Air search reports two groups of aircraft, range 44 miles, closing at high speed. It. The final phase of the Pacific war during World War II saw a terrible new tactic: massed kamikaze attacks on American ships by Japanese planes. Thanks for watching. YAMATO starts a turn starboard to course 230 degrees. The executive officer reported to Captain Aruga that the damage control officers were dead and that counter-flooding could no longer correct the list, and recommended the ship be abandoned. At 1232, lookouts in the Yamato force sighted the first incoming strike wave. At 1014, the Yamato force sighted the two Martin Mariner PBM flying boats, and also noted that Hackleback was still trailing (the Japanese had made so many course changes during the night that the sub was able to cut the corner and maintain contact on the force). Although born a U.S. citizen, he had been studying in Japan when the war broke out and had the choice of execution or serving in the Imperial Japanese Navy.). Read Next: The Ultimate Gunfighters! Embarking from Kure, Yamato was to beach herself near Okinawa, and act as an unsinkable gun-emplacementbombarding American forces on Okinawa with her 18.1-inch heavy-guns. On 1 January 1945, Yamato, Haruna and Nagato were all transferred to the newly reactivated 1st Battleship Division; Yamato left drydock two days later. Japans secrecy was due to her inability to match U.S. naval power ship for ship. Vice Admiral Ito retired to his stateroom to go down with the ship. The Yamato sank during a fierce battle for Okinawa on April, 7 1945. Eggheads on this subject get "lost in the sauce" going over tables, charts, and math formulas done by researchers after the war shooting rounds into armor plate captured from Japan and Germany,. She sunk shortly after. The Imperial Japanese Navy's super-battleship Yamato, shown here during pre-commission running trials in the Bungo Strait between the Home Islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, 20 October 1941 (NH 73092). [1] When the 1st Battleship Division was deactivated once again on 10 February, Yamato was reassigned to the 1st Carrier Division. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. Yamato had been fitted with multiple air and surface search radars, as well as radio-intercept capability. Instead, military leaders decided to build a secret weapon that could engage many enemy ships at once. Meanwhile, about 34 Hellcats and Corsairs and 22 Helldivers and Avengers worked over some of the other Japanese destroyers. John Carter, was in a perfect position to watch what unfolded. My father, Donald Lennox, Sr. was an Avenger pilot on the San Jacinto whose torpedo is credited for striking the Asashimo. The once-proud Japanese Imperial Navy that Americans feared would threaten the West Coast, was largely driven across the Pacific and now operated mainly from its home waters. The sky is still overcast and visibility is poor. The ship captains were then assembled on Yahagi and briefed. On May 6, 1945, a twin-engine kamikaze plane's bomb exploded beside the destroyer Luce, part of the radar picket ship screen surrounding Okinawa, and ripped her starboard side "like a sardine. Yamato fired her 18-inch guns at approaching American aircraft, Spruance gave orders to Rear Admiral Morton Deyo, commander of the Bombardment Force, to take his six old battleships and set up a blocking force northwest of Okinawa (as Yamato was circling around in that direction with the intent to stay as far from TF 58 as possible). However, three-quarters of these (128 boats) were lost during the conflict, a proportion of loss similar that experienced by Germany's U-Boats. At 0840, the Japanese reported seven Hellcats orbiting around the force. 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The Avengers drop three torpedoes. According to the plan, Yamato, light cruiser Yahagi, and eight destroyers would form a Surface Special Attack Force (the term special attack was understood to mean suicide) and sortie on 6 April 1945. Yamato'sFinal Voyage Eight Japanese destroyers and one cruiser, the Yahagi (left), tried to assist Yamato in fending off her attackers. It said the wreck was in two main pieces, a bow-to-midships section about 560 feet long, and a 264-foot-long stern section. In addition, sick sailors and also the oldest sailors were sent to shore. The Japanese opened up with everything they had, which looked terrifying, but U.S. pilots quickly figured out that Japanese anti-aircraft fire was wildly inaccurate. I hope you enjoy the video! What The Hell is Wrong with Steven Seagal? At 1017, Yahagi commenced jamming the Mariners communications, but by then it was too late. The explosion was heard over 120 miles away. More than 4,000 Japanese sailors were involved in the operation. Numerous Helldivers from Bennington and Hornet attacked from Yamatos port side and numerous near misses splashed all around the battleship, which was moving at flank speed (27 knots), before she was finally hit by two 1,000-pound armor-piercing bombs at 1240. Yamato was commanded by Captain Kosaku Aruga (spelled Ariga in some accounts). RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. 