KAMIKAZE TOKKŌTAI
One of the most well-known words from the field of aviation, recognized even by those with no interest in the subject, is kamikaze. It is associated with the predominantly aerial campaign that began in October 1944 and lasted until the end of the war in the Pacific. During this period, hundreds of airmen sacrificed their lives in service of the Japanese Empire.
HISTORY
In Western civilization, these attacks are
often referred to as suicide attacks, but this
term is actually a misnomer. The primary
objective of these troops was not suicide but
self-sacrifice for the benefit of the Japanese
Empire. Therefore, the more accurate term
is special attack unit (tokubetsu kōgekitai, or
tokkōtai for short), which better reflects the
nature of these military operations.
Special attack units were organized within
standard military formations. Various texts
and sources published in Western countries
often claim that Japanese airmen were forced
to participate in these units. However, this is
not true — they volunteered. In fact, especially
during the first months of these units' existence,
there were more volunteers than available seats
in the planes designated for attacks. As a result,
commanders had to be selective, prioritizing
young, single men with no family commitments,
often college students. However, from the
outset, volunteers from elite naval families were
also recruited into these units. The voluntary
nature of participation is further evidenced by
cases where airmen survived multiple special
attack missions, either due to their planes
being shot down or experiencing mechanical
failures, and subsequently reapplied to join
other units. Additionally, in multi-seat aircraft,
all crew members were present, not just the
pilot. A common misconception is the belief
that airmen undertook these combat missions
under the influence of drugs. An airman was
only considered a member of a special attack
unit if he successfully carried out an attack on
an enemy target with his aircraft. He did not
become a member at the time of enlistment
or even upon take off for an attack. Those who
were unable to strike Allied ships, whether due
to technical malfunctions or being shot down,
are not officially counted among the kamikazes.
There are also documented cases where an
aircraft en route to attack American vessels
was shot down, resulting in the death of one
crew member. After an emergency landing,
the aircraft was repaired and took off again for
its final attack, with the deceased airman still
on board. Due to his “physical presence” in the
aircraft, he was also listed as a member of the
special attack unit.
One of the most well-known words from the field of aviation, recognized even by those
with no interest in the subject, is kamikaze. It is associated with the predominantly
aerial campaign that began in October 1944 and lasted until the end of the war in the
Pacific. During this period, hundreds of airmen sacrificed their lives in service of the
Japanese Empire.
Jan Bobek
Martin Ferkl
IJN ZERO FIGHTER SPECIAL ATTACK UNITS
Aircraft A6M2 and A6M5 from the Shikishima-tai unit, armed with bombs, are taking off with a fighter escort
from Mabalacat airfield on October 25, 1944. Behind the Model 21 aircraft numbered 02-888, a Model 52 aircraft
with the marking 02-112 is visible, likely piloted by Lt. Yukio Seki. The pilot with a cast on his leg standing at the
front right is Cdr. Sakae Yamamoto, commander of Kōkūtai 201, who was involved in organizing the first Kamika
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ze pilot unit. He was injured on October 19 during an emergency landing as a passenger in the fuselage of
a single-seat Zero, piloted by Lt. Cdr. Tadashi Nakajima, a former Hikōtaichō of the Tainan Kōkūtai.
INFO Eduard8
April 2025