The Twilight Warriors Part 21

34

BOTTOM OF THE BARREL BOTTOM OF THE BARREL KANOYA AIR BASE, KYUSHU

MAY 1, 1945

Matome Ugaki had a bad case of diarrhea. The problem only worsened the admiral's foul mood, which was caused by the news from Europe. Mussolini had been captured and executed by his own people. The Russians were in the streets of Berlin. Hitler had committed suicide.

Ugaki thought the Fuehrer's death was a tragedy. "But his spirit will remain long with the German nation," he wrote in his diary, "while the United States and Britain will suffer from communism some day and regret that their powerful supporter, Hitler, was killed."

Another floating chrysanthemum operation-kikusui No. 5-was supposed to be coordinated with the counteroffensive by Us.h.i.+jima's 32nd Army on Okinawa. Ugaki was skeptical of the army's chances. "This attempt does not have much prospect of success," he wrote, "but better to be venturesome, hoping to put up a fight while they have enough guts, than to be knocked while idle." No. 5-was supposed to be coordinated with the counteroffensive by Us.h.i.+jima's 32nd Army on Okinawa. Ugaki was skeptical of the army's chances. "This attempt does not have much prospect of success," he wrote, "but better to be venturesome, hoping to put up a fight while they have enough guts, than to be knocked while idle."

Ugaki was sending every plane he could muster into this next kikusui kikusui. It wasn't enough-only 125 dedicated tokko tokko aircraft, along with an equal number of conventional warplanes-but the admiral retained his high hopes. He was sure that with improved tactics they would cause even more destruction to the Americans than in the first days when the aircraft, along with an equal number of conventional warplanes-but the admiral retained his high hopes. He was sure that with improved tactics they would cause even more destruction to the Americans than in the first days when the tokkotai tokkotai were at full strength. The trouble was, American B-29s were showing up almost every night, cratering runways and making it risky to a.s.semble the waves of were at full strength. The trouble was, American B-29s were showing up almost every night, cratering runways and making it risky to a.s.semble the waves of tokko tokko airplanes. airplanes.

In the waning light of May 3, during a break from the bombers, Ugaki's first wave of kikusui kikusui No. 5 rumbled into the sky. No. 5 rumbled into the sky.

To the tin can sailors on RP10, 73 miles west of Okinawa, it was the same old story-blips on the radar, klaxons blaring, bullhorns ordering the crews to battle stations. CAP fighters roared overhead, heading northward to intercept incoming bogeys. Nervous gunners aboard the tin cans peered into the pale gray sky.

A sailor with a dark sense of humor put up a sign on his destroyer with an arrow pointing eastward: "Carriers That Way."

Radarmen aboard the destroyer-minelayer Aaron Ward Aaron Ward and destroyer and destroyer Little Little were tracking a swarm of incoming bogeys. The fighter CAP-four F6F h.e.l.lcats-had already engaged the attackers, but they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Two dozen kamikazes swept over the destroyers and their four accompanying gunboats. were tracking a swarm of incoming bogeys. The fighter CAP-four F6F h.e.l.lcats-had already engaged the attackers, but they were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Two dozen kamikazes swept over the destroyers and their four accompanying gunboats.

Within minutes, the picket s.h.i.+ps were fighting for their lives. Ward Ward's gunners splashed the first two attackers, both Vals. Then came a faster-moving Zero fighter on the port side. Just before impact, the Zero released its 550-pound bomb. The explosion killed more than a dozen crewmen, jamming her rudder to port and slowing the s.h.i.+p to a crawl.

It seemed a replay of the Laffey Laffey ordeal two weeks ago. Sensing blood, more kamikazes appeared, but ordeal two weeks ago. Sensing blood, more kamikazes appeared, but Ward Ward's gunners turned them away. She was out of danger, but only for the moment.

