Houston at Tjilatjap, Java, 6 February 1942, seen from USS Marblehead (CL-12), which was passing close aboard. Houston's colors are half-masted pending return of her funeral party, ashore for burial of men lost when a bomb hit near her after eight-inch gun turret two days earlier during a Japanese air attack in Banka Strait. The disabled turret is visible in the center of the view, being trained to port. by Kemp Tolley, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired) By late January 1942, Surabaya, Java, was the last remaining Far East Allied base of any real importance. As is usually the case, those of us there in the junior ranks knew no more of the actual state of affairs than one's own eyeballs assessed. The high command was not much better off. Japanese planes controlled the air. P-36s, P-40s and Brewster Buffaloes had no chance against the superb Zeros. Where were they coming from? Admiral Nagumo's powerful carrier force—the one that had hit Pearl? Where would the next landing...