The clashes between US Navy, Marine Corps and USAAF units and the hastily created Special Attack kamikaze unirs of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) were some of the last large-scale aerial engagements of the Pacific War. Kamikaze strikes came to the fore during the Okinawa campaign in April-May 1945, when mass attacks were made. Japanese Special Attack units had first been introduced in response to the retaking of the Philippines by American forces in late 1944. Overall, Special Attack Units flew some 1900 suicide sorties, losing 1900 + aircraft in the process. During the course of the fighting, 67 US Navy, 21 Marine Corps and three USAAF pilots became aces, destroying at least five aircraft between March and June 1945. In many ways it was an uneven combat. While many regular JAAF and IJN aviators volunteered for the Special Attack units, a large number of the kamikaze pilots were inexperienced and only recently out of flying training. They also often flew obsolete aircraft. These less experienced aviators were no match for the Hellcat, Corsair, Wildcat, Lightning and Thunderbolt pilots who were at the peak of their game. 96 sider i formatet 18,5 x 25 cm.

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