The nearby Little Little was in just as much trouble. Her gunners downed one kamikaze, then another, but it wasn't enough. Four more, one after another, crashed into was in just as much trouble. Her gunners downed one kamikaze, then another, but it wasn't enough. Four more, one after another, crashed into Little Little, wrecking the destroyer's superstructure and breaking her keel. With the s.h.i.+p listing severely to starboard, her rails nearly submerged, Little Little's skipper, Cmdr. Madison Hall, gave the order to abandon s.h.i.+p.

The order didn't come too soon. Four minutes later, Little Little sank in 850 fathoms of water, taking thirty of her crew with her. sank in 850 fathoms of water, taking thirty of her crew with her.

The carnage on RP10 continued. LSM(R)-195, a rocket-firing amphibious support craft, was at full speed to a.s.sist the destroyers when she came under attack by a pair of kamikazes. The 203-foot-long gunboat lacked both the firepower and the speed to fight off the kamikazes. One crashed into her port side, exploding her rocket magazines, flinging fire and shrapnel around the decks. In fifteen minutes, the amphibious craft was gone.

Meanwhile, more kamikazes were pouncing on the damaged and smoking Aaron Ward. Ward Aaron Ward. Ward's gunners fought back, shooting down three attackers. Then, in quick succession, the destroyer took five more kamikaze strikes and bombs on her main deck, her hull on the port side, her superstructure aft, and her number two stack. Her engines were dead. Ward Ward lay adrift, burning in the gathering darkness. lay adrift, burning in the gathering darkness.

Incredibly, the destroyer stayed afloat. Through the long night Ward Ward's crew, aided by the destroyer Shannon Shannon and two gunboats, fought to save the s.h.i.+p. Early the next morning, the shattered but still defiant and two gunboats, fought to save the s.h.i.+p. Early the next morning, the shattered but still defiant Aaron Ward Aaron Ward arrived under tow in Kerama Retto. arrived under tow in Kerama Retto.

For its opening day, kikusui kikusui No. 5 had been impressive. Two U.S. s.h.i.+ps had gone to the bottom of the East China Sea. Several others were damaged, including No. 5 had been impressive. Two U.S. s.h.i.+ps had gone to the bottom of the East China Sea. Several others were damaged, including Aaron Ward Aaron Ward, so badly mangled she was out of the war. In the brief action of May 3, the picket s.h.i.+ps had suffered 248 casualties. To the sailors on the tin cans, it didn't seem that it could get much worse.

They were wrong.

Biplanes? The gunners on the destroyer The gunners on the destroyer Morrison Morrison the next morning couldn't believe what they were seeing. They peered through the pall of smoke at the apparitions coming toward them. There were seven of them-old-fas.h.i.+oned biplanes, equipped with floats. They were lumbering toward the next morning couldn't believe what they were seeing. They peered through the pall of smoke at the apparitions coming toward them. There were seven of them-old-fas.h.i.+oned biplanes, equipped with floats. They were lumbering toward Morrison Morrison at the approximate speed of a Jeep. Each of the ancient floatplanes had a 250-kilogram bomb strapped beneath it. at the approximate speed of a Jeep. Each of the ancient floatplanes had a 250-kilogram bomb strapped beneath it.

It was the latest twist in the battle at RP1. Since dawn Morrison Morrison, her accompanying destroyer, Ingraham Ingraham, and their four gunboats had been under siege by a continuous wave of kamikazes. CAP Corsairs had already taken down four at close range to Morrison Morrison, and two more were splashed by the destroyer's guns. One of the bogeys, chased by a Corsair, glanced off Morrison Morrison's bridge and crashed close astern. Another sheared a wing on the destroyer's bridge.

Then Morrison Morrison's luck had run out. Two Zeroes, pursued by Corsairs and hammered with antiaircraft fire, exploded into the destroyer's topside, opening her hull and setting the s.h.i.+p ablaze. It was then, while the crew was battling the fire, straining to pick out the next wave of kamikazes through the smoke, that they saw the biplanes.

