Editing United States Asiatic Fleet (section)

==World War II==
On 25 July 1939,<ref>{{cite book|last=Leutze|first=James|title=A Different Kind of Victory: A Biography of Admiral Thomas C. Hart|year=1981|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, MD|isbn=0-87021-056-4|pages=146–147}}</ref> [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] [[Thomas C. Hart]] was appointed the commander-in-chief of the fleet. It was based at [[Cavite Naval Base]] and [[Olongapo Naval Station]] on [[Luzon]], with its headquarters at the [[Marsman Building]] in [[Manila]]. On 22 July 1941, the [[Mariveles Naval Section Base|Mariveles Naval Base]] was completed and the Asiatic Fleet began to use it as well.

Hart had permission to withdraw to the [[Indian Ocean]], in the event of war with [[Japan]], at his discretion.

Hart's [[submarine]]s, commanded by Commander, Submarines, Asiatic Fleet (<small>[[ComSubAF|COMSUBAF]]</small>) [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[John E. Wilkes]] were six elderly [[United States S-class submarine|S-class]] submarines (plus [[submarine tender]] {{USS|Canopus|AS-9|2}})<ref>Blair, ''Silent Victory'' (Bantam, 1976), p.77.</ref> and seven [[United States Porpoise-class submarine|''Porpoise'']]s ( [[Submarine Squadron 5]]).<ref name="Blair, p.77">Blair, p.77.</ref> In October 1941, 12 ''Salmon''s or ''Sargo''s—in Captain [[Stuart S. Murray|Stuart "Sunshine" Murray]]'s Submarine Division 15 and Captain [[Joseph A. Connolly]]'s Submarine Division 16, accompanied by the [[Submarine tender|tender]] {{USS|Holland|AS-3|2}}, were added. [[Walter E. Doyle|Walter E. "Red" Doyle]] was assigned as Wilkes' relief.<ref name="Blair, p.82">Blair, p.82.</ref> Hart's defensive plan relied heavily on his submarines, which were believed to be "the most lethal arm of the insignificant Asiatic Fleet",<ref name="Blair, p.77"/> to interdict the Japanese and whittle down their forces prior to a landing, and to disrupt attempts at reinforcing after the landings took place.<ref>Roscoe, Theodore, ''United States Submarine Operations in World War II'' (Annapolis, 1949), pp. 23-24.</ref> When war began, Doyle's inexperience in Asian waters meant Wilkes remained ''de facto'' <small>COMSUBAF</small>.<ref name="Blair, p.82"/>

Problems were encountered almost from the beginning. No defensive minefields were laid.<ref name="Blair, pp.156-160">Blair, pp. 156-160.</ref> Ineffective and unrealistic peacetime training, inadequate (or nonexistent) defensive plans, poor deployments, and defective torpedoes combined to make submarine operations in defense of the Philippines a foregone conclusion.<ref name="Blair, pp.156-160"/> No boats were placed in [[Lingayen Gulf]], widely expected to be where the Japanese would land;<ref name="Blair, p.158">Blair, p. 158.</ref> in the event, several S boats, aggressively handled, scored successes there.<ref>Blair, pp. 127-156</ref> Nor were any boats off ports of Japanese-held [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Taiwan]], despite more than a week's warning of impending hostilities.<ref name="Blair, p.158"/> Successes were few in the early days of the war.<ref>Stern, Robert C., ''U.S. Subs in Action'' (<!--place?--> Squadron/Signal Publications, 1979), p. 5.</ref>

===Chinese detachment===
From 1901 to 1937, the United States maintained a strong military presence in China, to protect  trade interests in the Far East, and to pursue a permanent alliance with the Chinese Republic, after long diplomatic difficulties with the Chinese Empire. The relationship between the U.S. and China was mostly on-again off-again, with periods of both cordial diplomatic relations accompanied by times of severed relations and violent anti-United States protests. China's central government was relatively weak in comparison to the local influence of regional warlords. Armed renegade soldiers and boatmen prowled the Yangtze River ready to seize any vessel unable to defend itself.<ref name=tsw>{{cite journal |last=Wylly |first=Thomas S. |year=1986 |title=The Pearl of the Orient |journal=Proceedings |volume=112 |issue=2 |pages=138&139 |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute]] }}</ref>

