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THEBATTLEOFOKINAWA

AMERICANLANDINGS

ByMarch1945,Japanwasanationisolatedandundersiege,heroncemightyEmpirehadnowbeenreduc
afewunimportantandisolatedislandstrongholds.

Afteralongandbittercampaignofreconquest,theAmericanswerepreparingtoassaulttheislandofOkina
amerethreehundredandfortymilesfrommainlandJapan.Itscapturewasvitaltosecureairfieldsanddee
waterportsnecessaryfortheinevitableinvasionofJapanitself.

SetforApril1st,theAmericanlandelementswouldcomprisethe10thArmyofsixdivisions,fourArmyand
Marine,totaling100,000soldiersand85,000MarinesunderGeneralBuckner.

ThisstrikingforcewouldbesupportedbytheformidableU.S.5thfleetcommandedbyAdmiralSpruance.T
largearmadaconsistedofelevenfleet,sevenlightandeighteenescortcarrierswithsevenBattleships,
seventeenheavycruisersandeightyeightsupportships.
TheAlliedBritishPacificFleetunderViceAdmiralRawlingswouldalsocontributefourlightcarriers,two
Battleships,fiveheavycruisersandthirtythreesupplyships.

Okinawaitselfwassixtymileslongandatpointsbetween,twoandeighteenmileswide.Shewasalsohom
450,000Japaneseciviliansandwouldbedefendedbythe130,000strongJapanese32ndArmycommand
GeneralMitsuruUshijima.

TheAmericanlandingsbeganatHagushiBayonthewesternsideoftheislandonApril1st.Fromtheoutse
wavesofKamikazesuicideattacksagainsttheanchoredAmericanNavybeganinernest.The7thInfantrya
1stMarineDivisionsquicklycutacrosstheislandcapturingtheYomitanandKadenaairfieldswithrelativee
withinhoursofthelandings.
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GeneralBucknerthenorderedthe6thMarineDivisiontomovenorthalongtheIshikawaIsthmus.Encounte
verylittleresistance,theysucceedincapturingthetownsofAtsutaandNago,cuttingofftheretreatingJapa
citizenmilitiawithintheMotobuPeninsulaonApril8th.

Virtuallyunopposedthe6thMarinereachedHedoPointatthenorthernmosttipoftheislandsixdayslater.
thenbegantoadvancesoutheastalongtheoppositesideoftheislanduntillinkingupwithsupportunitsfro
southatthetownofAhaonthe19th,effectivelyoccupyingtheentireislandnorthofHagushiBay..

While6thMarineclearednorthernOkinawawithrelativeease,itwasinthesouththattheU.S.Armys7tha
96thInfantryDivisionsbegantoencounterfierceresistancefromtheoutsetoftheinvasion.The96thInfant
metupwithstrongJapaneseforcesduginandaroundShuri,whilethe7thInfantrycameupagainstheavily
fortifiedJapanesedefendersoccupyingtherockyheightsdominatingtheapproachestoArakachi.

AfterheavyfightingU.S.forceshadsucceedincapturingbothtownsbytheeveningofApril9th.Ineightda
fightingtheAmericanssufferedover2,000battlecasualties,whereastheirJapanesecounterpartslost6,00
dead.Yetthebattlehadonlyjustbegun,fortheAlliesnowrealizedtheJapanesehadconcededthenortho
Islandandconcentratedalltheirforcesinthesouth.

ThenextAmericanobjectivewasKakazuRidge,comprisingtwoimmensehillswhichformedpartofShuri's
defenses.TheJapanesehadpreparedthesepositionswell,theyhaddugfortifiedcaveswithcamouflaged
entranceswhichallowedthemtobehiddenuntiltheAmericanswerejustfeetawaybeforetheyopenedup
theirheavymachineguns.

AstheAmericanassaultagainstKakazuRidgebegantostall,GeneralUshijimadecidedtotaketheoffensiv
OntheeveningofApril12ththe32ndArmyattackedU.S.positionsacrosstheentirefront.TheJapanesea
washeavy,sustainedandwellorganized.Afteranightofbitterhardfighting,manytimesatclosequartersa
handtohand,dawnbegantobreakacrossthebattlefield,promptingtheJapanesetofallback.