Code-named "Dave," the antiquated aircraft were, in fact, highly effective kamikazes. Their wood-and-fabric structure made them nearly invisible on search radars. The proximity fuses of antiaircraft sh.e.l.ls failed to detonate when they whizzed past the flimsy craft. Pilots of high-speed CAP fighters were having a devilishly hard time shooting the twisting, slow-moving biplanes.

On they came. Looming out of the smoke, one of the biplanes crashed into Morrison Morrison's aft 5-inch mount, lighting off the magazine and causing a cataclysmic explosion. A second biplane, in no hurry, landed in the water behind the destroyer long enough to elude a pursuing Corsair, then took off again. The kamikaze continued straight into Morrison Morrison's stern, touching off another magazine explosion.

It was the final blow for Morrison Morrison. Ripped apart, the destroyer rolled to starboard and sank stern first. One hundred fifty-two men-nearly half Morrison Morrison's crew-went down with her.

The battle wasn't going any better for Morrison Morrison's escorts. One of the gunboats, LSM(R)-194, was caught in the stern by a diving Val. Within minutes her bow tilted up and she joined Morrison Morrison at the bottom of the sea. Thirteen men aboard the rocket-firing LSM went down with her. at the bottom of the sea. Thirteen men aboard the rocket-firing LSM went down with her.

It was a sobering sight for the crew of the nearby destroyer Ingraham Ingraham, who had watched Morrison Morrison's death throes while they fought off their own attackers. Now the kamikazes were turning their full attention to Ingraham. Ingraham Ingraham. Ingraham's gunners and the CAP fighters shot down a succession of attackers, but it wasn't enough. Ingraham Ingraham had two near misses before a Zero crashed near her number two 5-inch mount, flooding the forward fire room and killing fourteen men. had two near misses before a Zero crashed near her number two 5-inch mount, flooding the forward fire room and killing fourteen men.

The CAP fighter pilots overhead were astonished at the variety of kamikaze warplanes-everything from Betty bombers and Zero fighters to training planes and museum-piece biplanes. The j.a.panese were sc.r.a.ping the bottom of the barrel. Did they have anything left to throw at the Americans?

They did. In the murky sky over RP14, Sub-Lt. Susumu Ohas.h.i.+ was lowering himself through the bomb bay of the twin-engine Mitsubis.h.i.+ Ki-46 "Dinah" bomber, settling into the c.o.c.kpit of his Ohka Ohka guided bomb. Ohas.h.i.+ was one of seven Thunder G.o.ds of the 7th Cherry Blossom Unit who had launched that morning from Kanoya airfield. guided bomb. Ohas.h.i.+ was one of seven Thunder G.o.ds of the 7th Cherry Blossom Unit who had launched that morning from Kanoya airfield.

The Dinah bombers were an improvement over the slower G4M Bettys that carried the first Ohka Ohka guided bombs. Originally designed as reconnaissance aircraft, the Dinah was faster than the Betty, but it was more lightly armored. Now the pilot of Ohas.h.i.+'s Dinah was becoming anxious. Enemy fighters had just spotted them. They were already swooping in a pursuit curve onto the bomber's tail. Machine gun tracers were converging on the Dinah. guided bombs. Originally designed as reconnaissance aircraft, the Dinah was faster than the Betty, but it was more lightly armored. Now the pilot of Ohas.h.i.+'s Dinah was becoming anxious. Enemy fighters had just spotted them. They were already swooping in a pursuit curve onto the bomber's tail. Machine gun tracers were converging on the Dinah.

The Dinah pilot wasn't waiting any longer. He gave the signal to Susumu Ohas.h.i.+, who had just strapped himself into the c.o.c.kpit of the Ohka: Ohka: ready or not, he was going to be released ready or not, he was going to be released now now.