The cooks, bakers, stewards, and [[mess]] attendants were exclusively Chinese aboard all gunboats and cruisers in Chinese waters. These men did not wear naval uniforms, but wore traditional Chinese civilian attire. They wore black satin slippers and a [[Beanie (seamed cap)|skullcap]] with a decorative button on top. The remainder of their clothing was made of white satin, consisting of long, rather loose pantaloons tied around the ankles and a short jacket fastened in front with [[Frog (fastening)|frogs]]. Not considered part of the ships' crew were the Chinese girls who lived aboard sampans tied to the stern of each gunboat while moored at Shanghai. These sampans would shuttle members of the gunboat crew ashore upon request. The girls also painted the gunboat and polished [[brightwork]] in exchange for the ship's [[garbage]].<ref name=tsw/>

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Asiatic Fleet was based from China, and the image of the "China Sailor" developed, as many U.S. Navy members remained at postings in China for 10–12&nbsp;years,  then retired and continued to live there. The classic film ''[[The Sand Pebbles (film)|The Sand Pebbles]]'' is a dramatization on the life of the China Sailors.

The U.S. military also created several awards and decorations to recognize those personnel who had performed duty in China. The [[China Service Medal]] and [[Yangtze Service Medal]] were all military medals which could be presented to those who had performed duty in China.

With the approach of [[World War II]], the U.S. military in China was slowly withdrawn to protect other U.S. interests in the Pacific. With the rise of Communist China, there was no further U.S. military presence in mainland China, a status which continues to this day.

Early in November 1941, the [[United States Department of the Navy|Navy Department]] ordered Hart to withdraw the fleet's [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] and gunboats stationed in China. Five of the gunboats were moved to Manila; {{USS|Wake|PG-43|2}} was left with a skeleton crew as a radio base and was seized by the Japanese on 8 December; and {{USS|Tutuila|PG-44|2}} was transferred to the Republic of China Navy under [[Lend-Lease]].

The majority of the [[US 4th Marine Regiment|4th Marine Regiment]] was stationed at Shanghai, and other detachments were at [[Beijing]] (Peking) and [[Tianjin]] (Tientsin). These troops were loaded onto two passenger liners, {{SS|President Madison|1921|2}} and {{SS|President Harrison|1921|2}}, on 27–28 November (at either Shanghai or Qinghuangdao) and arrived in the Philippines on 30 November-1 December.

''President Harrison'' returned to Qinghuangdao for the remaining Marines, but was captured by the Japanese on 7 December. Those Marines who had reached the Philippines were tasked with defending the naval stations, particularly [[Mariveles Naval Section Base|Mariveles Naval Base]].

===Minefields===

Manila Bay and [[Subic Bay]] had [[Submarine mines in United States harbor defense|Army-operated minefields]] as well as [[naval mine]]s. The Army minefields were operated by the [[United States Army Coast Artillery Corps|Coast Artillery]]'s [[Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays]]. These minefields were designed to stop all vessels except [[submarine]]s and shallow-draft surface craft. In Manila Bay, two controlled minefields were placed, one between Corregidor and [[La Monja Island]]s, and the other between Corregidor Island and the [[Bataan]] Peninsula east of [[Mariveles, Bataan#Geography|Mariveles Bay]], both operated from Corregidor. Also, in mid-1941 US Navy minefields of contact mines were laid between Mariveles Bay and La Monja Island, and between Corregidor and [[Fort Frank|Carabao Islands]].<ref>Lewis, pp. 83-89</ref><ref>[http://www.northamericanforts.com/West/pi.html Forts in the Philippines at American Forts Network]</ref> The Subic Bay minefield was laid in July 1941 and operated from [[Fort Wint]], with the controlled Army mines in the ship channel, and naval mines to the sides of the channel.<ref name=BogartSubicp2>[http://corregidor.org/chs_bogart/bogart1b.htm Bogart, Charles M., ''Subic Bay and Fort Wint: Keys to Manila'', p. 2 at Corregidor.org]</ref>

===Vessels of the Asiatic Fleet and the 16th Naval District: 8 December 1941===
The Asiatic Fleet and the [[16th Naval District]] possessed:<ref>{{cite web|first =David X.|last=Wright|title=United States Asiatic Fleet Order of Battle, December 1941 |url=http://www.asiaticfleet.com/orbat.htm|website= The United States Asiatic Fleet|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref>

(Losses noted below were during the [[Philippines campaign (1941-42)]] and the [[Dutch East Indies campaign]])

