Maritime Lecture Series: USS Houston (CA-30)/POW Experience

Maritime Lecture Series featuring John Schwarz, Executive Director of the USS Houston (CA-30) Survivors’ Association and Next Generations

Houston Maritime Center & Museum invites you to join us for a special lecture on Tuesday, March 3rd, featuring John Schwarz, Executive Director of the USS Houston (CA-30) Survivors’ Association and Next Generations. Mr. Schwarz will recount the events surrounding the loss of the USS Houston and provide an in-depth look at the experiences of its survivors as prisoners of war during World War II.

The story of the WWII U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) exemplifies remarkable naval courage under extreme adversity while serving the United States. Led by Captain Albert Rooks, the crew fought valiantly until the ship’s tragic sinking at the Battle of Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942, which resulted in the loss of nearly 700 young sailors. Survivors faced even greater hardships as prisoners of war throughout the remainder of WWII, enduring harsh conditions. Most were sent to Burma and forced to help build the infamous Burma-Thailand Death Railway. James Hornfischer’s book ‘Ship of Ghosts’ provides a vivid account of this ordeal, and the 1957 award-winning war film ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ offers a dramatic depiction of their experiences.