AnotherJapaneseassaultonthenightofApril14thwasrepulsedwithheavylosses,thisforcedGeneral
Ushijimatoceasealloffensiveoperationsandrevertbacktoamoredefensivestrategy.GeneralBucknern
preparedtoseizethesouthernhalfofOkinawa.WiththreeInfantryDivisions,the27thonhisright,the96th
centerandthe7thontheleft,Bucknerassignedeachdivisionamere1.5milesoffrontandawaitedtheNa
intoposition.

OnApril19ththreehundredandtwentyfournavalguns(thelargesteverinthePacifictheaterofoperation)
heraldedtheopeningphasesofBucknersoffensive.Battleships,Cruisers,andDestroyersopenedthe
bombardment,whichwasquicklyfollowedby650fighteraircraftpummelingtheenemypositionswithdeadl
effect

TheJapanesedefenderssimplywaitedoutthebarragewithintheircavesandtunnelsinrelativesafetyonly
emergeafterwardsandopenfirewithmortars,grenadesandheavymachinegunsupontheunsuspecting
Americansastheyadvanceduptheforwardslopes.

TankswerenowbroughtintobreakthestalematearoundKakazuRidgebutfailedtolinkupwithitsinfantry
supportsufferingfiftytwotanksdestroyed.AfterrepeatedattemptstobreaktheJapaneselinehadfailed,th
ofAprilsawtheAmericansbegintoreceivemuchneededreinforcements.ThreefreshDivisionsthe1stand
Infantryalongwiththe6thMarinesnowreachedthefront.

WhiletheAmericanswerepreparingtoresumetheiroffensive,GeneralUshijimalaunchedasurpriseattack
attemptingtooutflanktheAmericanpositionsonboththeeastandwestcoastsoftheisland.Aftersomeinit
successtheJapaneseattackbegantofalterandheavycasualtiesforcedUshijimatoonceagaincalloffthe
operation.

OnMay3GeneralBucknerthenlaunchedacounterattackacrosstheentireJapanesedefensiveline.After
daysoffiercefightingtroopsofthe96thInfantryDivisioncapturedConicalHill,apositionwhichgavethe
AmericansanunhinderedviewoftheentireYonabaruplainsbelow.

Onthewesterncoastthe1stand6thMarineDivisionscapturedSugarLoafHillwhichnowexposedthe
JapaneseleftflankoftheShuriLine.Heavyfightingwouldcontinueuntilthecomingmonsoonrainsprevent
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futureoperations.

Theheavyrainshadturnedthelandscapeintoanimpassablequagmire.Thecontestedhillsandvalleyswe
saturatedinmudandtheroadsimpassable.Botharmiesnowlivedwithinfieldssoddenbyrainandtheunb
corpsesoffellowcomrades.

OnMay29thafterthreedaysofshellingbytheBattleshipUSSMississippi,commanderofthe1stMarine
DivisionMajorGeneralDelValle,orderedhismentocapturetheheightssurroundingShuriCastle.Asthe
Americansadvanced,GeneralUshijimaorderedhis32ndArmytoabandontheShuriLineandwithdrawalfu
south.

TheJapaneseretreatwasconductedwithgreatskillduringthenightandaidedbythesaturatingrains.The
Armywasabletomove40,000troopsintoitslastdefenselineontheKiyanPeninsulaoverlookingtheOkin
NavalBase.

OnJune4th,elementsofthe6thMarineDivisionlaunchedanamphibiousassaultonthepeninsula.Aftern
daysofbitterfighting5,000JapanesesailorsalongwiththeircommanderAdmiralMinoruOtacommittedsu
withinthetunnelsoftheundergroundNavalheadquarters

Afterseventeendaysofrelentlessattacksbylandseaandair,Ushijima'sshatteredarmywaspushedintoa
smallpocketinthefarsouthoftheisland.ThenextdayGeneralBucknerwaskilledbyenemyartilleryfirew
monitoringtheforwardprogressofhistroops.BucknerwasreplacedbyGeneralJosephStilwellwhoquickl
resumedtheoffensive.

OnJune21st,thelastremnantsofJapaneseresistanceceased.GeneralUshijimacommittedsuicidewithin
commandheadquartersonHill89justhoursbeforeitscapture.SporadicfightingwouldcontinueuntilJuly2
whentheAmericanhighcommanddeclaredOkinawasecure.Duetothecarnageofthebattleandtheclea
afterwards,theofficialsurrenderceremonywouldnotbehelduntilthe7ofSeptember

Bytheendoftheeightytwodaycampaign,theJapanese32ndArmylost123,000deadand7,000taken
prisoner(Thefirsttimeduringthewarasignificantnumberhadsurrendered).TheJapaneseImperialNavy
sixteenWarshipsand9,000Sailors.TheKamikazewingalsosufferedheavilywith4,000pilotskilled.

