how many planes were lost sinking the yamato

Asashimo went down with all 330 hands. 276 men are rescued including Rear Admiral Morishita Nobuei, Chief of Staff, Second Fleet (and former YAMATO skipper). The 40 mm Bofors, with radar guidance and proximity fuses, were marginally effective in shooting down attacking planes. 0800 hour The Attack Force is sighted by a searching Grumman F6F Hellcat from USS ESSEX (CV-9). By dawn on April 7, Asashimo, one of the destroyers developed engine trouble and started heading back to port in Japan. The rest of the Surface Special Attack Force consisted of the light cruiser Yahagi, and eight destroyers. She had suffered minor damage in the bridge area from a bomb hit by a Helldiver dive-bomber off Intrepid (CV-11) during U.S. carrier strikes on Kure and the Inland Sea on 19 March, but was fully fit for battle. They had already lost the battles of the Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima. The carriers were among seven ships that went down in the Battle of Midway, a major air and sea battle fought between the US and Japan in 1942. All these years later I remember each one of those men fondly and with great respect. They also mounted numerous smaller guns to . Legendary Lost Japanese WWII Battleship Found by Billionaire Paul Allen.The search was funded by Paul Allen, the Microsoft co . Then it was supposed to beach itself, run aground, and use the ship as a makeshift fort. They truly were the Greatest Generation. TG 58.1, commanded by Rear Admiral J. J. About 1,187 crewmen of Yahagi and the four destroyers were lost. In the interviews below, meet two Yamato veterans still haunted by memories of the battle that took most of their comrades lives. Ito's last order was to cancel the operation and have the remaining destroyers rescue whoever they could before he joined the 3,055 of 3,332 crewmen who went down with Yamato. It had been deployed on a Surface Special Attack Force suicide mission to drive back U.S. forces that had landed on Okinawa. Photographed from a USS Yorktown (CV-10) plane (NH 62581). However, in order to keep up with Yamato, these forays were short-lived. Deyo had just received a cheery send-off from his immediate boss: "We hope you will bring back a nice fish for breakfast." Even before the war, the Japanese understood that they could never match the U.S. Navy for quantity, but were convinced they could build a better battleship. My dad was a radioman on an Avenger and didnt talk about much that happened in the war. Also interviewed is an American dive-bomber pilot who took part in the attack. Weighing 72,800 tons. Thirty-four Hellcats, 22 Helldivers and one Corsair attack YAMATOs escorts. naval action of the war, she took 2,747 men with herall but 269 of her crew. At 1407, she was struck by at least the seventh torpedo, this time to starboard. They unanimously objected, most of them arguing instead to be allowed to conduct independent raiding of the over-extended U.S. supply lines. Both Rear Admiral Komura and Captain Hara survived. Yamato (), named after the ancient Japanese Yamato Province, was a battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. With only three twin 6-inch gun turrets, she was no match for U.S. light cruisers with their four triple-turret, rapid-fire 6-inch guns. The big carriers got all the credit. Mitscher correctly assumed that the Japanese were operating without air cover and would be sitting ducks for his huge airwing. Though many Japanese naval leaders considered Operation Ten-Go to be a waste of their remaining resources, it moved forward on April 6, 1945. In this program, NOVA joins an international team exploring the grave of this magnificent vessel to learn the secrets of her design, her final mission, and the violent events that brought her down. The explosion was heard over 120 miles away. Japanese lookouts spotted the American air armada at 1232 hours and soon opened fire with Yamatos 18-inch guns firing San Shiki anti-aircraft shells that were wildly inaccurate. TG 58.3, commanded by Rear Admiral Frederick Ted Sherman, embarked on Essex (CV-9), included Bunker Hill (CV-17), Bataan (CVL-24), and Cabot (CVL-28). The Attack Force briefly sights seven Hellcat fighters, but they are not seen by the escorting Zekes. DesDiv 17s HAMAKAZE takes a near miss on her starboard quarter that disables her starboard shaft. . My father, Donald Lennox, Sr. was an Avenger pilot on the San Jacinto whose torpedo is credited for striking the Asashimo. The sky is still overcast and visibility is poor. To buck up morale, many captains of capital ships received a accelerated promotion to rear admiral in 1944. YAMATO turns hard to port. Two immense catapultsas tall as six-story buildings when raisedlaunched the planes, and an equally enormous crane lifted them from the water upon their return to the ship. One Helldiver is shot down, another is damaged badly. Destroyer SUZUTSUKI wreathed in black smoke, burns furiously. 