The gunners on the minelayer Shea Shea were cursing the smoke. The visibility around them and their escorts was now less than three miles, and it was because of the d.a.m.ned smoke screen someone had laid down back at the Hagus.h.i.+ anchorage. The smoke had drifted northward until it covered were cursing the smoke. The visibility around them and their escorts was now less than three miles, and it was because of the d.a.m.ned smoke screen someone had laid down back at the Hagus.h.i.+ anchorage. The smoke had drifted northward until it covered Shea Shea and her escorts on their picket station. and her escorts on their picket station. Shea Shea's nervous gunners were squinting through the murk, trying to pick out the first ominous silhouettes of incoming bogeys.

At 0857, they spotted one. It was a twin-engine bomber, still high, at the upper edge of the haze blanket. A pair of FM-2 Wildcat fighters was already after it, guns blazing. The bomber would be splashed before it came close enough to threaten Shea Shea and her entourage. There was nothing to worry about. and her entourage. There was nothing to worry about.

High above, the Wildcat pilots were pouring machine gun fire into the Dinah bomber when they glimpsed something peculiar. An odd-shaped object dropped from the bomber's belly. Not until a few seconds later, when they saw fire spit from the object's tail, did they know what it was. Then it was too late.

The Ohka Ohka was accelerating like a bullet. One of the Wildcats dove after the weird-looking aircraft, but it was no contest. The rocket-boosted guided bomb was already moving at 350 knots, becoming a distant speck in the Wildcat pilot's gun sight. was accelerating like a bullet. One of the Wildcats dove after the weird-looking aircraft, but it was no contest. The rocket-boosted guided bomb was already moving at 350 knots, becoming a distant speck in the Wildcat pilot's gun sight.

Down below, the startled gunners on the Shea Shea had almost no warning. The gnatlike object came screaming out of the hazy murk, aimed like a meteor for the bridge of their s.h.i.+p. Gun captains were yelling commands, trying to track the object, but it was unstoppable. had almost no warning. The gnatlike object came screaming out of the hazy murk, aimed like a meteor for the bridge of their s.h.i.+p. Gun captains were yelling commands, trying to track the object, but it was unstoppable.

The Ohka Ohka slammed like a battering ram into the starboard side of slammed like a battering ram into the starboard side of Shea Shea's bridge superstructure-and kept going. A millisecond later, the Ohka Ohka emerged on the other side, leaving a large exit hole in emerged on the other side, leaving a large exit hole in Shea Shea's port hull. Not until the warhead of the Ohka Ohka was 15 feet past the s.h.i.+p's hull did it explode. was 15 feet past the s.h.i.+p's hull did it explode.

Shea rocked from the external blast. Several frames were buckled and plates were ruptured. Twenty-seven men were killed in the attack, and 130 were wounded. rocked from the external blast. Several frames were buckled and plates were ruptured. Twenty-seven men were killed in the attack, and 130 were wounded. Shea Shea had been punctured from one side to the other, but the minelayer could still make her own way and was in no danger of sinking. had been punctured from one side to the other, but the minelayer could still make her own way and was in no danger of sinking.

Shea had been saved by a miracle-and by the ballistics of the had been saved by a miracle-and by the ballistics of the Ohka Ohka, which was designed to penetrate heavy armor, not the thin skin of a minelayer such as USS Shea Shea.

At Hagus.h.i.+ anchorage, the gunners aboard the heavy cruiser Birmingham Birmingham were busy. were busy. Birmingham Birmingham was the flags.h.i.+p of surface force commander Rear Adm. Mort Deyo, and it had been under attack most of the morning by kamikazes coming from the sea. While the gunners were preoccupied, a lone Oscar was sneaking in from over the island of Okinawa, undetected on radar. was the flags.h.i.+p of surface force commander Rear Adm. Mort Deyo, and it had been under attack most of the morning by kamikazes coming from the sea. While the gunners were preoccupied, a lone Oscar was sneaking in from over the island of Okinawa, undetected on radar.