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
*1 [[heavy cruiser]]
**{{USS|Houston|CA-30|2}} (lost 1 March 1942)
*1 [[light cruiser]]
**{{USS|Marblehead|CL-12|2}} (heavily damaged 2 February 1942)
*13 {{sclass|Clemson|destroyer}}s:
**{{USS|Paul Jones|DD-230|2}}
**{{USS|John D. Edwards|DD-216|2}}
**{{USS|Alden|DD-211|2}}
**{{USS|Whipple|DD-217|2}}
**{{USS|Edsall|DD-219|2}} (lost 1 March 1942)
**{{USS|Stewart|DD-224|2}} (lost 2 March 1942)
**{{USS|Barker|DD-213|2}}
**{{USS|Parrott|DD-218|2}}
**{{USS|Bulmer|DD-222|2}}
**{{USS|John D. Ford|DD-228|2}}
**{{USS|Pope|DD-225|2}} (lost 1 March 1942)
**{{USS|Peary|DD-226|2}} (lost 19 February 1942)
**{{USS|Pillsbury|DD-227|2}} (lost 2 March 1942)
*1 [[destroyer tender]]
**{{USS|Black Hawk|AD-9|2}}
*2 [[gunboat|coastal gunboat]]s:
**{{USS|Asheville|PG-21|2}} (lost 3 March 1942)
**{{USS|Tulsa|PG-22|2}}
*5 [[river gunboat]]s:
**{{USS|Oahu|PR-6|2}} (lost 5 May 1942)
**{{USS|Luzon|PR-7|2}} (lost 6 May 1942)
**{{USS|Mindanao|PR-8|2}} (lost 2 May 1942)
**{{USS|Tutuila|PR-4|2}}
**{{USS|Wake|PR-3|2}} (captured 8 December 1941)
*4 patrol [[yacht]]s 
**{{USS|Isabel|PY-10|2}}
**''[[Maryann (yacht)|Maryann]]'' (lost 5 May 1942)
**''[[Fisheries II]]'' (lost 5 May 1942)
**''Perry''<ref name=Williams>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5jZbDwAAQBAJ&q=tug+ranger&pg=PR58|first=Greg H. |last=Williams|title=The Last Days of the United States Asiatic Fleet: The Fates of the Ships and Those Aboard, December 8, 1941-February 5, 1942|pages=50 |publisher= McFarland|date=11 May 2018|isbn=9781476672489}}</ref>
*29 [[submarine]]s:
**{{USS|Porpoise|SS-172|2}}
**{{USS|Pike|SS-173|2}}
**{{USS|Shark|SS-174|2}} (lost 11 February 1942)
**{{USS|Tarpon|SS-175|2}}
**{{USS|Perch|SS-176|2}} (lost 3 March 1942)
**{{USS|Pickerel|SS-177|2}}
**{{USS|Permit|SS-178|2}}
**{{USS|Salmon|SS-182|2}}
**{{USS|Seal|SS-183|2}}
**{{USS|Skipjack|SS-184|2}}
**{{USS|Sargo|SS-188|2}}
**{{USS|Saury|SS-189|2}}
**{{USS|Spearfish|SS-190|2}}
**{{USS|Snapper|SS-185|2}}
**{{USS|Stingray|SS-186|2}}
**{{USS|Sturgeon|SS-187|2}}
**{{USS|Sculpin|SS-191|2}}
**{{USS|Sailfish|SS-192|2}}
**{{USS|Swordfish|SS-193|2}}
**{{USS|S-36|SS-141|2}} (lost 21 January 1942)
**{{USS|S-37|SS-142|2}}
**{{USS|S-38|SS-143|2}}
**{{USS|S-39|SS-144|2}}
**{{USS|S-40|SS-145|2}}
**{{USS|S-41|SS-146|2}}
**{{USS|Seadragon|SS-194|2}}
**{{USS|Sealion|SS-195|2}} (lost 25 December 1941)
**{{USS|Searaven|SS-196|2}}
**{{USS|Seawolf|SS-197|2}}<ref>Blair, p.82fn2.</ref>
*1 submarine rescue vessel
**{{USS|Pigeon|ASR-6|2}} (lost 4 May 1942)
*3 submarine tenders:
**{{USS|Holland|AS-3|2}}
**{{USS|Canopus|AS-9|2}} (lost 10 April 1942)
**{{USS|Otus|ARG-20|2}} 
*6 [[minesweeper]]s:
**{{USS|Finch|AM-9|2}} (lost 10 April 1942)
**{{USS|Bittern|AM-36|2}} (lost 10 December 1941)
**{{USS|Tanager|AM-5|2}} (lost 4 May 1942)
**{{USS|Quail|AM-15|2}} (lost 5 May 1942)
**{{USS|Lark|AM-21|2}}
**{{USS|Whippoorwill|AM-35|2}}
*4 [[seaplane tender]]s:
**{{USS|Langley|AV-3|2}} (lost 27 February 1942)
**{{USS|Childs|AVD-1|2}}
**{{USS|William B. Preston|AVD-7|2}}
**{{USS|Heron|AVP-2|2}} in support of Patrol Wing 10 (VP 101 and VP 102) with 28 [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|Consolidated PBY-4]] [[flying boat]]s
*1 Yard patrol craft
**''[[USS YP-97 (1941)|YP-97]]'' (lost March 1942)
*6 motor [[torpedo boat]]s ([[Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three]])
**''PT-31'' (lost 20 January 1942)
**''PT-32'' (lost 13 March 1942)
**''PT-33'' (lost 15 December 1941)
**''[[Patrol torpedo boat PT-34|PT-34]]'' (lost 9 April 1942)
**''PT-35'' (lost 12 April 1942)
**''[[Patrol torpedo boat PT-41|PT-41]]'' (lost 15 April 1942)
*2 [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]]s:
**{{USS|Pecos|AO-6|2}} (lost 1 March 1942)
**{{USS|Trinity|AO-13|2}}
*4 ocean-going [[tugboat]]s
**{{USS|Napa|AT-32|2}} (lost 9 April 1942)
**{{USS|Genesee|AT-55|2}} (lost 5 May 1942)
**''[[Ranger (1940)|Ranger]]'', commandeered by US Navy (lost 28 February 1942)<ref name=Williams/>
**''[[Trabajador (1931)|Trabajador]]'', commandeered by US Navy (lost 2 May 1942)
*3 auxiliary yard ships<ref name=shipscribe>{{Cite web|first=Stephen S.|last= Roberts |title= Small YAG's acquired July-December 1941  |website=shipscribe.com|date= 15 November 2008|url=http://www.shipscribe.com/usnaux/YAG/YAG02.html  |access-date=13 March 2020}}</ref>
**''[[USS YAG-2|YAG-2]]'' (lost 10 December 1941)
**''[[USS YAG-3|YAG-3]]'' (lost May 1942)
**''[[USS YAG-4|YAG-4]]'' (lost 12 April 1942)
*1 two-masted [[schooner]] 
**{{USS|Lanikai||2}}
*1 [[floating dry dock]] 
**''[[USS Dewey (YFD-1)|Dewey]]'' (lost 8 April 1942)
*4 [[Harbor tug]]s
**[[USS Banaag (YT-104)|''Banaag'']] (lost 25 December 1941)
**[[USS Iona (YT-107)|''Iona'']] (lost January 1942)
**[[USS Mercedes (YT-108)|''Mercedes'']] (lost 2 January 1942)
**''Vaga''
*8 ferryboats and launches
**''Camia'' (YFB-683) 
** [[USS Dapdap (YFB-684)|''Dapdap'']] (lost 2 January 1942)
**''Magdalena'' (YFB-687)
**''Rivera'' (YFB-685)
**''Rosal'' (YFB-682)
**[[USS San Felipe (YFB-12)|''San Felipe'']] (lost 6 May 1942)
**''Santa Rita'' (YFB-681)
** [[USS Yacal (YFB-688)|''Yacal'']] (lost 2 January 1942)
*various other small ships

