an alleged submarine alert. […] The Japanese did pick up some survivors, at least eight, from the Edsall. […] The survivors picked up by the Chikuma were not treated badly, at least not by the crew of the Chikuma. […] Upon the Chikuma’s arrival at Kendari, the few survivors of the Edsall were turned over to the Special Landing Force and the Tokkeitai, the Imperial Japanese Navy’s military police. After the war, their corpses were recovered in the hinterlands of Celebes off Kendari. They had all been decapitated.” I have done a lot of research on the Imperial Japanese Navy and I don’t think that it was admiral Nagumo’s thing to decapitate soldiers because he was frustrated, he was not this kind of officer, but no surprise from the part of the military police. Overall during the NEI campaign, the Imperial Japanese Navy’s sailors and officers had a good conduct toward POW and pick up a lot of survivors from sunken ship.

Excellent! Thank you.

I'm learning a lot of intricate details about the Pacific theater from these podcasts.