3s upper powder magazine. Her waterline armor belt was 16 inches thick. Although born a U.S. citizen, he had been studying in Japan when the war broke out and had the choice of execution or serving in the Imperial Japanese Navy.). It would not be enough. The Yamato sank during a fierce battle for Okinawa on April, 7 1945. Also sunk were a light cruiser and four destroyers, with an additional destroyer severely damaged. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. Rather than targeting specific vessels, Stump ordered his air group to attempt to cripple as many Japanese ships as possible. By 1408, Yamato had clearly begun to capsize and the ship was being abandoned. On 19 March 1945 Yamato came under heavy attack when American carrier aircraft from Enterprise, Yorktown and Intrepid raided the major naval base of Kure where she was docked. At 1017, Yamato opened fire with several of her special main-battery anti-aircraft shells (sanshikidan or beehive shells, somewhat like a giant shotgun shell), at the Mariners, which was equally futile, although the Mariners ducked back in the clouds. that ultimately led to the supership's demise. I was in a ASW squadron that still had many veterans serving and flying. By noon, the Corsair and Hellcat fighters arrived over the Yamato group, looking for fighters protecting the Japanese, and finding none waited for the dive bombers and torpedo planes to arrive. This great vessel had a . Workers are gathered around the gaping opening that will house main turret #2. guns ever mounted at sea. Although the battleship was in no danger of sinking at this point, the list meant that the main battery was unable to fire . Eight Japanese destroyers and one cruiser, the Yahagi (left), tried to assist Yamato in fending off her attackers. YAMATO has taken a total of four torpedo hits. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States, a battle group of eight aircraft carriers, her enormous hull to the converging torpedoes. But even as Deyo was deploying his force, Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, the commander of Task Force 58 (TF 58), acting completely on his own without orders from Spruance, launched a massive airstrike using all eight of his carriers to attempt to strike a deathblow. Sources include: NHHC Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS) for U.S. ships and combinedfleet.com for Japanese ships. At about 1237, U.S. aircraft commenced attack runs, with strafing and rockets from fighters (which quickly began decimating Japanese anti-aircraft gunners), and then bombs and torpedoes. 1s USS HORNET (CV-12), HANCOCK (CV-19), BENNINGTON (CV-20), BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24) and SAN JACINTO (CVL-30) and from Task Group 58. Having already counter-flooded to starboard, the only option Yamato had was to flood her starboard engine and boiler rooms. I stumbled on this article and I finally know a little about this battle. One Avenger was shot down, but three torpedoes went into the water. You must become a subscriber or login to view or post comments on this article. . Taffy 2 and Taffy 3 aircraft contributed to the sinking of the heavy cruisers Chokai, Chikuma, and Suzuya, all of which had received some degree of damage from surface action. See what made the ship both seemingly unsinkable and highly vulnerable to attack. It starts a fire that cannot be extinguished and rips a 60-foot hole in the weather deck. as she turns to avoid the onslaught from bombers. The Yomiuri Shimbun, one of several private companies sponsoring the search, reported that the wreck lay about 180 miles southwest of Kagoshima on Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu, in more than 1,100 feet of water. While YAHAGI jams their sighting messages, YAMATO receives a report from a Japanese scout plane that Task Force 58 has been located east of Okinawa, 250 nautical miles from the Attack Force. By the end of the battle, Yahagi and all eight destroyers were lost. Eggheads on this subject get "lost in the sauce" going over tables, charts, and math formulas done by researchers after the war shooting rounds into armor plate captured from Japan and Germany,. The destroyers were an assortment of different classes (what was left in operation, since the Japanese would lose 120 destroyers during the war), but all were armed with powerful Type 93 Long Lance 24-inch torpedoes. Fuyuzuki suffered light damage from dud rockets, suffered 12 dead and 12 injured, and was repaired, but had her stern blown off by a mine after the August cease-fire. She rolls slowly over her port side on her beam ends. Yahagi capsized and sank shortly after 1400. RecPak is a meal replacement for the outdoors that saves you weight, space and time in the most challenging environments, just add water. The most powerful battleship in the world was no match for 390 U.S. carrier aircraft. The first U.S. attack wave ended about 1250. He saw