US government / [[Commonwealth of the Philippines]] ships
*3 survey ships
**[[USC&GS Fathomer (1904)|USC&GS ''Fathomer'']] (lost April 1942)
**[[USC&GSS Pathfinder (1899–1941)|USC&GSS ''Pathfinder'']] (lost 30 January 1942)
**USC&GSS ''Research'' (damaged and beached on 30 December 1941)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4112-39DEC02.htm |title=Naval Events, December 1941, Part 2 of 2, Monday 15th – Wednesday 31st |publisher=Naval History |access-date=19 December 2011}}</ref>
*2 customs inspection and enforcement cutters
**[[Japanese patrol boat No. 105 (1931)|''Arayat'']] (lost 27 December 1941)
**''Mindoro''
*2 lighthouse tenders
**[[USLHT Canlaon (1930)|USLHT ''Canlaon'']] (lost 27 December 1941)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/TheOfficialChronologyOfTheUSNavyInWorldWarII/page/n133/mode/2up|first=Robert J.|last=Cressman|title=The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II|pages= |publisher=[[Naval Institute Press]]|date=15 October 2016|isbn=978-1591146384}}</ref> 
**[[USLHT Banahao (1930)|USLHT ''Banahao'']] (lost 28 December 1941)<ref name=NH014212>{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4201-41JAN01.htm |title=Naval Events, January 1942, Part 1 of 2, Thursday 1st – Wednesday 14th |publisher=Naval History |access-date=25 December 2011}}</ref>
*Presidential yacht
**[[BRP Banahaw (1908)|BRP ''Banahaw'']] (lost 29 December 1941)

