Kamikaze , officially Shinpū Tokubetsu Kōgekitai , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending to destroy warships more effectively than with conventional air attacks. About 3,800 kamikaze pilots died during the war, and more than 7,000 naval personnel were killed by kamikaze attacks.
USS Bunker Hill, an aircraft carrier, was hit by two kamikazes on 11 May 1945, resulting in 389 personnel dead or missing and 264 wounded.
Kamikaze was a reference to the two typhoons that sank or dispersed Kublai Khan's invading Mongol fleets.
Lt. Yoshinori Yamaguchi's Yokosuka D4Y3 (Type 33 Suisei) "Judy" in a suicide dive against USS Essex on 25 November 1944. The attack left 15 killed and 44 wounded. The dive brakes are extended and the non-self-sealing port wing tank trails fuel vapor and/or smoke.
Model 52c Zeros ready to take part in a kamikaze attack (early 1945)
Japanese Special Attack Units
During World War II, Japanese Special Attack Units , also called shimbu-tai, were specialized units of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Imperial Japanese Army normally used for suicide missions. They included kamikaze aircraft, fukuryu frogmen, and several types of suicide boats and submarines.
On April 11, 1945, a Navy Type 0 carrier fighter of the Kamikaze Special Attack Squadron's 5th Kemmu Squadron (piloted by Flight Sgt. Setsuo Ishino) just before entering the Missouri of the United States Navy.
On April 12, 1945, a fighter plane " Hayabusa" (flown by Sub-lieutenant Toshio Anazawa) of the 20th Shimbu Squadron of the Army Special Attack Unit is seen departing from Chiran Army Airfield, while female students of the Nadeshiko Squadron of Chiran Town High School for Girls look on.
USS Lexington museum in Corpus Christi, Texas. An account of the suicide attack Lexington suffered on November 5, 1944 (a suicide plane hit the Rising Sun Flag spot).
Ohka at the Yasukuni Shrine
