Played a CY 6 scenario today involving a kamikaze and Ohka attack on a Sumner-class DD converted to a DM, off the west side of Okinawa on 4 May 1945.
Certain things are abstracted a bit in CY 6, so in order to flesh things out I've written it as if it's a report from an officer on USS Henry A. Wiley (DM-29):
Preliminary Report On the Loss of USS Henry A. Wiley (DM-29) 4 May 1945
This ship was steaming course 090, making 30 knots to the west of Ie Shima Island to assist in the rescue of survivors from USS Luce at Radar Picket Station 12. Though many bogies were being tracked by radar, none appeared to be closing until 0850 hours, at which time 5 bogies, bearing 180 degrees from the ship, began closing and losing altitude. Mount 53 opened fire at approximately 10,000 yards using 5" VT-fused ammunition. Tracking was difficult due to numerous clouds in the area combined with our high speed; no results were observed.
At approximately 0857 hours the first bogie, identified as a KATE and carrying a torpedo, dropped to wave-top height and began a high-speed run on this ship from the west. Two other bogies, also identified as KATES and also carrying torpedoes, continued to approach from astern in shallow dives, while the last two bogies, tentatively identified as BETTYS, continued to approach from astern while maintaining an altitude of around 7,000 feet. Two Marine Corps F4U-type aircraft were observed approaching at high-speed from the SE, diving and apparently trying to interpose themselves between the suicide-minded KATES and our own ship.
With the range decreasing the first KATE was taken under 40 mm and then 20 mm fire. Hits were observed, with pieces flying off the target's wings and cowling. When only 200 yards from our starboard beam 20 mm fire appeared to strike the KATE'S torpedo, setting off the warhead and destroying the aircraft. No damage resulted to the ship from this explosion.
At 0858 the aforementioned F4Us opened fire on the second KATE, splashing it 300 yards short of our fantail as the third KATE passed just above them. The F4Us then began climbing toward the BETTYS.
The third KATE, now in a steep dive, passed over our stern and struck Mount 53. Two explosions occurred nearly simultaneously, one from the torpedo warhead and the other presumably from the aft magazine. Everything aft of the second funnel simply disappeared; the ship lost all headway and began to settle by the stern. Just prior to this hit the nearest BETTY was seen to release an object and bank sharply to the west in a dive. It is believed to have escaped.
Approximately 10 seconds after the kamikaze struck the ship the object released by the Betty, now identifiable as a rocket-propelled suicide aircraft of the type known as BAKA, hit the base of the forward funnel and detonated in the forward magazine. The resulting explosion blew this officer off the bridge into the water and caused the ship to sink immediately with very heavy loss of life amongst her crew.
As a side note, this officer, while in the water, observed the final BETTY diving and fleeing southward. Both F4Us were seen to make very steep dives in an apparent attempt to gain a firing position; for reasons unknown neither friendly aircraft pulled out of their dives, both striking the ocean approximately 2000 yards from the spot of the Wiley's sinking. It is sincerely hoped the braves fliers are rescued however this is believed doubtful as no parachutes were observed.
Signed, A. Lucky Mann, Ensign, USNR, Senior Officer Surviving.
(The Corsairs were lost due to failing aircrew checks to pull out of steep dives. Historically the Wiley survived this encounter with only superficial damage bu the Dice Gods were on Japan's side today.)
ponders nirvana.
