2002 $5 USS Houston - Ships Bell - Battle of Sunda Strait Bi-Metal Uncirculated Coin in RAM Card

2002 $5 USS Houston - Ships Bell - Battle of Sunda Strait Bi-Metal Uncirculated Coin in RAM CardThe Battle :After surviving the Battle f the Java Sea, 24 hours earlier, USS Houston and HMAS Perth sought to reach Australia through Sunda Strait between  Java and Sumatra in the Indonesian Archipeligo There they sailed into a large Japanese invasion fleet of some 88 vessels. After a battle that lasted from 2300 on 28th February until 0045 the next day, both ships, out of ammunition and dead in the water, were sunk.Four enemy ships were sunk and five damaged in the battle.Heavy losses of crew were suffered by both ships - of the Houston's 1,065 only 368 survived to suffer as prisoners of war on the infamous Burma Railway. Just 328 of the Perth's crew of 681 escaped the sinking. Four Died ashore and 324 became prisoners of war.The Houston Bell :The reverse of this $5 bi-metallic coin features an image of the original bell from USS Houston. The bell carries the date of 1930 - the year in which USS Houston was commissioned. Prior to the commencement of WWWII, this bell was replaced due to a crack.It is now part of an exhibit in the University of Houston. The bell on the Houston when she was sunk now caps a monument in downtown Houston, erected in 1995 to the memory of the Cruiser and her crew.This bell was raised in 1973 and presented to the US Ambassador to Indonesia, who accepted it on behalf of the American people.Denomination :        $5Finish :                    UncirculatedMetal :                     Centre - Aluminium Bronze / Outer Ring : Stainless SteelWeight :                  10.60 gmsDiameter :               28.00 mm