OkinawawasmoreheavilypopulatedthanmostPacificislands.Thecivilianpopulationhadbeenthoroughly
indoctrinatedwithreportsofAmericantorture,brutalityandmassmurder.Ofthe80,000civiliancasualties
suffered,52,000wereadirectresultofsuicide.

U.S.lossesonOkinawaitselfnumbered8,000killedwith34,000wounded.TheNavysufferedthirtyfoursh
sunkandthreehundredandsixtydamagedwith5,000Sailorskilled.TheU.S.NavalAirWinglost763aircr
(MostofwhichweredestroyedduringtheKamikazeSuicideattacks).

OPERATIONTENGO

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SUPERBATTLESHIPYAMATO

Indesperationtobeinvolvedinthebattle,theImperialJapaneseNavydrewupplansforanattackontheU
landingforcesbyastrikeforceconsistingoneheavyCruiser,eightDestroyersandtheSuperBattleshipYam
ledbyAdmiralSeiichiIto.

ItwasalsohopedthattheNavysmissionwouldalsodivertenemyaircraftawayfromtheAirForcesplanne
KamikazeattacksontheU.S.fleetatOkinawa.WithonlyjustenoughfueltoreachOkinawaitself,theJapa
flotilladepartedtheportofKureonMarch29thonwhatamountedto(Intheeyesofallinvolved)asuicide
mission

ThesubmarineUSSThreadfinsightedtheJapaneseforceasitmadeitswaythroughtheBungoSuidostra
itdidnotattackhoweverchoosinginsteadtoshadowthewarshipsandsenddetailedupdatesofthiercours
speedtotheU.S.5thFleet.

AtdawnonApril7USSThreadfinradioedAdmiralSpruancetheJapanesetaskforcehadpassedtheOsum
PeninsulaandoutintotheopenoceansteamingtowardsOkinawa.

At10:00am,Spruanceordered400U.S.aircraftfromeightdifferentcarrierstolaunchanalloutattackand
theJapanesetaskforce.

Around12:00noonAmericanHellcatandCorsairfighteraircraftarrivedovertheYamato,theyflewincircle
anticipatingJapaneseaircrafttoappearanddefendtheshipsbelow,butafterhalfanhourtheyrealizedthe
weresailingunescortedandgavetheorderfortheU.S.divebomberandtorpedoplanestobegintheirattac
runs.

ThefirstwaveofU.S.attacksbeganat12:35pm,AdmiralItoorderedhisshipstobeginevasivemaneuvers
increasingspeedtotwentyfiveknotswhilezigzaggingandfiringallantiaircraftgunswithYamatoherselfar
with150heavyaircraftgunsalone.

AmericantorpedoplaneswereorderedtotargetYamatoandonlyfromherportsidethatwayitwouldpreve
effectivecountermeasuresbytheJapaneseballastcrews.

WithintwentyfiveminutesafterthefirstwavebegantheDestroyerIsokazeandCruiserYahagiwerestrukb
leastfourtorpedosandfivebombsapiece.Yamatowashitbythreearmorpiercingbombswhichstarteda
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fireaftofthesuperstructure.

JapaneseDestroyersSuzutsukiandHamakazewerebothheavilydamagedandwithdrewfromthebattle.A
1:30pm,thesecondwaveofU.S.aircraftattackedthistimeheavilyconcentratingonYamato.Shewasstruc
herportsidebyeighttorpedosandreceivedfifteenbombhits.AblazeandlistingtoportYamatosspeedwa
greatlyreducedtoamere11mph.

At2.05pmtheHeavyCrusierYahagicapsizedandsankwiththedestroyerHamakazefollowingsoonafter.
minuteslatertheAmericanthirdwaveofonehundredandtenaircraftarrivedandbegantheirattackruns.

Yamatostartedasharpturntoporttofacetheoncomingassaultbutherslowspeedallowedfourtorpedoes
ripintoherportsideamidships,jammingherauxiliaryrudderinapositionhardtoport.

