However, in order for the Japanese to seize full control of the Strait of Makassar, they required to capture the Benjarmasin and Makassar cities.

To gain full control of Makassar Strait, the Japanese needed to capture the cities of Makassar and Banjarmasin. Houston was able to continue service with the ABDA fleet. At the end of January, Japanese forces had conquered the north and west coast of Borneo and large parts of Maluku (Moluccas). On Borneo's west coast, Japanese forces occupied the oil facilities and ports of Balikpapan and Tarakan, and on Celebes the cities of Menado and Kendari had also fallen. The other significant inflow path, Lifamatola Passage, transports deeper Pacific water and does not contribute significantly to flow within the thermocline (van Aken et al. The strait extends about 500 miles northeast to southwest to the Java Sea from the Celebes Sea. Seven of the bombers showed special interest in the strike force and started circling above the ships. The ship was re-classified CVU 91 on June 12, 1955, and was disposed of as a target in 1958. On February 1, 1942, the Allied forces got word of Japanese invasion forces at Balikpapan from a reconnaissance plane. An American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) fleet—under Schout-bij-nacht (Rear Admiral) Karel Doorman—was on its way to intercept a Japanese invasion convoy reported as bound for Surabaya, (its destination was actually Makassar) when it was attacked by 36 Mitsubishi G4M1 "Betty" and 24 Mitsubishi G3M2 "Nell" medium bombers, which forced the fleet to retreat. The ABDA force consisted of four cruisers (HNLMS De Ruyter, which was the flagship, Tromp and USS Houston, and Marblehead) escorted by seven destroyers (HNLMS Banckert, Piet Hein, Van Ghent, USS Barker, Bulmer, John D. Edwards, and Stewart).[6]. The first to be targeted was Marblehead, and the bombs landed about 262 ft (80 m) in front of the ship. However, no ships of the latter class were present during the attack, and only Marblehead and Houston were damaged. Borneo’s Mahakam River empties its waters into the strait. The battle occurred on 4 February 1942 in the Java Sea, closer to the Kangean Islands than to Makassar Strait. The war went on for five days and the Allies were not able to stop the Japanese from landing in Balikpapan. To gain full control of Makassar Strait, the Japanese needed to capture the cities of Makassar and Banjarmasin. Which Countries Are Separated By The Strait Of Gibraltar? Japanese aircrews reported three cruisers sunk during the attack: one "Augusta class cruiser", one Tromp-class cruiser type and one Java-class cruiser. Coordinates: 7°30′S 115°30′E / 7.500°S 115.500°E / -7.500; 115.500, "The capture of Balikpapan, January 1942", "The capture of Tarakan Island, January 1942", "Vice-Admiral Conrad Emil Lambert Helfrich", "Order of Battle Battle of Makassar Strait 4 February 1942", "Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942", Order of Battle – Battle of Makassar Strait 1942, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Makassar_Strait&oldid=957143583, South West Pacific theatre of World War II, Naval battles of World War II involving the Netherlands, Naval battles of World War II involving Japan, Naval battles of World War II involving the United States, Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, Articles with Dutch-language sources (nl), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 May 2020, at 07:53. The Strait of Makassar is a deep waterway lying between a large number of islands, including Sebuku and Laut Islands. At about midnight, the ships sailed for Meinderts Droogte (Meinderts Reef; later Karang Mas), off the north east tip of Java.

The rear guns were rendered useless. The two direct hits penetrated the deck, killed 15 crew directly and destroyed the ship's ability to manoeuver; Marblehead was now able only to sail in circles. This article was most recently revised and updated by, Naval History and Heritage Command - Makassar Strait. On 2 February, Admiral Thomas C. Hart, Vice-Admiraal (Vice Admiral) Conrad Helfrich, Rear Admiral William A. Glassford and (Commodore) John Collins, RAN met at Palembang; Helfrich's suggestion that a strike force be formed was approved. Balikpapan Island is Borneo’s primary settlement along the strait, while Makassar Island, also known as Ujungpandang, is the largest found along the strait in Celebes. The Japanese planes where flying in four "v"-formations at an altitude of about 16,404 ft (5,000 m). At Tjilatjap, Houston and Marblehead transferred their wounded to a hospital and buried their dead. On the morning of 3 February, the ABDA strike force was spotted by a squadron of about 30 Japanese bombers reported as heading toward Surabaya. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Balikpapan is the principal settlement along the strait on Borneo, and Makassar (Ujungpandang) is the largest on Celebes. The strait of Makassar is about 80 to 230 miles wide. On 1 February, Allied commanders received word from a reconnaissance plane: at Balikpapan, a Japanese invasion force—consisting of 20 troop transport ships, three cruisers and 10 destroyers—was preparing to sail. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Are There Any Differences Between An Ocean Channel And A Strait? It is a deep waterway containing numerous islands, the largest of which are Laut Island and Sebuku. The strait’s limits are defined by the IHO as the channel between the West Coast of Sulawesi, formerly known as Celebes, and the East Coast of Borneo. The Strait of Makassar is defined by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) as among the East Indian Archipelago waters. USS MAKASSAR STRAIT was the 37 th CASABLANCA - class escort aircraft carrier. It is specifically located between the Borneo and Sulawesi islands in Indonesia. The Battle of Makassar Strait, also known as the Action of Madura Strait, the Action North of Lombok Strait and the Battle of the Flores Sea, was a naval battle of the Pacific theater of World War II. Makassar Strait: IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization. Decommissioned on August 9, 1946, the MAKASSAR STRAIT was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Tacoma. The Strait of Makassar was the battleground in 1942 when the Japanese naval expedition fought the combined forces of the US and the Dutch military forces.