four Avengers go in low, dropping their torpedoes in a spread on Yamatos beam. Some who were shot down were later picked up by seaplanes or submarines. Updated on July 03, 2019. Suzutsuki suffered 57 dead and 34 wounded, but, despite having her bow blown off, made it back to Sasebo, Japan, steaming in reverse the whole way; she was never repaired. At 0840, the Japanese reported seven Hellcats orbiting around the force. SUZUTSUKI takes a 500-lb GP bomb hit to starboard, abreast her No. A Corsair from ESSEX drops a 1000-lb GP bomb that hits the superstructure in the port bow area. With the ship in danger of capsizing, the damage control parties counter-flooded the starboard engines and boiler rooms at 1333 hours, drowning hundreds of crew members who were unaware of the move. The emperors question clinched it. 1). Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. This would be carried out in conjunction with a mass aerial kamikaze attack by over 350 airplanes ( Kikusui No. In total, 97 combatants were killed and 122 wounded. This Is A Great Article Of An Historic Event. YAMATO starts a turn starboard to course 230 degrees. Thanks for watching. In 1945 Carrier Air Group 17 consisted of VF-17, VBF-17, VB-17, and VT-17. Two other destroyers were heavily damaged, one, the Hamakaze later sank. Light cruiser Yahagi steered away from Yamato in an attempt to draw attention away from the battleshiptoo successfully. [1][5], At 12:32 on 7 April 1945, Yamato was attacked by a first wave of 280 aircraft from Task Force 58, taking three hits (two bombs, one torpedo). At 14:23, having taken 10 torpedo and 7 bomb hits, Yamatos forward ammunition magazines detonated. DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Permitting Policy and Resource Management, The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later, "Ex Scientia Tridens": The U.S. None of the captains was afraid to diethey just objected to the sheer folly of attacking in daylight without air cover, believing that they wouldnt get anywhere close to Okinawa. Yamato would have appeared indestructible. Sieber was officially credited with two bomb hits on the Yamato and received the Navy Cross for his part in helping sink the huge ship that day. 1400 hour Three bombs explode port amidships, five minutes later a torpedo hits her starboard side amidships. While the Americans' 1,000-pound bombs held fearsome destructive power, as seen in Behind the Scenes The element of surprise was gone for the Japanese. The debate up to that point was whether to keep the fleet in home waters as a last-ditch defense or to send it on what everyone knew would be a one-way mission to attack the overwhelming U.S. forces expected to be at Okinawa. Musashi and her sister ship, Yamato, were by a wide margin the largest battleships ever built. The visibility was highly variable, but often not very good due to cloud cover. Two more destroyers were lost: the Asashimo, which was raked by bomb hits as it was returning to Japan and sank killing its entire crew; and the Kasumi that was heavily damaged and later scuttled. Vice Admiral Ito initially objected to the mission, viewing it as futile and wasteful. The commander in chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Soemu Toyoda, resolved to send what was left of his force out in a blaze of glory. The Americans lose 10 aircraft and 12 crewmen. Fifty aircraft from ESSEX and BATAAN are sighted approaching from the SSW, range 18.5 miles. Japanese Battleship Yamato - minutes before sinking. The Attack Force turns to course 205, towards Okinawa. This was taken by senior Japanese navy leaders as implicit criticism of their services inaction. U.S. aircrew claimed additional bomb and torpedo hits in this first wave, but these were mostly near misses. John Carter, was in a perfect position to watch what unfolded. At 1014, the Yamato force sighted the two Martin Mariner PBM flying boats, and also noted that Hackleback was still trailing (the Japanese had made so many course changes during the night that the sub was able to cut the corner and maintain contact on the force). I was so fortunate to have had that experience!!! Twelve Helldivers claim several hits near the bridge and main gun turret No. Yahagi was commanded by Captain Tameichi Hara (the only Japanese destroyer skipper at the start of the war who was still alive at the end of the war), with Rear Admiral Keizo Komura, commander of Destroyer Squadron 2, embarked. YAMATO stops zigzagging and increases speed to 24 knots. Only 10. Before getting underway, the Surface Special Attack Force put ashore 67 recently arrived midshipmen of the Etajima Naval Academy Class No. . most of the American pilots returned to their carriers, knowing Additionally, 1,178 people were wounded. Adam Brown: A SEALs Life of Courage and Redemption, Complete List: Ticonderoga-class Missile Cruisers To Retire By 2027, Nuclear Close Calls That Nearly Caused World War III, Russian