[[U.S. Army Mine Planter Service]] ships
*2 [[mine planter]]s 
**[[List of ships of the United States Army#Mine Planters|USAMP]] ''Col. George F. E. Harrison''<ref name=Gordon>{{cite book|url=|first=John|last=Gordon|title=Fighting for MacArthur: The Navy and Marine Corps' Desperate Defense of the Philippines |pages= 120–121|publisher=[[Naval Institute Press]]|date=15 February 2017|isbn=978-1682471869|quote=}}</ref> 
**[[List of ships of the United States Army#Mine Planters|USAJMP]] ''Neptune''<ref name=Gordon/>

[[United States Army Forces in the Far East]] ships
*2 transports
**''General Miley''<ref name=Gordon/>
**[[USAT General John McE. Hyde|USAT ''General John McE. Hyde'']] (lost 26 December 1941)<ref name=Gordon/>
*2 chartered transports
**USHB ''Mambukal''<ref name=Report>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= Report of the Army Transport Services Actives in the Philippine Islands from 8 December 1941 to 6 May 1942  |website=Philippine Archives Collection|date= 8 March 1946|url= http://collections.pvao.mil.ph/Collections/Phase2/Invasion_and_Surrender/Box_9/1375832.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|pages=6–9}}</ref>
**USHB ''Neptune''<ref name=Report/>

The [[Offshore Patrol]] (technically part of the [[United States Army Forces in the Far East]])
*3 torpedo boats<ref>{{Cite web|title= The Philippine Navy |website=[[De La Salle University]]|url=https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ms-2.pdf  }}</ref>
**''[[Patrol torpedo boat Q-111 Luzon|Q-111 Luzon]]'' (lost 9 April 1942)
**''[[Patrol torpedo boat Q-112 Abra|Q-112 Abra]]'' (lost 9 April 1942)
**''Q-113 Agusan''
*2 gunboats (converted motor launches)
**''Q-114 Danday''<ref>{{Cite web|website= The Bataan Campaign  |title=They Were Expendable Too: The Torpedo Boats of the Off-Shore Patrol |date=22 February 2014 |url=https://bataancampaign.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/they-were-expendable-too-the-torpedo-boats-of-the-off-shore-patrol/ }}</ref>
**[[BRP Banahaw (1908)#History of her launch Baler|''Q-115 Baler'']] (lost 29 December 1941)

Civilian ships present
*MV ''Aloha''
*''Anakan''<ref name=Madrigal>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title=Memorandum: On the Commercial Activity of Mr. Vicente Madrigal before and at the Outbreak of the War in December 1941, and during the Japanese Occupation in January 1942 until February 1945   |website=Philippine Archives Collection|date= |pages=11–15|url= http://collections.pvao.mil.ph/Collections/MacArthurMicrofilms/RG_16/R-338/CIVIL_AFFAIRS_JAN_1944-FEB_1947.PDF |accessdate=|via=}}</ref>
*SS ''Bicol''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*''Bisayas''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*[[SS Capillo|SS ''Capillo'']] (lost 29 December 1941)
*SS ''Don Jose''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*MV ''Ethel Edwards''
*[[HMS Engadine (1911)|SS ''Corregidor'']] (lost 17 December 1941)
*''Henry Keswick'' (British tugboat later commandeered by the U.S. Army)<ref name=Gordon/>
*''Lanao''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*''LaTouche''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*SS ''Magallanes''
*''Marinduque''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*SS ''Mauban''
*SS ''Manatawny''
*SS ''Montanes'' 
*SS [[HMAS Koolonga|''Paz'']]<ref name=Madrigal/> (sunk 26 December 1941)
*[[USS Rochambeau (AP-63)|SS ''Marechal Joffre'']]
*[[USS Pompey (AF-5)|SS ''Samal'']] (lost 29 December 1941)
*MV ''Si-Kiang''
*''Sagoland''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*''Tamaraw''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*SS ''Taurus''<ref name=Madrigal/>
*SS [[Vizcaya (1890)|''Vizcaya'']] (scuttled December 1941)<ref name=Madrigal/>

