The story of the USS Houston, especially the last month of her valiant career, is one of the great epic tales in the history of the United States Navy. Houston, a Northampton class treaty cruiser, became FDR’s home away from home during the mid to late 1930’s, as she embarked him for several cruises and fleet reviews. Then, as the flagship of the outgunned and undermanned US Asiatic Fleet, she fought against tremendous odds during the early days of the Pacific War and made a heroic last stand during the Battle of Sunda Strait, firing until her ammunition was exhausted, and her guns were knocked out. Houston was the epitome of what a fighting ship should be.
Houston earned several nicknames during her career. She is typical referred to as "The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast" due to her ability to evade the Japanese during the early months of the war and the fact that they reported sinking her several times. She was also referred to by her crew as "The Rambler" due to the extreme range of her travels throughout her career. One could also refer to her as "The Presidential Cruiser", as FDR took 4 cruises aboard her during his presidency (along with several fleet reviews) and expressed a fondness for Houston, as he mentioned to her crew on several occasions.
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Credits (photos):
US National Archives, Navsource, Naval History & Heritage Command
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