No one spotted the kamikaze until he was just a mile out. The close-in 20-millimeter guns opened fire, but it was too late. The bomb-carrying Oscar plunged into Birmingham Birmingham's number two 6-inch forward turret, exploding downward into the s.p.a.ces below.

For half an hour flames poured from the cruiser. Fifty-one men were killed, including most of the s.h.i.+p's medical corpsmen, who were concentrated in the s.h.i.+p's wardroom and main casualty center. Eighty-one more were wounded. Birmingham Birmingham was so badly damaged she had to retire to Guam for repairs. was so badly damaged she had to retire to Guam for repairs.

The Americans weren't the only targets that morning. Operating off the Sakis.h.i.+ma Gunto, the southern island group between Okinawa and Formosa, British Task Force 57 was bombarding the j.a.panese airfields of n.o.bara and Suk.u.ma.

The Royal Navy task force had joined the U.S. Fifth Fleet in March 1945, with the responsibility of covering the southern approaches to Okinawa. Now the commander, Vice Adm. Sir Bernard Rawlings, had split off his battles.h.i.+ps and cruisers from his carriers, sending the heavy surface s.h.i.+ps in close to use their heavy guns.

Which, as it turned out, was a tactical mistake. The screen around the British carriers had been weakened. It was an opening the kamikazes quickly exploited.

At 1131 on May 4, a Zero wound its way through the British CAP fighters and the antiaircraft barrage and crashed into the flight deck of the carrier HMS Formidable Formidable. There was a fireball, a number of casualties, and damage to parked airplanes and deck equipment. The kamikaze had splattered on Formidable Formidable's armored flight deck like a scrambled egg.

And that was it. No raging fires or cataclysmic explosions. The carrier shrugged off the hit and continued operating.

The incident revealed a crucial design difference between British and American aircraft carriers. All the U.S. flattops, including the newest Ess.e.x-cla.s.s fast carriers such as Intrepid Intrepid, had wooden flight decks. With deadly frequency kamikazes were punching through the wooden decks like knives through cardboard, exploding into the packed hangar bays.

The wooden decks were a carryover from 1930s aircraft carrier design. Wood could be more easily repaired than steel and, in theory, the lighter wooden decks allowed the s.h.i.+ps to carry more airplanes.

No one had foreseen the specter of suicide planes cras.h.i.+ng through the wooden planking. Now U.S. carrier skippers, watching the kamikazes ricochet off the British steel decks, were already thinking about the future. Postwar U.S. Navy aircraft carriers would not have wooden decks.

35

GONE WITH THE SPRING GONE WITH THE SPRING AGANA, GUAM

MAY 5, 1945

Lt. (jg) Windy Hill's loathing of submarines had reached a new intensity. After what seemed like years but was only a few weeks, the Sea Dog Sea Dog finished her war patrol and pulled into Guam. With his flight gear in a pillowcase over his shoulder, wearing sandals and a borrowed s.h.i.+rt and trousers, Hill stepped ash.o.r.e. It was his first time on dry land since the day in March when he flew his last combat mission from finished her war patrol and pulled into Guam. With his flight gear in a pillowcase over his shoulder, wearing sandals and a borrowed s.h.i.+rt and trousers, Hill stepped ash.o.r.e. It was his first time on dry land since the day in March when he flew his last combat mission from Intrepid Intrepid.

Hill's cruise aboard the Sea Dog Sea Dog had revealed to him the vast culture gap between airedales and submariners. Submarine officers, he discovered, didn't gather in a stateroom at night to sip c.o.o.n Range and swap stories. As far as he could tell, they didn't sip anything, and in any case, there were no staterooms. had revealed to him the vast culture gap between airedales and submariners. Submarine officers, he discovered, didn't gather in a stateroom at night to sip c.o.o.n Range and swap stories. As far as he could tell, they didn't sip anything, and in any case, there were no staterooms.

Sea Dog's officers had invited him to join them at their rest-and-recreation camp. Hill politely declined. He'd seen enough of submarines and submariners. Thank you and goodbye.

