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There are many misconceptions regarding the use of 'Special Attack' units by the Japanese. Among these is that the so called 'Kamikaze' pilots were all fanatical automatons busting to die for the Emperor. In truth, the pilots of the 'Tokko' program were the victims of their own culture and failure to 'volunteer' by individuals was unthinkable.
The brainchild of Admiral Takijiro Onishi, the Kamikaze was in fact a desperate attempt to turn back the advancing Allied forces as food, manpower and strategic materials began to run short for Japan. In some instances, the aircraft used for these attacks were obsolete types unfit for front line duties. In other instances, aircraft new from the factories were employed. In other, somewhat more 'sinister' instances, specifically designed aircraft and indeed submarines were employed.
First use of this kind of attack was the sinking of the aircraft carrier 'St. Lo' on 25 October 1944 when Yukio Seki deliberately crashed his bombed-up Zero into the carrier. The psychological effect on the Americans was considerable.
Among the purpose built Kamikaze types was the Yokosuka MXY7 'Okha' (Cherry Blossom). Effectively a piloted torpedo made of plywood and launched from a mother aircraft, usually a Mitsubishi G4M2 Betty (known to the Japanese as 'Ishikki Rikko'). The Okha was designed to glide to its target but for emergencies such as fighter pursuit or the need for more distance in its attack run, it was equipped with solid fuel rocket (RATO - Rocket Assisted Take Off) pods. These pods were designed for use on large aircraft taking off from carriers. With an attack speed of 460kph in a glide, this could be increased to 750kph using the rocket engines. Far faster than anything the Americans had in the air at the time. With a head on profile roughly the size of a beach ball, only a very lucky AA hit could stop this weapon. With an operational payload of 1.2 tons, this weapon was enough to sink any ship then on the water.
Above is an Okha training vehicle. Painted orange and equipped with a landing skid, sand was carried to simulate the warhead. About one flight in ten resulted in an accident.
This is the operational version. No landing skid.
Mitsubishi G4M2 'Betty' mother aircraft.
Luckily for the US, most of these weapons were sunk aboard transport ships by American submarines or captured in tact on their island bases by advancing Marines who christened them 'Baka Bombs' (Baka - Stupid). There were however two incidents that stand out.
On March 21st 1945, thirty three G4M2 Betty aircraft, fifteen of which were equipped with Okha piloted bombs were escorted by thirty two Zeros toward a US taskforce of three carriers and support vessels 350 km south of Kyushu. They were part of TF 58 and included the already Kimikaze damaged aircraft carrier 'Franklin', the 'Hornet' and 'Belleau Wood'. As American radar men detected the incoming aircraft, forty-eight F6F Hellcats were scrambled. After twenty minutes, eighteen of the unarmoured G4M2s and ten Zeros had been destroyed for the loss of a single F6F...the attack was aborted by the Japanese.
On April 12th the eighteen year old radar man aboard 'Mannert L. Abele' detected a force of unidentified aircraft approaching his ship which was part of TF 54, responsible for providing naval gunfire for the Okinawa landings. The first enemy aircraft to appear in visual range were three 'Aichi' dive bombers which were by then obsolete. These were taken care of quickly by AA fire from the task force but twenty minutes later, thirty to forty Japanese aircraft were swarming above the ships. One Zero broke away and, dodging concentrated AA fire, managed to crash into the Mannert L. Abele amidships, taking out the engine room and leaving the destroyer as good as dead in the water. Minutes later, three larger aircraft were spotted approaching the task force when crew aboard nearby vessels caught a glimpse of something sleek and grey arrowing toward the Abele at wave top height at tremendous speed. Hitting the ship at the waterline, the Mannert L. Abele was a good as torn in half and she sank within minutes.
Known to the Japanese as the 'Marudai Special Attack Aircraft' the crews that trained to give their lives in the Okha were known as the 'Jinrai'. Many carried 'the belt of one thousand stitches' which were made by women as gifts. These were said to endow the wearer with invincibility. Many had also undergone marriage ceremonies with a small doll in place of the bride...to me, a tragic ritual since the Kamikaze pilots would never enjoy life whatever the outcome of the war. Others carried sad, imitations of Samurai swords bashed out with inferior materials in factories...men and boys at the same time.
Peace.
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