Okla-homey
4/7/2010, 07:34 AM
April 7, 1945: Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato is sunk by Allied forces
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8219/yamato800pxyamato1945.png
65 years ago on this day in 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato, ostensibly the the most powerful battleship in the world, is sunk in Japan's first major counteroffensive in the struggle for Okinawa; Operation TEN-GO.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/961/yamatobattleshipunderco.jpg
Yamato under construction
Weighing 72,800 tons and outfitted with nine 18.1-inch guns, the battleship Yamato was Japan's only hope of destroying the Allied fleet off the coast of Okinawa in Operation TEN-GO. But insufficient air cover and fuel cursed the endeavor.
Operation TEN-GO was a deliberate suicide attack against American forces off Okinawa by Yamato and nine escorts, beginning on 6 April 1945. Embarking from Kure, Yamato was to beach herself near Okinawa, and act as an unsinkable gun-emplacement—bombarding American forces on Okinawa with her 18.1-inch heavy-guns.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/579/yamatotrials.jpg
Yamato underway during sea trials.
Yamato carried only enough fuel to reach Okinawa, as the fuel stocks available were insufficient to provide enough fuel to reach Okinawa and return. While navigating the Bungo Strait, Yamato and her escorts were spotted by the American submarines USS Threadfin and USS Hackleback, both of which notified Task Force 58 of Yamato's position.
At 1232 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). By 1400, two of Yamato's escorts had been sunk.
Shortly afterwards, a second strike of 100 aircraft attacked Yamato and her remaining escorts. At 1423, having taken 10 torpedo and 7 bomb hits, Yamato's forward ammunition magazines detonated.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2411/yamatobattleshipexplosi.jpg
Yamato as her ammunition magazines explode moments before sinking
The smoke from the explosion—over 4 miles high—was seen 100 miles away on Kyūshū. 2,498 of the 2,700 crew members aboard Yamato were lost, including Vice Admiral Seiichi Itō, the fleet commander.
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2623/insane7zo.jpg
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8219/yamato800pxyamato1945.png
65 years ago on this day in 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Yamato, ostensibly the the most powerful battleship in the world, is sunk in Japan's first major counteroffensive in the struggle for Okinawa; Operation TEN-GO.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/961/yamatobattleshipunderco.jpg
Yamato under construction
Weighing 72,800 tons and outfitted with nine 18.1-inch guns, the battleship Yamato was Japan's only hope of destroying the Allied fleet off the coast of Okinawa in Operation TEN-GO. But insufficient air cover and fuel cursed the endeavor.
Operation TEN-GO was a deliberate suicide attack against American forces off Okinawa by Yamato and nine escorts, beginning on 6 April 1945. Embarking from Kure, Yamato was to beach herself near Okinawa, and act as an unsinkable gun-emplacement—bombarding American forces on Okinawa with her 18.1-inch heavy-guns.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/579/yamatotrials.jpg
Yamato underway during sea trials.
Yamato carried only enough fuel to reach Okinawa, as the fuel stocks available were insufficient to provide enough fuel to reach Okinawa and return. While navigating the Bungo Strait, Yamato and her escorts were spotted by the American submarines USS Threadfin and USS Hackleback, both of which notified Task Force 58 of Yamato's position.
At 1232 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). By 1400, two of Yamato's escorts had been sunk.
Shortly afterwards, a second strike of 100 aircraft attacked Yamato and her remaining escorts. At 1423, having taken 10 torpedo and 7 bomb hits, Yamato's forward ammunition magazines detonated.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2411/yamatobattleshipexplosi.jpg
Yamato as her ammunition magazines explode moments before sinking
The smoke from the explosion—over 4 miles high—was seen 100 miles away on Kyūshū. 2,498 of the 2,700 crew members aboard Yamato were lost, including Vice Admiral Seiichi Itō, the fleet commander.
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2623/insane7zo.jpg