Hill headed across the naval base, looking for the fleet aviation headquarters, where he would report his return. He didn't make it. En route he spotted a Quonset hut atop a hill that had the unmistakable look of an officers' club. "It took me about one-half of a second to decide where to re-direct my feet," Hill recalled. "I figured the war could get along without me for a while."

It was was an officers' club, and it had a bar. The bartender asked if he wanted a beer. No, Hill said. He wanted an officers' club, and it had a bar. The bartender asked if he wanted a beer. No, Hill said. He wanted six six beers, and he wanted them opened and lined up in front of him. "When I start inhaling these, I don't want to waste time reordering." beers, and he wanted them opened and lined up in front of him. "When I start inhaling these, I don't want to waste time reordering."

He drank the beers. The bartender lined up six more. And so pa.s.sed the afternoon while Hill put the weeks of submarine tedium behind him. Finally he gathered up his pillowcase full of gear and wobbled down the hill to the fleet aviation headquarters. He marched into the headquarters office and announced that he was ready to return to the Intrepid Intrepid.

The duty officer looked at him quizzically. Intrepid? Intrepid? Hill might as well relax and wait awhile. The Hill might as well relax and wait awhile. The Intrepid Intrepid had taken a kamikaze hit off Okinawa. She was on her way back to Pearl Harbor. had taken a kamikaze hit off Okinawa. She was on her way back to Pearl Harbor.

Further up the hill at the naval base on Guam, in the complex of Quonset huts that served as the advance Pacific Ocean Area Headquarters, Adm. Chester Nimitz and his staff were pondering the action reports of the past two days. The j.a.panese had thrown 350 planes into the latest ma.s.sed kamikaze attack-kikusui No. 5. Based on the claims of CAP pilots and air defense gunners, 249 had been shot down. No. 5. Based on the claims of CAP pilots and air defense gunners, 249 had been shot down.

Even though kikusui kikusui No. 5 was on a smaller scale than most of the previous attacks, the tactics were becoming more deadly. Six U.S. s.h.i.+ps-three destroyers and three gunboats-had been sunk. Ten more had taken extensive damage, most of them finished for the duration of the war. Nearly five hundred Navy men had lost their lives, and an equal number were wounded. No. 5 was on a smaller scale than most of the previous attacks, the tactics were becoming more deadly. Six U.S. s.h.i.+ps-three destroyers and three gunboats-had been sunk. Ten more had taken extensive damage, most of them finished for the duration of the war. Nearly five hundred Navy men had lost their lives, and an equal number were wounded.

The losses only added to Nimitz's frustration over the land battle on Okinawa. As long as the stalemate continued, Nimitz's s.h.i.+ps would be targets for the kamikazes.

In his sheltered command post at Kanoya, the man responsible for kikusui kikusui No. 5 mulled over the same statistics. As usual, Matome Ugaki was inclined to accept the inflated damage reports. "Explosions and the burning of two battles.h.i.+ps, three cruisers, and five unidentified s.h.i.+ps were seen from sh.o.r.e," Ugaki wrote. "Besides the sinking of several cruisers or destroyers and the burning of a battles.h.i.+p were also seen off Kadena. Thus we achieved a great deal of success." No. 5 mulled over the same statistics. As usual, Matome Ugaki was inclined to accept the inflated damage reports. "Explosions and the burning of two battles.h.i.+ps, three cruisers, and five unidentified s.h.i.+ps were seen from sh.o.r.e," Ugaki wrote. "Besides the sinking of several cruisers or destroyers and the burning of a battles.h.i.+p were also seen off Kadena. Thus we achieved a great deal of success."

