1942-02-27
Loss of Langley
South of Java, then off Christmas Island on 1 March 1942
On 27 February 1942, south of Java, Japanese bombers disabled the seaplane tender Langley, the former carrier CV-1. She was abandoned. Edsall and Whipple took the survivors off, and the abandoned tender was sunk so she would not be taken. That sinking is not credited to one ship. On 1 March, off Christmas Island, the two destroyers put the Langley men aboard the oiler Pecos. Japanese aircraft sank Pecos that afternoon. The sinking of Pecos is not credited to one aircraft. Whipple came back after dark and picked up survivors. Edsall had been sent toward Java and was not with her. The number Whipple got aboard is given as 232 and as 220. A submarine contact made her drop depth charges. Accounts say those charges killed men in the water. The senior officers with her agreed she could not stay. The men left behind were not recovered. Whipple was not sunk.
Sunk in this fight
One ship.
A diagram of how this fight went will go here.