{{div col end}}

===Aircraft of the Asiatic Fleet: 8 December 1941===
The aviation elements of the Asiatic Fleet comprised [[Patrol Wing 10]] (Capt. [[Frank Dechant Wagner|Frank D. Wagner]]),<ref name="Alsleben">{{cite web|last = Alsleben |first = Allan |url= https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/patrol_wing10.html |title=US Patrol Wing 10 in the Dutch East Indies, 1942    |date=1999–2000|work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942}}</ref> with two patrol squadrons (VPs or PatRons), a utility unit, and the aviation units aboard the Fleet's two cruisers and the large seaplane tender ''[[USS Langley (CV-1)|Langley]]''.

Patrol Wing 10 had been commissioned in December 1940, and included Patrol Squadrons 101 ([[Patrol Squadron 101|VP 101]]) and 102 ([[Patrol Squadron 102|VP 102]]), each equipped with fourteen [[Consolidated PBY Catalina|Consolidated PBY-4 Catalina]] [[flying boat]]s. By Mid-1941, these 28 PBYs were numbered 1 through 14 for VP 101, 16 through 29 for VP 102. The Utility Unit included [[Grumman J2F Duck]] [[Amphibious aircraft|amphibians]] (1 J2F-2 and 4 J2F-4s), as well as five new [[Vought OS2U Kingfisher|Vought OS2U-2 Kingfisher]] [[floatplane]]s, delivered in the late summer. Also, a number of [[Curtiss SOC Seagull]] floatplanes were present. ''Houston'' carried four, ''Marblehead'' two, and ''Langley'' two or three, and two more were under repair or in storage at the Aircraft Overhaul Shop (Shop X 34) at Cavite Navy Yard.

As of 8 December, PBYs of Patrol Wing 10 patrolled the northwest and northeast of Luzon daily. These flights were based at either [[Naval Air Station Sangley Point|NAS Sangley Point]], the Navy's auxiliary seaplane station at Olongapo on [[U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay|Subic Bay]], or seaplane tender ''Childs'' in Manila Bay. Trios of PBYs rotated down to the southern islands to base on ''William B. Preston'' at [[Malalag Bay]] on [[Davao Gulf]], [[Mindanao]]. These patrols over the [[Philippine Sea]] to the east bordered with similar patrols flown by [[Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service]] flying boats based in the Netherlands East Indies. Seaplane tender ''Heron'', with a detachment of four OS2U-2s from the Utility Unit, ran morning and evening patrols from [[Port Ciego]], [[Balabac Island]], over the strategically important [[Balabac Straits]] from 4–13 December.

Early in the morning of 8 December, ''Preston'' dispatched one aircraft on patrol and a short time later was attacked by aircraft from the small Japanese [[Aircraft carrier|carrier]] {{Ship|Japanese aircraft carrier|Ryūjō||2}}, and her other two PBYs were sunk on the water.

Patrol Wing 10 was ordered south into the [[Netherlands East Indies]] on 12 December, when the collapsing defenses of the islands made further operations untenable. Within the first 90 days of the war, Patrol Wing 10 had fallen back to [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Western Australia]], being reinforced by VP&nbsp;22 from Hawaii but losing 41 of 44 PBYs to enemy action together with ''Langley''. Patrol Wing 10 also lost all but one utility aircraft.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-003/h-003-3.html |title=H-003-3 the Valor of the Asiatic Fleet |website=www.history.navy.mil |access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref>

*PBY-4 (28. Added: 12 PBY-5s from VP 22 and 5 ex-Dutch Catalinas in January)
*J2F-2 or -4 (4)
*OS2U-2 (5)
*[[Curtiss SOC Seagull|SOC-1 or -2]] / [[Naval Aircraft Factory SON|SON]] (10–12)

===Asiatic Fleet components: 8 December 1941===
Asiatic Fleet Headquarters, ashore from mid-1941 at the Marsman Building on the Manila waterfront. The Fleet flagship, {{USS|Houston|CA-30|2}}, was assigned to lead Task Force 5 (TF&nbsp;5).

TF&nbsp;4, Asiatic Fleet: Patrol Wing 10, seaplane tenders, and aviation resources.

TF&nbsp;5, Asiatic Fleet: surface strike forces, including cruisers and Destroyer Squadron 29 (DesRon&nbsp;29).

