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slim and that conventional bomber attacks had
little likelihood of successfully hitting enemy
targets.
Divine Wind in Leyte Gulf
American air raids on Formosa (Taiwan)
and the Philippines in the fall of 1944 cost
the Japanese Naval and Army Air Forces an
additional 500 to 600 aircraft. In October, Vice
Admiral Ōnishi was appointed commander of the
1st Air Fleet (1st Kōkū Kantai) in the Philippines.
However, due to prior American strikes on
Japanese bases, he had only about 100 aircraft
of various types available on the eve of the
Battle of Leyte Gulf and the anticipated Allied
landing. Although Ōnishi initially opposed the
idea of sacrificing airmen, he was ultimately
forced to adopt this strategy. He sked command
of Kōkūtai 201 — a unit stationed in the
Philippines and equipped with Zeros, which
had been training for months in “skip” bombing
attacks against enemy vessels — to carry out
these missions.
Admiral Ōnishi, together with the command of
Kōkūtai 201, invited pilots to volunteer for the
special attack group but feared how they might
react. However, a large number of unit members
eagerly signed up for this type of combat
mission, and disputes arose when someone
was not selected. The unit was named Kamikaze
(Divine Wind), inspired by the typhoon that had
helped destroy the Mongol naval forces during
their attempted invasion of Japan in the 13th
century. Officially, the group was designated
Dai 1 Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, and within
it, nine units were formed, each bearing battle
names derived from Japanese historical and
cultural traditions. (Note 1)
The most experienced pilot in Kōkūtai 201
was Lieutenant Naoshi Kanno, who had 25 aerial
victories. At the time, he was in Japan preparing
to transfer new aircraft to the Philippines.
For months, Kanno had expressed a strong
desire to organize and lead special attack
missions. He even had a note attached to his
personal bag stating that he was already dead,
with his rank listed two steps higher, as if he
had been posthumously promoted. However,
to his disappointment, he was instead assigned
to lead the fighter escorts for the special attack
units.
The deployment tactics were developed by
former bomber pilot Lieutenant Yukio Seki.
The approach to the target was planned at
two different flight levels, depending on cloud
cover. Even when flying low over the water, the
aircraft was instructed to gain altitude just
before reaching the target, ideally drop a bomb,
and then crash into the damaged section of the
ship. This would compound the destruction with
the additional impact of the aircraft and the
explosion of its fuel. For attacks on aircraft
carriers, the primary targets were forward or
midship elevators. The Japanese did not expect
to easily sink the carriers, but their goal was
to disable them and render them inoperable
in battle. In the case of battleships, cruisers,
and destroyers, the designated target was the
bridge.
The Shikishima Tai is often considered the
first special attack unit. Led by Lieutenant Yukio
HISTORY
The destroyer USS Kidd (DD-661) is currently stationed in Baton Rouge, serving
as a museum. As part of its display, visitors can see the wreckage of a Japane
-
se aircraft that crashed into the ship on April 11, 1945. The aircraft was believed
to be a Mitsubishi Zero, piloted by Lt. Yaguchi of Kōkūtai 721. He engaged the
enemy as a member of the special attack unit Tenmu No. 5 and sent a message
to launch the attack at 2:10 p.m. His Zero struck the forward boiler room, but
the 500 kg bomb passed through the fuselage and detonated in the water.
Despite this, Yaguchi’s attack resulted in 38 American sailors killed and
55 wounded. The USS Kidd sustained serious damage, requiring repairs
in the United States, and never returned to combat. Photo: Martin Ferkl
The aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-16) is moored as a museum in Corpus Christi, Texas. Also on display
are the remnants of a Mitsubishi Zero that was intended to strike the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6)
on May 14, 1945. The aircraft was piloted by Lt. Shunsuke Tomiyasu of Kōkūtai 721. On that day, Kōkūtai 721
dispatched the special attack unit Kenmu No. 11 (five Zeroes) along with Tsukuba No. 6 (14 Zeroes), to which
Lt. Tomiyasu belonged. The Japanese aviator managed to crash through the flight deck at the bow of the
Enterprise, triggering an explosion below. The blast sent parts of the forward elevator flying tens of meters
into the air. Fourteen sailors were killed, and 68 were wounded. Eight crew members were blown overboard
by the 500 kg bomb’s detonation but were rescued from the water by a nearby destroyer. The attack
left Enterprise severely damaged, rendering it inoperable for the remainder of the war. Photo: Martin Ferkl
Japanese kamikaze Zero about to crash into the USS Kidd, off Okinawa
on April 11, 1945. Photographed from the ship. Note escorting destroyer
in the background. Photo: US Naval Heritage Command
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April 2025