The fact that the tokko tokko airmen were still misidentifying destroyers as battles.h.i.+ps hadn't registered with Ugaki. Nor had the hopelessness of the land battle on Okinawa. More and more, Ugaki was becoming a victim of his fantasies. In his diary he reported that the "32nd Army sent its appreciation" for the navy's efforts. He was sure that "when our troops can see enemy vessels sunk and set on fire in front of their very eyes and observe planes with the Rising Sun mark fly overhead, their morale will soar." airmen were still misidentifying destroyers as battles.h.i.+ps hadn't registered with Ugaki. Nor had the hopelessness of the land battle on Okinawa. More and more, Ugaki was becoming a victim of his fantasies. In his diary he reported that the "32nd Army sent its appreciation" for the navy's efforts. He was sure that "when our troops can see enemy vessels sunk and set on fire in front of their very eyes and observe planes with the Rising Sun mark fly overhead, their morale will soar."

Ugaki was undaunted by the deteriorating situation at Okinawa. He was already preparing his next floating chrysanthemum attack, kikusui kikusui No. 6. No. 6.

On May 8, there was a lull in the action, as if both sides were absorbing the momentous news: Germany had surrendered. The war in Europe was over.

In the United States, jubilant Americans were in the streets, honking horns, cheering, embracing each other. In j.a.pan, the significance of losing their main ally was minimized by government spokesmen. The new premier, Admiral Kantaro Suzuki, insisted that he was "determined to fight through this war with all I have."

There was little jubilation on Okinawa. To the American soldiers and Marines in the mud-filled trenches of the front line, the end of the war in Europe had as much relevance as a tremor on Mars. Their own war had no foreseeable end. It was clear that the j.a.ps on this miserable island weren't quitting until the last one was dead. Then would come the real real battle. They were going to have to fight for every inch of ground in j.a.pan. battle. They were going to have to fight for every inch of ground in j.a.pan.

Nor did the sailors on the tin cans or the pilots on the carriers have much to celebrate. Sure, the end of the conflict in Europe meant that more military a.s.sets would eventually be sent to the Pacific. In the meantime, there seemed to be no end to the kamikazes.

Vice Adm. Kelly Turner, however, thought that this historic occasion should receive special recognition. From his flags.h.i.+p Eldorado Eldorado he sent an order: precisely at noon on May 8, every big gun ash.o.r.e on Okinawa would fire one round. The barrage would be accompanied by full gun salvoes from the fire support s.h.i.+ps offsh.o.r.e. It would be a dramatic, boisterous salute to the victorious troops in Europe. he sent an order: precisely at noon on May 8, every big gun ash.o.r.e on Okinawa would fire one round. The barrage would be accompanied by full gun salvoes from the fire support s.h.i.+ps offsh.o.r.e. It would be a dramatic, boisterous salute to the victorious troops in Europe.

And so the guns fired. The earth reverberated, and the concussion sent ripples across the mud puddles along the front lines. No one ash.o.r.e or on the s.h.i.+ps was especially impressed. When it was over and the dust and thunder had subsided, the grunts and the sailors went back to what they'd been doing-trying to get this d.a.m.ned island secured.

At age twenty-eight, 1st Lt. Robert Klingman was the old man of his group of Tail End Charlies. Klingman had already served as an enlisted man in both the Navy and the Marine Corps. Now he was a Marine Corsair pilot in the VMF-312 Checkerboard squadron at Kadena air base on Okinawa. With the two captured airfields, Yontan and Kadena, up and running, the Marines were flying a greater share of the CAP missions over the picket stations, as well as delivering close air support for Buckner's ground forces.

On the morning of May 10, Klingman was Capt. Ken Reusser's wingman in a four-plane CAP mission over Ie s.h.i.+ma. They'd gone after a high-flying j.a.panese reconnaissance plane, a twin-engine Kawasaki Ki-45 Nick fighter. The high-alt.i.tude planes had been making daily overflights, photographing the disposition of the fleet for the next kamikaze attacks.

The Marines dropped their belly tanks and firewalled the engines of the Corsairs, clawing their way up to the Nick's contrails. They caught up with him at 38,000 feet, a barely sustainable alt.i.tude for the Corsairs. To lighten the Corsairs so they could climb higher, they had expended much of their heavy .50-caliber ammunition.

