The wreck of the USS Houston has lain underwater off the island of Java, Indonesia, for 84 years. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Indonesia said the ship's death toll included 650 American sailors and Marines.
U.S. officials said the wreckage has been prone to plundering and fishing. Under a new partnership announced last week, the Indonesian government has committed to help preserve the site. The embassy said a two-year project will monitor the site, deter unauthorized salvaging and help prevent destructive fishing. Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and the local nonprofit Fisheries and the Organization of Sustainable Exotica Village will lead the work.
U.S. Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Joy Sakurai said in a news release that protecting the ship is a shared responsibility. The U.S. said it would support training, reporting, information centers and public awareness campaigns.
According to the Texas State Historical Association, the ship was christened by the 13-year-old daughter of former Houston Mayor Oscar Holcombe when it launched from the Houston Ship Channel in 1929.