TF&nbsp;6, Asiatic Fleet: submarines force, including all submarines, tenders and rescue ships.

TF&nbsp;7, Asiatic Fleet: patrol force, including gunboats {{USS|Tulsa|PG-22|2}} and {{USS|Asheville|PG-21|2}}.

4th Marine Regiment

Commandant 16th Naval District (COM16): The Cavite Navy Yard and all the shore establishment on Luzon, including the radio station, ammunition depot, hospital, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE, naval air station, mine depot, and similar facilities on Corregidor, at Mariveles, Bataan, and Olongpago, on Subic Bay.

The historic [[Yangtze Patrol]] was concluded in early December 1941. Of the five remaining gunboats, {{USS|Tutuila|PR-4|2}} remained at [[Chongqing]], {{USS|Wake|PR-3|2}} was in reduced commission at Shanghai as a radio station for the [[United States Department of State|U.S. State Department]], and ComYangPat sailed in {{USS|Luzon|PG-47|2}} with ''Oahu'' for Manila, joined by {{USS|Mindanao|PR-8|2}}.

===Battles fought by the Asiatic Fleet: early 1942===
As the Japanese sought sources of oil and minerals in the Netherlands East Indies and Borneo immediately following Pearl Harbor, the only fleet available to defend against them was the Asiatic Fleet. Outnumbered, outgunned, outmanned, the U.S. Navy, part of the [[ABDA]] (American, British, Dutch and Australian) force was unable to stop the Japanese, and could only attempt to slow them down.

====Battle of Balikpapan: 24 January 1942====
{{Main|Naval Battle of Balikpapan}}

Catching a Japanese invasion fleet of 16 transports, a cruiser and several destroyers anchored in Balikpapan Bay, four U.S. "four stacker" destroyers—{{USS|John D. Ford|DD-228|2}}, {{USS|Pope|DD-225|2}}, {{USS|Paul Jones|DD-230|2}} and {{USS|Parrott|DD-218|2}}—attacked at night using [[torpedo]]es and gunfire to sink four transports and one patrol craft. The Japanese believed that the attack came from submarines, and sent cruiser and destroyers out to sea in pursuit, leaving the transports unprotected. This was the first American surface action of the Pacific War and the first since the Spanish–American War. Although it significantly boosted morale, it had a negligible effect on Japanese operations.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dan |last=Muir |url= https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/BalikpapanRaid.html |title=The Balikpapan Raid |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942}}</ref>

====Battle of Flores Sea: 4 February 1942====
{{Main|Battle of Makassar Strait}}

Encouraged by the success of the Balikpapan raid, an attempt was made to break up another invasion when word was received that a Japanese force was planning a landing at [[Makassar]] on [[Sulawesi|Celebes Island]].

Planning a night attack, the ABDA force had to sail some distance in open water in daylight. It was attacked by Japanese bombers which severely damaged the light cruiser {{USS|Marblehead|CL-12|2}} and disabled turret No. 3 on the heavy cruiser {{USS|Houston|CA-30|2}}. The force retreated to [[Cilacap Regency|Tjilatjap]], Java, having failed to prevent the Japanese landing.

====Battle of Badung Strait: 19/20 February 1942====
{{Main|Battle of Badung Strait}}

In an effort to break up another invasion, a small force of ABDA ships arrived on the island of [[Bali]] after the Japanese had made their landing and had retired, leaving only four Japanese destroyers on station. This attack failed. Three Japanese destroyers were damaged by gunfire, but the Dutch destroyer ''Piet Hein'' was sunk and a Dutch and American destroyer were damaged.<ref>{{cite web |first=Klemen |last=L |url=https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/BadungStrait.html |title=The Badung Strait Battle |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942 |access-date=17 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331201608/http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/BadungStrait.html |archive-date=31 March 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

====Battle of Java Sea: 27 February 1942====
{{Main|Battle of the Java Sea}}

This was the largest battle fought in the area. The ABDA force of five cruisers and 11 destroyers, led by [[Karel Doorman|Dutch Admiral Doorman]]<ref name="Klemen">{{cite web|first=Klemen|last=L |url= https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/doorman.html |title= Rear-Admiral Karel W.F.M. Doorman  |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942}}</ref> sailed against a Japanese force of seven cruisers and 25 destroyers. The Japanese had air cover, while ABDA did not (nor in any of the other battles described here). It was a rout, fought during the afternoon and evening, a running gun battle with Japanese planes constantly dropping flares to illuminate the ABDA ships. The Dutch lost two cruisers and a destroyer, the British two destroyers. One Japanese destroyer was damaged.<ref>{{cite web|first=Klemen|last=L |url= https://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/java_sea.html |title= The Java Sea Battle |date=1999–2000 |work=Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941-1942}}</ref>

