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Kamikazes, Corsairs, and Picket Ships: Okinawa, 1945
“To any who want to learn more about the age of the Kamikaze at Okinawa, this book is to be desired. For the serious historian who wants a “blow by blow” coverage of the US defense against the Japanese airpower portion of the battle for Okinawa, it is a must. And for the casual reader…you’ll gain insight even if you just peruse this book.” —Airborne Quarterly
“. . . crisp, engrossing narrative . . . puts the reader right onto the blazing decks and into the cockpits of the attackers and defenders during one of the most hard-fought engagements of the entire war.”—World War II History
This is the previously untold story of one of the most ferocious and prolonged air/naval battles in the battle at the radar picket stations during the American assault on Okinawa in the spring of 1945. The US fleet and its accompanying airpower that took station off Okinawa was of gigantic proportions, such that the Japanese could only rely on suicide attacks to inflict critical damage. While losses in the main fleet, including damage to ships such as the Enterprise and Intrepid, have been well covered, less known is the terrific battle waged on the radar picket line, the fleet’s outer defense against Japanese marauders.
Of the 206 ships that served on radar picket duty, nearly 30 percent were sunk or damaged by Japanese air attacks, making theirs the most hazardous naval surface duty in World War II. The great losses were largely due to the relentless nature of the kamikaze attacks, but also the improper use of support gunboats, failure to establish land-based radar at the earliest possible time, the assignment of ships ill-equipped for picket duty, and, as time went on, crew fatigue.
The nature of the US air cover is also described in full, as squadrons dashed from their carriers and land bases to intercept the Japanese swarms, resulting in constant melees over the fleet. Toward the end of the battle, the radar picket ships became the prime kamikaze targets as Japanese pilots despaired of getting through the “big blue blanket” of American fighter planes to reach larger prey. Robin L. Rielly has written an engrossing narrative of air/naval combat, combining firsthand action with astute tactical and strategic analysis.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements
Introduction The Nature of Radar Picket Duty
Chapter 1 Tin Cans and Gunboats
Chapter 2 The Aerial Combatants
Chapter 3 The Ordeal Begins
Chapter 4 “They came in droves . . .”
Chapter 5 “The dead were the luckiest of us all . . .”
Chapter 6 “A Hearty Well-Done”
Chapter 7 “For conspicuous gallantry . . .”
Chapter 8 The Final “The losses seem quite reasonable . . .”
Appendix 1 Ships Damaged or Sunk on Radar Picket Duty
Appendix 2 Ships Serving on Radar Picket Duty at Okinawa
Appendix 3 Japanese Aircraft
Appendix 4 Japanese Air Bases
Notes
Bibliography
Index
“. . . crisp, engrossing narrative . . . puts the reader right onto the blazing decks and into the cockpits of the attackers and defenders during one of the most hard-fought engagements of the entire war.”—World War II History
This is the previously untold story of one of the most ferocious and prolonged air/naval battles in the battle at the radar picket stations during the American assault on Okinawa in the spring of 1945. The US fleet and its accompanying airpower that took station off Okinawa was of gigantic proportions, such that the Japanese could only rely on suicide attacks to inflict critical damage. While losses in the main fleet, including damage to ships such as the Enterprise and Intrepid, have been well covered, less known is the terrific battle waged on the radar picket line, the fleet’s outer defense against Japanese marauders.
Of the 206 ships that served on radar picket duty, nearly 30 percent were sunk or damaged by Japanese air attacks, making theirs the most hazardous naval surface duty in World War II. The great losses were largely due to the relentless nature of the kamikaze attacks, but also the improper use of support gunboats, failure to establish land-based radar at the earliest possible time, the assignment of ships ill-equipped for picket duty, and, as time went on, crew fatigue.
The nature of the US air cover is also described in full, as squadrons dashed from their carriers and land bases to intercept the Japanese swarms, resulting in constant melees over the fleet. Toward the end of the battle, the radar picket ships became the prime kamikaze targets as Japanese pilots despaired of getting through the “big blue blanket” of American fighter planes to reach larger prey. Robin L. Rielly has written an engrossing narrative of air/naval combat, combining firsthand action with astute tactical and strategic analysis.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements
Introduction The Nature of Radar Picket Duty
Chapter 1 Tin Cans and Gunboats
Chapter 2 The Aerial Combatants
Chapter 3 The Ordeal Begins
Chapter 4 “They came in droves . . .”
Chapter 5 “The dead were the luckiest of us all . . .”
Chapter 6 “A Hearty Well-Done”
Chapter 7 “For conspicuous gallantry . . .”
Chapter 8 The Final “The losses seem quite reasonable . . .”
