Description

by Jeffrey Veesenmeyer
2778 Pages (Paperback)
The kamikaze became Japan’s primary weapon against the U.S. Navy in 1945. At Okinawa, their battle cry would be “One man, one ship.” Massive attacks by hundreds of planes became their preferred tactic. Sailors watched in horror as kamikazes carrying a 500-pound bomb crashed and exploded on their ships. It was incomprehensible to Americans that men would voluntarily die to deliver death and destruction. Kamikazes created a terror greater than anything the Navy had ever faced. “Kamikaze Terror” humanizes the air/sea battles at Okinawa. Read stories from shipmates of the Hadley, Laffey, Bache, The Sullivans and dozens of other ships. Learn how sailors battled the kamikazes in the last big battle of WWII. Feel the fear these young men felt going into battle and the total relief of finally going home. Author Jeffrey R. Veesenmeyer told the story of his uncle’s ship, the USS Hadley in “Kamikaze Destroyer.” New information about the Hadley adds to this expanded story of how sailors and kamikazes fought in a life and death struggle. Now his new book honors the other ships and crews who battled the Divine Wind. Many of these ships were sunk or damaged beyond repair. He tells their stories through words of the surviving sailors. “Kamikaze Terror” includes 21 chapters with photos, maps, diagrams and appendices. It’s a must read for anyone with a connection to the Battle of Okinawa, the U.S. Navy or an interest in preserving WWII history.