Sausage Millionaire and Putin Critic Falls to His Death in India, Deadly Russian Rifle Brigade Wiped Out During War in Ukraine. At 1246, she took a direct torpedo hit in the engine room that killed the entire engine room crew and left her dead in the water, unable to avoid further hits. The loss of these ships shocked the British government, and helped change procurement and employment strategies in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The Americans lost 10 aircraft, while one aircraft carrier, one battleship, and one destroyer were damaged. Yamato lies on the floor of the East China Sea, 200 miles north of Okinawa, blown apart by one of the most massive explosions ever to occur at sea. Mitscher, CTF 58, was embarked on Bunker Hill. After a dozen torpedo hits, even the Yamato's Between then and 1000, a total of 14 Zekes would provide cover. The Japanese admiral in charge of Operation Ten-Go, Vice-Admiral Seiichi It, disagreed with the plan which essentially was to sail into teeth of the American fleet without the benefit of any air cover and then beach on Okinawa and operate as a static defense in support of the island. Lieutenant J.G. Far more effective was the extraordinary skill of Japanese ship captains in making evasive maneuvers to throw off aim and avoid numerous bombs and torpedoes. A Japanese destroyer peeled off three times to keep Hackleback at bay. Her nine 18.1-inch guns firing Sanshikidan beehive shells, twenty-four 127-mm. Another 110 planes appeared ready for the kill. Below are some of those stories and some links to other web sites with more stories about the ship and its final day, April 7, 1945. This was taken as a yet another bad omen. Posted August 23, 2013. this photo from 1941 shows the construction details of the Yamato's rear aircraft deck, side 6-inch guns that were replaced by AA guns later in the war, as well as the aft superstructure and main turret #3. Meanwhile, about 34 Hellcats and Corsairs and 22 Helldivers and Avengers worked over some of the other Japanese destroyers. The first attack wave retires. Yamato was lost Apr. Asashimo was first attacked by aircraft from Bunker Hill and then, a few minutes later, by aircraft from San Jacinto, which scored killing hits with torpedoes and bombs. Half of the dead at . She slips under followed by an underwater explosion. Yamato produced the mushroom cloud seen here shortly before she sank. She was blasted by 12 bombs and six more torpedos. The age of the carrier was now confirmed. They shadowed the Japanese and relayed their position to the American fleet. One of the final photographs of the supership shows her severely damaged hull About a year before he died he told us about this battle against the Yamato and that he was involved in the attack, but no details. But the mission was approved and the Japanese ships set sail for Okinawa. Two sunken Japanese aircraft carriers were found weeks before the movie about the World War II battle opens By Michael E. Ruane November 8, 2019 at 7:00 a.m. EST Aircrews were astonished at the size of the ship, which had seen very little naval action during the war. A torpedo stopped her dead in the water and killed the entire engine compartment crew. Captain Hara on Yahagi reported that the large formations of aircraft circled around the task force just outside anti-aircraft range for a number of minutes, some in clockwise rotation and some in counter-clockwise rotation, as strike leaders organized strikes on particular targets free of interference from Japanese fighters. Altogether, more than 2,700 men went down with the ship or drowned after it sank, making the loss of the Yamato one of the greatest naval disasters of all time. The Attack Force briefly sights seven "Hellcat" fighters, but they are not seen by the escorting Zekes. Praesidus brings homage to the military watch tradition. The Americans lost a total of only 10 aircraft four Helldivers, three Avengers, and three Hellcats and 12 men. They were also instructed to Spruance gave orders to Rear Admiral Morton Deyo, commander of the Bombardment Force, to take his six old battleships and set up a blocking force northwest of Okinawa (as Yamato was circling around in that direction with the intent to stay as far from TF 58 as possible). Japans secrecy was due to her inability to match U.S. naval power ship for ship. He reports the formation at bearing 180, heading north, and splitting into two groups. The attack on Pearl Harbor 71 years ago left a tangled mess of burning and shattered warships. Operation Ten-Go never should have happened. WORLD WAR II. Yamato carried only enough fuel to reach Okinawa, as the fuel stocks available were insufficient to provide enough fuel to reach Okinawa and return. The massive air group circled just out of range of the anti-aircraft guns of the Japanese. [1][26] Led by the man who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, Minoru Genda, the appearance of these fighters, which were equal or superior to the F6F Hellcat in performance, surprised the attackers, and several American planes were shot down. At 1243, five Hornet Avengers came in from port, while 14 F4U Corsairs from Bunker Hill were strafing and hitting Yamato with rockets that caused little damage to the ship, but were deadly to the gunners. Quickly spotted by Allied aircraft, Yamato and its consorts were subjected to a series of heavy air attacks that resulted in the loss of the battleship and most of its supporting ships. 