====Battle of Sunda Strait: 28 February 1942====
{{Main|Battle of Sunda Strait}}

Retreating south to Batavia after the Battle of Java Sea the day before, the U.S. cruiser ''Houston'' and the Australian light cruiser {{HMAS|Perth|D29|6}}—while heading at high speed for Sunda Strait, between [[Sumatra]] and Java—came upon a Japanese invasion force making a landing in Bantam (now Banten) Bay. In a confused night battle, both ships were sunk inside the Bay and not in Sunda Strait as is usually written. The two Allied ships fought bravely, but were overwhelmed by superior numbers.  Four of the Japanese transports were torpedoed, most likely by their own side. The Japanese fired 87 torpedoes in the first half-hour of the battle.<ref>{{cite web |first = Jan |last = Visser |url = http://warfare.gq/dutcheastindies/SundaStrait.html |title = The Sunda Strait Battle |date = 1999–2000 |work = Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941–1942 |access-date = 10 February 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141203155704/http://www.dutcheastindies.webs.com/SundaStrait.html |archive-date = 3 December 2014 |url-status = live |df = dmy-all }}</ref>

====Battle of Java: 27 February 1942 to 3 March 1942====
{{Main|Battle of Java}}

Eight U.S. Navy Asiatic Fleet ships were sunk by enemy warships or airplanes during the Battle of Java when the Japanese invaded the island of [[Java]]. This was the final battle of the [[Dutch East Indies campaign]]. The [[seaplane tender]] (former aircraft carrier) {{USS|Langley|AV-3|2}} was transporting 32 brand new [[Curtiss P-40 Warhawk]] fighter planes from Australia to Java when she was sunk with 16 killed on 27 February. Hundreds more ''Langley'' survivors were killed when the other naval ships that rescued them were also sunk soon afterwards. The oil tanker {{USS|Pecos|AO-6|2}} was trapped and attacked by numerous Japanese ships and airplanes and was sunk on 1 March. 232 survivors were rescued and over 400 ''Pecos'' crew and survivors from ''Langley'' were left behind and drowned due to Japanese submarines threatening the U.S. ships that were rescuing the survivors. The destroyer {{USS|Pope|DD-225|2}} was attached to an Allied fleet as the only U.S. vessel and was sunk in the [[Second Battle of the Java Sea]]. The destroyer {{USS|Stewart|DD-224|2}} was badly damaged and scuttled at [[Surabaya]] on 2 March 1942. On 3 March the submarine {{USS|Perch|SS-176|2}} was sunk while attacking a Japanese convoy northwest of Surabaya. A major tragedy happened when three Asiatic Fleet warships, destroyers {{USS|Edsall|DD-219|2}} and {{USS|Pillsbury|DD-227|2}} and gunboat {{USS|Asheville|PG-21|2}}, were sunk on 1–3 March 1942 with no survivors while supporting the Allied forces during the Battle of Java. There were reports that there were prisoners-of-war from these 3 ships but none of them survived [[List of Japanese-run internment camps during World War II|Japanese prisoner-of-war camps]] to tell their stories. No logs and no records of these three ships' final hours exist. The U.S. Navy did not know what happened to the ships and fallen sailors until after World War II. From these 3 ships approximately 450 crewmen and officers were killed or died while prisoners-of-war.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-003/h-003-3.html |title=H-003-3 the Valor of the Asiatic Fleet |website=www.history.navy.mil |access-date=19 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-003.html |title=H-Gram 003 |website=www.history.navy.mil |access-date=19 September 2021}}</ref>

====Half the U.S. Fleet lost====
Of the 40 surface vessels in the Asiatic Fleet on Pearl Harbor Day, 19 were sunk by 5 May 1942, the day General [[Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV|Wainwright]] surrendered to the Japanese at [[Corregidor]] in the Philippines. Most of the surviving ships safely reached Australia.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

===Aftermath===
After the defeats in the defense of the Philippine Commonwealth and the Dutch East Indies, the remaining vessels retreated to Australia. They would fall under the command of the [[South West Pacific Area (command)|South West Pacific Area]] which would establish the [[United States Seventh Fleet|7th Fleet]] in 1943.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}