4: Factual error; Musashi was sunk on Oct. 23, 1944 in the Sibuyan Sea. Constructed from 1937 1940 and formally commissioned in late 1941, Yamato served as the flagship of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto throughout 1942, first sailing as part of the Combined Fleet during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. At 1302, Yamatos remaining air search radar detected a second inbound wave. In the 1980s, shipwreck hunters found the Yamato 180 miles (290 kilometers) southwest of Kyushu, one of the main islands of Japan. settled on the seafloor 1,200 feet down and about 50 At 1115, Yamatos radar indicated the two air groups were at 44 miles and closing rapidly. Captain Hara of Yahagi later said the mission would be like throwing an egg against a rock.. Additionally, aircraft damaged most of the . aircraft's overhead view of its target. Over the next days, additional messages were intercepted and decrypted by Fleet Radio Unit Pacific (FRUPAC) and also OP-20-G in Washington that provided increasingly detailed information on the operations timing and made specific mention of Yamato on 5 April. YAMATO, at 27 knots flank speed, heels to starboard in evasive action. Her waterline armor belt was 16 inches thick. ), and when they were lost.the bu numbers listed as lost on 4.7.1945 is very extensive!!!!! The Japanese fighters were unable to make contact before they left at 1000. Surrounding Japanese ships lost an additional 1,167 men. The carriers were among seven ships that went down in the Battle of Midway, a major air and . Torpedoes explode against Yamato's port side Some who were shot down were later picked up by seaplanes or submarines. With the steering locked to port and the ship doomed, Admiral Ito at 1402 hours ordered the crew to abandon ship. The Attack Force turns towards Sasebo. The second penetrates the port side of the aft Command station and explodes between the 155-mm gun magazine and main gun turret No. Altogether more effective were Japan's aerial suicide weapons. The destroyers were an assortment of different classes (what was left in operation, since the Japanese would lose 120 destroyers during the war), but all were armed with powerful Type 93 Long Lance 24-inch torpedoes. These behemoths were triple the tonnage of some other battleships of their day and each one had three turrets, with three huge 18.1 guns per turret. The aft secondary battery fire control, secondary gun turret and the air search radar are knocked out. Another 110 planes appeared ready for the kill. Jocko Clark, embarked on Hornet (CV-12), included Hancock (CV-19), Bennington (CV-20), Belleau Wood (CVL-24) and San Jacinto (CVL-30). I was so fortunate to have had that experience!!! World War II would see the aircraft carrier emerge as the key to naval supremacy, supplanting the battleship. The destroyers were Destroyer Division (DESDIV) 17 (Isokaze, Hamakaze, Yukikaze), DESDIV 21 (Asashimo, Kasumi, Hatsushimo), and DESDIV 41 (Fuyuzuki, Suzutsuki). Yamato maneuvers while under attack by U.S. Navy carrier planes north of Okinawa, 7 April 1945, maneuvering evasively at a brisk 15 to 20 knots. As Yamato and escorts were transiting the Bungo Strait between the Home Islands of Kyushu and Shikoku on 6 April 1945, submarine Threadfin (SS-410) sighted the force at about 1745 and issued a contact report in the clear that was intercepted by Yamato. She takes on a heavy list to port and her speed drops to 18 knots. Additionally, 1,178 people were wounded. It says that the Kikaigashima Island lookout station saw 150 carrier planes heading northwest. What are they doing to assist in defending Okinawa? One Avenger is shot down but her barrage is largely ineffective because each AA battery fires independently without coordination. All ships increase speed to 25 knots and commence a simultaneous turn. By this time, there wasnt much left of the Japanese navy that was still operational, and fuel was in critically short supply. The 1st Battleship Division was deactivated once again on 10 February, Yamato was commanded by Captain Kosaku (! 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