At the end of January, Japanese forces had conquered the north and west coast of Borneo and large parts of Maluku (Moluccas). On the morning of 4 February, the ABDA strike force headed out for Makassar Strait, in search of the Japanese invasion force, which was reported to be passing through the straits and was now said to include three cruisers and 18 destroyers, escorting transports and other ships, under Sho-sho (Rear Admiral) Takeo Takagi. Extending 500 miles (800 km) northeast–southwest from the Celebes Sea to the Java Sea , the strait passes between Borneo on the west and Celebes on the east and is 80 to 230 miles (130 to 370 km) wide. By Benjamin Elisha Sawe on December 21 2017 in World Facts.

De Ruyter and the three Dutch destroyers also stayed with Marblehead until the Lombok Strait.

However, subsequent attacks on Marblehead were less intense. Makassar Strait, also spelled Macassar Strait, Indonesian Selat Makassar, narrow passage of the west-central Pacific Ocean, Indonesia. Therefore, the Makassar Strait is an appropriate location for measuring the temporal and spatial characteristics of the Pacific inflow that composes the ITF. 2009). With Composite Squadron 97 embarked, Makassar Strait departed Pearl Harbor 29 January 1945 and steamed via Eniwetok for combat duty in the western Pacific. The aftermath of this battle between the US and Dutch Allied commanders against the Japanese resulted in the strike force’s retreat and the Japanese seizing control of the Strait of Makassar thus stiffening their hold on the western region of the Dutch East Indies.

In five days of fighting, the Allies were unable to prevent a Japanese landing at Balikpapan, the first step taken in the occupation of Dutch Borneo.

At 09:30, the strike force received word that air patrols from Makassar had spotted the Japanese apparently heading for Surabaya. English: Macassar Strait : Indonesian: Selat Makasar : English: Makasar Strait

On the east coast of Borneo, the forces had occupied the ports and oil facilities of Tarakan and Balikpapan, while on the side of Celebes they had occupied the Kendari and Menado cities. Both U.S. cruisers headed for Tjilatjap, to get repairs and medical attention for their wounded. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.

Get kids back-to-school ready with Expedition: Learn! At about 13:00, Doorman ordered his ships to return west and signalled Hart that—without fighter protection—it would not be possible to advance to Makassar Strait, due to the threat from bombers. At 09:49, while Doorman's strike force was south of the Kangean Islands, Japanese bombers were sighted to the east by sailors on the ABDA ships.

Balikpapan Island is Borneo’s primary settlement along the strait, while Makassar Island, also known as Ujungpandang, is the largest found along the strait in Celebes. The Strait of Makassar, also known as Indonesian Selat Makassar or Macassar Strait, is a narrow passage found on the west-central Pacific Ocean in Indonesia. During a second attack, Marblehead sustained two direct hits and a damaging near miss. It is limited to the north by a line connecting Tanjong Mangkalihat in Borneo and the Cape Rivers, also known as Stroomen Kaap, in Celebes. Samarinda City, which is situated along the Mahakam River, is located about 30 miles from the strait. Continuing the south-east expansion, the Japanese sailed with an invasion convoy to capture the cities of Makassar and Banjarmasin to control the Makassar Strait. Extending 500 miles (800 km) northeast–southwest from the Celebes Sea to the Java Sea, the strait passes between Borneo on the west and Celebes on the east and is 80 to 230 miles (130 to 370 km) wide. The Battle of Makassar Strait was a naval warfare of the Second World War of the Pacific realm, and it is known by other different names such as the Battle of the Flores Sea, or the Action of Madura Strait, among other names. The last ship arrived around 05:00 on 4 February. The near miss also caused a hole 3 m × 1 m (9.8 ft × 3.3 ft), near the bottom of the ship.