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28 February 2012:
The crew of the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) prepare to
commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of the Java
Sea. The color guard at left bears the national flags of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Commonwealth of Australia, the
United States of America, the Republic of Indonesia (formerly
the Dutch East Indies) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland. Sailors and marines of all these countries
took part in the Java Sea battle and subsequent actions, during
which five Allied cruisers and five destroyers were sunk by the
Japanese. The wreath will be consigned to the sea in memory of
those who lost their lives in the battle. The Blue Ridge
was on passage through the Java Sea on the anniversary date.
Remembrance ceremonies were also held in Australia, Britain and
the Netherlands.
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