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Edward Sloan (The Sloan Ranger), HM1
to remember
Rooks, Albert Harold, CAPT.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Colton, WA
Last Address USS Houston in the Pacific.
Captain Rooks' remains are actually Lost at Sea with the Houston in the Pacific off Indonesia.
Casualty Date Mar 01, 1942
Cause KIA-Body Not Recovered
Reason Torpedoed
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Edens Cemetery - Anacortes, Washington
Wall/Plot Coordinates CENOTAPH
Military Service Number O - 8 625
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
During the Battle of Sunda Strait, the USS Houston (CA-30) was attempting to sail through the narrow strait, when just after midnight on March 1, 1952, she was spotted and surrounded by multiple Japanese warships. Despite intelligence reports that there were no enemy ships in the area, the cruiser found herself in a desperate battle against an entire Japanese battle fleet.
The ship was hit by four torpedoes and close-range gunfire until she rolled over and sank and 1,061 crewmen were lost. CAPT Rooks was listed as missing in action and later declared dead.
Comments/Citation:
In 1944, the destroyer USS Rooks (DD-804) was named in honor of Captain Rooks.
Medal of Honor
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Houston (CA-30)
Citation:
"The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Captain Albert Harold Rooks (NSN: 0-8625), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism, outstanding courage, gallantry in action and distinguished service in the line of his profession, as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. HOUSTON (CA-30), during the period 4 to 27 February 1942, while in action with superior Japanese enemy aerial and surface forces in the Netherlands East Indies.
...
While proceeding to attack an enemy amphibious expedition, as a unit in a mixed force, HOUSTON was heavily attacked by bombers; after evading four attacks, she was heavily hit in a fifth attack, lost 60 killed and had one turret wholly disabled. Captain Rooks made his ship again seaworthy and sailed within three days to escort an important reinforcing convoy from Darwin to Koepang, Timor, NetherlandsEast Indies. While so engaged, another powerful air attack developed which, by HOUSTON'S marked efficiency, was fought off without much damage to the convoy. The commanding general of all forces in the area thereupon canceled the movement and Captain Rooks escorted the convoy back to Darwin.
...
Later, while with a considerable American-British-Dutch force engaged with an overwhelming force of Japanese surface ships, HOUSTON with H.M.S. EXETER carried the brunt of the battle, and her fire alone heavily damaged one and possibly two heavy cruisers. Although heavily damaged in the actions, Captain Rooks succeeded in disengaging his ship when the flag officer commanding broke off the action and got her safely away from the vicinity, whereas one-half of the cruisers were lost."
Description The Battle of the Java Sea was a decisive naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II.
Allied navies suffered a disastrous defeat at the hand of the Imperial Japanese Navy, on 27 February 1942, and in secondary actions over successive days. The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA) Strike Force commander—Rear-Admiral Karel Doorman—was killed. The aftermath of the battle included several smaller actions around Java, including the smaller but also significant Battle of Sunda Strait. These defeats led to Japanese occupation of the entire Netherlands East Indies.
The battle was the largest surface ship engagement since the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