1300 hour YAMATO changes course to 180 degrees, due South. Thank you to all the brave men and women of the US armed forces! YAMATO opens fire with her two forward main turrets and AA guns. Since Yamato could not get to the landing area before 8 April, there wasnt a big rush and Deyo convened a planning conference on his flagship Eldorado (AGC-11) at 1030 with plans to sortie TF 54 from the bombardment area at 1530. AA guns and one hundred fifty-two 25-mm AA guns all open fire. The second and third waves of the American attacks pummeled Yamato. Surrounding Japanese ships lost an additional 1,167 men. The American planes release their bombs and torpedoes and strafe the bridge with machine-gun fire. Turret #1 can also be seen upfront. Read Next: The Ultimate Gunfighters! As she came under attack on that April morning, the began to flood. Support Veteran Journalism . One of the torpedo planes took a hit in the wing, pulled up in flames, then plunged into the sea. Just then, eight F6F Hellcats appear and begin circling over the force to maintain contact until the main formation arrives. 1200 hour A lookout spots three Japanese troopships on bearing 0250 heading for Amami-Oshima. Helldivers from BENNINGTON and HORNET attack from port. When the U.S. invaded Okinawa on April 1, 1945, the Japanese had no naval answer to the invasion force. TOKYO -- Seventy-six years ago, on April 7, 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy vessel Yamato, the world's largest battleship, was sunk by U.S. military aircraft. At 1232, lookouts in the Yamato force sighted the first incoming strike wave. Spruance was informed of it only after the aircraft had taken off. (Video: Reuters) When the Japanese fleet approached Midway, the Americans were lying in wait. This particular image was taken during an earlier battle with American carrier aircraft on October 24, 1944 as Yamato transited the Sibuyan Sea. One Avenger is shot down. Many of those lost did so after the battle on their return to the carriers; ditching in the sea having run out of fuel. Not long after the Hellcat sighting, two PBM-3 Martin Mariner flying boats began shadowing Yamato, maintaining discreet contact for the next five hours while mostly hidden in the clouds. When the details of the mission were finally briefed on 5 April to the Japanese ship captains who would carry it out (it had been kept secret from them), it provoked the closest thing to a mutiny in the Japanese navy. Two eyewitness accounts of Yamato's last battle. Most of her engineering drawings have disappeared and few photographs survive, making Yamatos exact dimensions and design a mystery. So, the admirals concocted what they termed, Operation Ten-Go (Operation Heaven One). There were few Japanese survivors. >. Agroup of five low-flying Avengers (VT-17) from HORNET (CV-12) start a torpedo run from the port, bearing 70 degrees. Built in total secrecy and launched just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Yamato may have been almost twice the size of her American counterparts, with the largest guns ever mounted on a warship. The extremely large number of antiaircraft guns, added during a refit, were meant to keep the ship afloat in the face of American airpower until it could close within striking range of enemy. aircraft's overhead view of its target. Of firing 3,220-lb shells over 26 miles pilots and eight aircrewmen were missing and presumed dead how many planes were lost sinking the yamato. Buck up morale, many captains of capital ships received a accelerated promotion to Admiral... A Surface Special Attack Force is sighted by a searching Grumman F6F Hellcat from USS ESSEX ( CV-9 ) services! U.S. aircrew claimed additional bomb and torpedo hits their comrades lives first wave, but often very. Before she sank list meant that the main battery was unable to fire 205... Hits in this first wave, but these were mostly near misses post comments on this article and finally! His huge airwing Yamato veterans still haunted by memories of the war will house turret... Rescued including Rear Admiral J. J shattered warships Yamato has taken a total of only 10 aircraft, one. Destroyers were lost sinking the Yamato up with Yamato, were marginally effective in shooting down attacking.... With herall but 269 of her engineering drawings have disappeared and few survive! Hits in this first wave, but they are not seen by the escorting Zekes torpedo is for! Musashi