Afterbeinginformedthattheshipcouldnolongersteerandwasunavoidablysinking,AdmiralItoorderedt
crewtoabandonship,andfortheremainingDestroyerstoabandonthemission.

At2:30pm,Yamatowasstoppeddeadinthewaterandbegantocapsize.AdmiralItoandCaptainArugare
toabandonherassheslippedunderthewaves.At2:40pmshesuddenlyblewupwithanexplosionsolarg
wasreportedlyseenandheardforadistanceofonehundredmiles.

AsthebatteredremnantsoftheJapaneseTaskForceAttemptedtomakeitbacktoport,theDestroyers
AsashimoandKasumiwerehitbymultiplebombsandsank.Despitehavingherbowcompletelyblownofft
SuzutsukimanagedtomakeitbacktoJapanbysteamingtheentirewayinreverse.Theremainingthree
JapaneseDestroyersYukikaze,FuyuzukiandHatsushimothoughallseriouslydamaged,alsomadeitback
Japaneseports.

InallOperationTengocosttheJapaneseImperialNavyfiveWarshipssunkandthreedamagedbeyondrep
additiontosome4,000sailorskilledincludingthetaskforcecommanderAdmiralIto,incomparisontothe
minisculeAmericanlossesoftenplanesand12airmen.Afterthebattle,Americanvesselspickedupand
rescuedanadditional1,600Japanesenavalpersonal.

YAMATOSTRUCKBYBOMB

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YAMATOEXPLODES

OPERATIONKIKUSUI

JAPANESEKAMIKAZE

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OnApril6th1945,allremainingwingsoftheJapaneseImperialAirForcelaunchedOperationKikusui(Floa
Chrysanthemums)directedagainsttheU.S.5thFleetanchoredwithinHagushiBayonthewesternsideof
Okinawa.

Inattackformationsnumberinguptotwohundredaircraftperwave,hundredsofJapaneseplanesbegana
focusedontheAmericanCarrierspositionedatthecenteroftheenemyfleet.

ForthenextninestraightdaysandnightstheKamikazesattackedingreatnumbers,severallydamagingth
U.S.CarriersHancock,IntrepidandEnterprisewhilesinkingnumerouspicketDestroyers.

OnMay4ththeBritishCarrierHMSFormidablewashitbyaKamikaze,eightcrewmemberswerekilledand
ninewounded.Shewasstruckagainonthe9thalongwiththecarrierHMSVictoriousandtheBattleshipHM
Howe.

OnMay11ththecommanderofTaskForcefiftyeight,AdmiralMarcMitscherwasaboardhisCarrierflagsh
USSBunkerHillwhenitwasstruckbyaKamikazepilotkillingthreehundredandfiftysailors.

TheeffectofthisnewformofwarfareonAmericanmoralewasimmediateanddevastating.Thesurvivingc
memberswerequicklybecomingexhaustedfromstanding24hourwatchesagainstpotentialfutureattacks

KamikazeattackswouldcontinuethroughoutMayandJunewithdeadlyeffect.HoweverbymidJulytheatt
becamelessfierceandmoresporadicastheJapanesebegantorunoutofoperationalaircraftandtrained

ThesituationnowbecamedesperateastheJapaneseHighCommandapprovedtheenlistmentofsixteeny
oldyouthsstillattendingaviationschool,whowerenowinstantlypromoted,giventheirflightwingsandassi
totheKamikazewing.
Atthisstageofthebattlehowever,airworthyaircraftcouldnolongerbefoundandthefewwhichdidget
airbornewereshotdownwelloutsidetheAmericanDestroyerpicketsdefensivezones.

BylateJulytheentireKamikazeoperationwasonthevergeofcollapse.Whenitbecameobviousthatthe
AmericansnexttargetwasJapanitself,allKamikazeattackswerestoppedinpreparationfortheanticipated
defenseoftheJapaneseHomeland.

Forthelossof4,000braveJapanesepilots.TheU.S.Navysufferedthirtyfourshipssunkandthreehundre
sixtydamagedwith5,000Sailorskilled.TheU.S.NavalAirWingalsolost763aircraft(Allofwhichwere
destroyedontheirCarrierdecksduringtheKamikazeattacks).

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USSBUNKERHILL

BACKTOWORLDWARII
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BACKTOGREATMILITARYBATTLES
ThisLiteraryworkGreatMilitaryBattles.com

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