Appendix 1 Ships Damaged or Sunk on Radar Picket Duty
Appendix 2 Ships Serving on Radar Picket Duty at Okinawa
Appendix 3 Japanese Aircraft
Appendix 4 Japanese Air Bases
Notes
Bibliography
Index
448 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 4, 2020
A good book. Providing a detailed narrative of the air battle over the maritime approaches to Okinawa during the 1945 campaign. The work stays focused on the Kamikaze raids and the efforts by the US military to stop them. Though only a single element in a much longer campaign to take Okinawa, the book remains centered on the fight against the Kamikazes. The focus of the story are the ships on the radar picket stations and the fliers, composed of Navy, Marine, and Army Air Force pilots, who supported them. The book begins with a useful description of the forces involved and ends with a short, but pointed, analysis. The majority of the work is a detailed blow-by-blow account of the ongoing air/sea combat from April to August of 1945. It covers all the radar picket stations and details nearly every major attack by Kamikazes against the ships assigned to these stations. Though the prose resembles a formal after-action report, the level of detail and all-encompassing nature of the story gives the reader the full understanding of this final major battle of WWII. Despite being difficult to distinguish in the overly detailed descriptions, the author does present arguments for the means by which the US Navy could have lessened their horrific ship loss rates, namely through various efficiencies of the on-hand resources. The end analysis attempts to reinforce these arguments in more detail, but falls short. The limited space lent to these counter propositions and the concentration on telling so much of the hour-by-hour story of the battle probably nullifies the books usefulness as an analytical history. Despite this lack of a clear hypothesis, the work as a whole still shines because of its detailed nature. It is less an analysis of what could have been and much more a detailed description of what was. Anyone wanting to gain better insight into the nature of modern naval combat would do well to read this book. The constant strain, confused nature, and consuming attrition of combating Kamikazes is likely not that far off from current naval operations against a plethora of anti-ship cruise missiles. I think this story from WWII is one of the most relevant to today’s Navies. Highly recommended for those wanting to better understand the deep story behind the US Navy’s fight against Kamikazes at Okinawa in 1945.
November 12, 2020
Kamikaze
A good book covering the picket ships and air action during the Okinawa operation. It covers all the actions on a daily basis. Describes the ships used and their shortcomings. A good book to read.
A good book covering the picket ships and air action during the Okinawa operation. It covers all the actions on a daily basis. Describes the ships used and their shortcomings. A good book to read.
November 30, 2017
Well, interesting as far as the combatants, but found it to be very tedious reading
October 28, 2018
The USS Shangri-La is repeatedly referred to as an Escort Carrier (CVE) when in fact it was an Essex-class full-sized Fleet Carrier (CV).
October 22, 2009
Rielly's book is a great study of the kamikaze attacks during the Okinawa campaign. While nothing is gleaned from the Japanese side for motivation other than that the Japenese pilots felt that they were a weapon not committing suicide. His recounting of attacks was good but often suffered with vernacular like "splashed". It was overdone. I was hoping that he might address the psychological affects on the US sailors and he neglects that factor in his book.
The best part of the book is a recounting of each attack and how the Okinawa campaign progressed. I volunteer on the USS Cassin Young which was a major part of the Kamikaze attacks and this book helped me understand the campaign better. I just wish Rielly used the Cassin Young after action reports and damage diagrams since she was the last destroyer damaged in the Okinawa campaign.
The best part of the book is a recounting of each attack and how the Okinawa campaign progressed. I volunteer on the USS Cassin Young which was a major part of the Kamikaze attacks and this book helped me understand the campaign better. I just wish Rielly used the Cassin Young after action reports and damage diagrams since she was the last destroyer damaged in the Okinawa campaign.
August 31, 2016
Thoroughly researched account of radar picket duty at Okinawa.
I was looking for information on a specific destroyer escort stationed at Okinawa, the USS Gendreau (DE-639); the ship on which my father-in-law served as a gunners mate. I didn't find any information on the Gendreau, but I did find a thorough account of the hell endured by the radar picket ships guarding the approaches to Okinawa. My father-in-law said he thought his ship had a target painted on it. Being protected by the radar pickets must have meant that the radar pickets had multiple targets painted on them.
I was looking for information on a specific destroyer escort stationed at Okinawa, the USS Gendreau (DE-639); the ship on which my father-in-law served as a gunners mate. I didn't find any information on the Gendreau, but I did find a thorough account of the hell endured by the radar picket ships guarding the approaches to Okinawa. My father-in-law said he thought his ship had a target painted on it. Being protected by the radar pickets must have meant that the radar pickets had multiple targets painted on them.
February 19, 2016
A very detailed book about the extremely hazardous duty endured by the various picket ships during the battle for Okinawa. Virtually every attack made on the picket ships is covered and there are many excellent drawings and photographs of the effects of Japanese attacks. I wish there had been more personal stories and reports, but that didn't seem to be the author's intent. If you love reading about tin cans or know someone who was a tin can sailor, this is the book for you.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews