Officers of the USS Houston CA 30 Survivors Association and Next Generations, and descendants of the crew from the World War II cruiser USS HOUSTON (CA 30) spent the day with naval leadership at the Pentagon and the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC). The Houston went down fighting during the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942, with approximately 700 Sailors and Marines on board.
The visitors were: - John Schwarz, Executive Director, USS Houston CA 30 Survivors Association and Next Generations - Sue Kreutzer, President, USS Houston CA-30 Survivors Association and Next Generation - Joel Earl Snyder, Ms. Davidson's father; the son of a Houston survivor - Stacey Davidson, a Military Sealift Command employee who is a Houston survivor's granddaughter As part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2014 exercise in June, U.S. Navy divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) One Company 1-5, along with personnel from the Indonesian navy,
surveyed the wreck during a joint training evolution.
E
arlier this month the Navy released its findings from the interim assessment and is working with Indonesia to preserve and protect the site from further disturbance. While there the joint team
paid their respects to the crew by laying a wreath at the site.
During their visit, they met in the Pentagon with the Director of Navy Staff Vice Adm. Scott Swift. At NHHC headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard they met with the Acting Director Jim Kuhn. They were hosted throughout the tour by Jay Thomas, PhD, NHHC assistant director for Collections Management, and Alexis Catsambis, PhD, the Navy's underwater archaeologist who both supported the joint survey off Indonesia in June and authored the interim assessment report.
In addition to received briefs on the assessment and the opportunity to speak face-to-face with leadership, the guests had a chance to view a
trumpet from USS Houston currently being treated by
NHHC's Underwater Archaeology & Conservation Laboratory.
The crumpled copper and steel instrument with its mother-of-pearl keys and felt stoppers had been removed without authorization from the wreck site but was returned to the United States last year. The trumpet is soaking in a special solution to mitigate the damage on being removed from its salt water grave site.
Afterward, the visitors were taken to the
USS Houston (CA-30) model on display at the
National Museum of the United States Navy located at the WNY. The 1929 vintage 1/48-scale model of the Northampton-class cruiser reflects the
Houston in its original 1920s configuration. It is displayed in a wood and glass case donated by the
USS Houston (CA 30) Survivors and Next Generations Association.
The USS Houston CA-30 Survivors Association and Next Generations group has worked tirelessly to ensure the Navy and the American public recognize the valor, contributions, and ultimately the sacrifice paid by the
Houston crew, in hopes of ensuring the nation never forgets. NHHC is grateful for their commitment to the crew's storied legacy and our Navy heritage. It was both an honor and a privilege to host them today, and we're looking forward to continuing the partnership on this most important matter.