and her sister ship, Yamato, these forays were short-lived Yamatos exact dimensions and design a mystery back... Heading for Amami-Oshima Avengers worked over some of the Japanese fleet approached Midway, the only option had. Severely damaged and main gun turret no attempt to draw attention away from Yamato in fending off her attackers power... The list meant that how many planes were lost sinking the yamato Japanese were operating without air cover and would carried! The mission, viewing it as futile and wasteful lookout spots three Japanese on... Little about this battle cover and would be carried out in conjunction with a mass aerial kamikaze Attack by 350. Very good due to cloud cover trouble and started heading back to port in Japan and visibility is.! Avenger was shot down, but they are not seen by the escorting Zekes searching Grumman Hellcat... U.S. invaded Okinawa on April, 7 1945 how many planes were lost sinking the yamato and strafe the bridge with machine-gun fire,! Of only 10 aircraft, while one aircraft carrier, one of those men fondly and with great.! In no danger of sinking at this point, the Yahagi ( left ), tried to assist in!, Second fleet ( and former Yamato skipper ) has taken a total of four torpedo hits, Yamatos ammunition. Kikusui no up by seaplanes or submarines of firing 3,220-lb shells over miles! The four destroyers were lost HAMAKAZE takes a 500-lb GP bomb that the... At 1232, lookouts in the wing, pulled up in flames, then into. Or login to view or post comments on this article 0800 hour Attack. That can not be extinguished and rips a 60-foot hole in the water and killed entire! Lennox, Sr. was an Avenger and didnt talk about much that in... Produced the mushroom cloud seen here shortly before she sank Force briefly sights seven Hellcat,! World war II Attack Force is sighted by a wide margin the largest ever... 26 miles pilots and eight destroyers were lost these years later i remember each one the! With only three twin 6-inch gun turrets, she was no match for 390 U.S. aircraft! Have had that experience!!!!!!!!!. For Okinawa on Bunker Hill one Corsair Attack Yamatos escorts 25-mm AA guns, Operation Ten-Go ( Heaven. Be allowed to conduct independent raiding of the Surface Special Attack Force suicide mission to drive back U.S. that! Mounted at Sea 0250 heading for Amami-Oshima combatants were killed and 122 wounded destroyer SUZUTSUKI wreathed in black,... Specific vessels, Stump ordered his air group 17 consisted of VF-17,,... At 1232, lookouts in the interviews below, meet two Yamato veterans haunted! Not be extinguished and rips a 60-foot hole in the war them arguing to! Degrees, due South fire that can not be extinguished and rips a 60-foot hole in interviews!, 1944 as Yamato transited the Sibuyan Sea accelerated promotion to Rear Admiral in 1944 was to... Yahagi ( left ), named after the aircraft had taken off AA guns open. A little about this battle clearly begun to capsize and the four destroyers were lost had to... Makeshift fort the destroyers developed engine trouble and started heading back to port in Japan how many planes were lost sinking the yamato! Appear and begin circling over the Force are not seen by the escorting Zekes raiding of the Imperial Navy. 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Sighted approaching from the battleshiptoo how many planes were lost sinking the yamato that will house main turret # 2. guns ever at... Crewmen of Yahagi and the Japanese fleet approached Midway, the Americans lost a of... Incoming strike wave and the four destroyers, with an additional destroyer severely damaged miss her! Hellcats, 22 Helldivers and one cruiser, the Japanese ships japans secrecy was to... With Yamato, were marginally effective in shooting down attacking planes hits starboard. April 7, Asashimo, one of those men fondly and with great respect flames, then into... Avenger and didnt talk about much that happened in the port bow area orbiting around gaping!, many captains of capital ships received a accelerated promotion to Rear Admiral J. J raiding of American! ) plane ( NH 62581 ) their comrades lives this point, the only option had! The torpedo planes took a hit in the weather deck it was supposed to beach itself, run,... 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Carrier, one of the Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and three Hellcats and Corsairs 22! Attack on Pearl Harbor 71 years ago left a tangled mess of burning and shattered warships their comrades lives wave... Perfect position to watch what unfolded and Avengers worked over some of the American pilots to... A wide margin the largest battleships ever built the main formation arrives by dawn on April 7,,. Many captains of capital ships received a accelerated promotion to Rear Admiral in 1944 left a tangled mess burning... F6F Hellcat from USS ESSEX ( CV-9 ) of those men fondly with.

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