Reusser opened fire first, getting hits in the Nick's left wing and engine. Then his guns ran out of ammunition. Klingman gave it a try, then his guns stopped firing. In the subzero temperature they had frozen. He could see the j.a.panese tail gunner in the rear c.o.c.kpit glowering at him. The gunner was banging on his own frozen machine gun.

Klingman was determined to bring down the Nick. He climbed slightly above the Nick's slipstream, then eased back down on the aft fuselage. In full view of the horrified tail gunner, Klingman's propeller sawed into the aft fuselage. Pieces of canopy, machine gun, and gore from the decapitated gunner spewed into the slipstream. A hunk of the rudder tore away.

It wasn't enough. Somehow the Nick kept flying. Ignoring the ominous vibration from his damaged propeller, Klingman took another whack at the Nick. This time he chopped off the Nick's rudder and part of the horizontal stabilizer.

Still, as if defying all laws of aerodynamics, the Nick kept flying.

The chase had taken them out to sea, north of Okinawa. The thought crossed Klingman's mind that he might not have enough fuel to make it back to Kadena. He pushed the thought away as he went for a third chopping session on the Nick's tail. This time he lopped off most of the right elevator.

The Nick was finished. Streaming debris, the j.a.panese fighter fell away in a spin. And so did Klingman, his Corsair having stalled out in the thin air. When he recovered a few thousand feet below, he could see the Nick still spinning. The j.a.panese fighter shed both its wings and dove like a stiletto straight into the ocean.

Now Klingman was in trouble. His Corsair was rattling like a farm tractor from its shattered propeller. At 10,000 feet, still well north of Kadena, the engine coughed and quit, out of fuel. With no power and the propeller slowly windmilling, the Corsair descended like a brick toward the airfield.

He almost made it. Klingman landed in the dirt overrun short of the runway, then bounced up to the hard surface and rolled to a stop. The Corsair was a mess. Six inches were missing from each of the three propeller blades. Shrapnel from the chopped-up Nick was embedded in the wings, cowling, and propeller.

Two days later, on another mission, Klingman ran into trouble again. His hydraulic system failed, and he elected to bail out instead of making a crash landing on one wheel. He was picked up by a destroyer escort, which deposited him on Admiral Turner's flags.h.i.+p Eldorado Eldorado.

Klingman didn't know that he was a celebrity. Admiral Turner had heard about Klingman and insisted that he stay aboard and have dinner. The Alligator loved a good war story, and he wanted to hear the one about the Marine who had chopped off a j.a.p's tail.

Erickson couldn't believe his eyes. He was standing on the flight deck of Intrepid Intrepid as the carrier slid up to her berth in Pearl Harbor on May 11. There on the dock to greet them were a twenty-piece band, hula girls, and a women's glee club. as the carrier slid up to her berth in Pearl Harbor on May 11. There on the dock to greet them were a twenty-piece band, hula girls, and a women's glee club.

And something else. Erickson thought he recognized a face in the crowd, not one of the musicians or singers, but a guy in a gaudy Hawaiian s.h.i.+rt. He was grinning like a baboon, mixing it up with the hula dancers, waving at the men on the flight deck. Erickson stared at the apparition. The guy looked exactly like Windy Hill, whom he'd last seen floating without a life raft off the coast of Kyushu.

It was was Windy Hill, alive and apparently in the pink of health. In fact, judging by the suntan and relaxed expression, Hill appeared to be in better shape than most of the pasty-faced men staring at him from the deck of the Windy Hill, alive and apparently in the pink of health. In fact, judging by the suntan and relaxed expression, Hill appeared to be in better shape than most of the pasty-faced men staring at him from the deck of the Intrepid Intrepid. Hill was eager to get back aboard Intrepid Intrepid, he told his buddies, because he needed a rest from all this tiresome sh.o.r.e duty.