Kamikaze
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Links

The following sites and web pages are the most significant sources of Internet information about Japan's kamikaze corps and other special attack forces. A separate page provides links to web sites about American ships hit by kamikaze aircraft and kaiten.

English

• Stories of Bereaved Families - My translations of stories about families with relatives in the kamikaze corps who died during World War II.
• Kaiten Special Attack Corps - Gives detailed record, with numerous historical photos, related to Japanese Navy's use of kaiten human torpedo. Has acceptable English translations from pages originally published in Japanese.

Japanese

• 蒼空の果てに Aozora no hateni (To the blue sky's end) - Huge site by former Japanese Navy kamikaze pilot. Many stories on site come from his four books related to kamikaze corps.
• 殉国の碑 Junkoku no ishibumi (War monuments) - Invaluable reference source on specialized topic. Contains tremendous amount of information, including photos and related history of monuments specifically dedicated to special attack forces. Much information not contained elsewhere on Internet.
• 回天特攻隊 Kaiten Tokkōtai (Kaiten Special Attack Corps) - Gives detailed record, with numerous historical photos, related to Japanese Navy's use of kaiten human torpedo.
• 特攻 Tokkō (Special Attack Forces) - Nicely-designed web site includes sections on letters and poems written by members of special attack forces, excerpts from the association's quarterly magazine Tokkō, paintings of different types of special attack weapons, photos and paintings of planes used in kamikaze attacks, pieces written by bereaved family members and association members, and information about the Tokkōtai Commemoration Peace Memorial Association.
• 予科練資料館 Yokaren Shiryōkan (Yokaren Museum) - Features exhibits of museum in Ōita City. Includes information about the Yokaren (Naval Flight Training Program), wartime experiences, and kamikaze operations. Has several last letters of kamikaze pilots.

Personal Stories

• A Kamikaze's Story by Kanji Suzuki (translated by Kan Sugahara) - Account of kamikaze mission by Ginga (Frances) bomber pilot who crashed into sea and survived after rescue by American destroyer.
• Larry Olson: Navyman ‘proud to stand up and be counted' - Crewman who was injured when two kamikaze planes hit aircraft carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) and killed 393 men on May 11, 1945.
• Milford man survived Japanese kamikaze attack - Escort carrier USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) crewman survived kamikaze attack on ship in October 1944 that killed 92 men.
• Sayonara, Mr Blue Sky: In search of the kamikaze-pilot-turned-abstract-artist - Artist who trained as kamikaze pilot maintained to the end of his life that had he been sent on a suicide mission, he would have crashed his plane into the sea to avoid killing others.
• World War II veteran as long-lived as his ship - Gunner's mate on USS Laffey (DD-724), nicknamed the “The Ship That Would Not Die,” survived multiple kamikaze planes that attacked his ship during the Battle of Okinawa.

Updated April 12, 2021