Suicide Squads: The Men and Machines of World War II Special Operations

282 Pages·2001·33.471 MB·English

by  Richard O’Neill

THE MEN AND MACHINES OF
WORLD WAR SPECIAL OPERATIONS
II
SUICIDE SQUADS
SQUADS
SUICIDE
THE MEN AND MACHINES OF
WORLD WAR SPECIAL OPERATIONS
II
Richard O’Neill
THE LYONS PRESS
Guilford, Connecticut
An imprint ofThe Globe Pequot Press
©
Copyright 1999 bySalamander Books, Ltd.
First Lyons Press edition, 2001
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part ofthis book may be
reproduced or transmitted in anyform byany means, electronic or mechanical,
includingphotocopyingand recording, or byany information storage
and retrieval system, except as expresslypermitted bythe 1976 CopyrightAct
or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to:
The Globe Pequot Press, P. O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.
The Lyons Press is an imprint ofThe Globe Pequot Press.
UK
Originallypublished in the bySalamander Books Ltd., 1999.
987654321
10
The LibraryofCongress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
is availableon fde.
ISBN 1-58574-432-8
AL BR
0744
-054
2001k
CONTENTS
AUTHOR'S PREFACE 7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
9
THE SAMURAI SPIRIT 11
THE MIDGET INTRUDERS
19
OCEAN SHAKERS 66
DIVINE WIND 118
HUMAN TORPEDOES
172
BANZAI 228
GLOSSARY 252
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 261
INDEX 265

PREFACE
In this study ofsuicidal missions during World War II, I have concen-
trated upon those operations in which purpose-designed suicidal or
semi-suicidal weapons were employed. Thus, although I attempt a
comprehensive account of the development and deployment of such
weapons as midget submarines, human torpedoes, explosive motorboats
and kamikaze aircraft, I do not describe the hazardous missions ofsuch
special forces as the various Allied and Axis Commando, Ranger and
Assault Pioneer units. Although dangerous in the extreme, their
missions were not truly suicidal; in that they were not undertaken with
the expectation, or the intention, ofcertain death. For this reason, I have
not included details of such near-suicidal missions as the USAAF’s
“Doolittle Raid” on Tokyo; the raid of 617 Squadron, RAF, on the
Mohne and Eder dams; the “Jaywick” and “Rimau” operations ofLt Col
Ivan Lyon’s commandos in the Far East; or the exploits of pro- and
anti-Soviet commandos on the Russian Front. For obvious reasons, I
have made exceptions to this rule by describing in some detail the devel-
opment and operations of British, Italian and German small
submersibles, explosive boats and experimental aircraft having obvious
affinities with similar weapons deployed suicidally by the Imperial
Japanese Navy and Army.
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PREFACE
Inevitably, Japanese weapons and operations occupy a major part of
this book. I have followed the usage ofall but the most specializedwestern
sources in giving the names ofJapanese individuals in western style, with
given name preceding family name.
In the case of warships, I have included the designations “HMS”,
“HMAS”, “USS”, etc, only where the context makes such identification
desirable. Similarly, I give the identification numbers ofUS Navywarships
only when the context makes it necessary to establish the type ofvessel -
eg, CVE, escort carrier; DE, destroyer escort - or where more than one
ship ofthe same name served during World War II; eg, USS Lajfey (DD
459) and USS Lajfey (DD 724).
In all cases, except where the context would render the practice otiose,
imperial measurements are followed, in parentheses, bytheir metric equiv-
alents. I have attempted always to indicate whether distances are given in
nautical miles (nm) or statute miles: apologies are made for any inconsis-
tencies caused by the necessity ofreference to sources which fail to specify
whether nautical or statute miles are quoted when dealing with naval
subjects.
Richard O’Neill
London, 1981
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
T
his book could not have been written without the initial help and
encouragement of Mr Ryohachi Ikeda, Deputy Chief Priest of
Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan, Tokyo. In thanks to him, and in full
accordance with my own belief, I respectfully urge the Government of
Japan to restore state support toYasukuni Shrine, where the men to whom
Japan owes so great a debt are honoured.
Invaluable help was given by Mr Hideo Aita (former Lieutenant,
Imperial Japanese Navy), who generously made available to me his
operational history ofShinyo Squadron No 6. Among other veterans of
the “Special Attack” units who provided information were several offi-
cers now serving with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force. In
accordance with naval custom, they prefer not to be named here. I
make an exception, with his permission, of Commander Yoshio
Masuda (former Lieutenant, IJN) of the Marine Science and Tech-
nology Centre, Yokosuka. For more than two years, in a correspon-
dence that made great demands on his time and patience. Commander
Masuda provided information based on his own experience and that of
other veterans, as well as commenting on material I had gathered from
other sources. His all too briefvisit to me in London was a source of
both pleasure and inspiration: I hope that one day we may together
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
bow our heads at Yasukuni Shrine to honour the spirits of his fallen
comrades.
Grateful acknowledgement is also made to the following individuals
and organizations:
Mr Andrew Adams, Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, Tokyo;
Captain Alfredo Civetta and Commander S. Peroni, Italian Embassy,
London; Mr N. Flanagan, Director, and the staffofthe Australian War
J.
Memorial, Canberra; Miss Kyoko Funabashi; Mr Peter Hazelhurst; Herr
H. Holzer, Deutsches Museum, Munich; Dr S. M. Instone; Captain
Masayuki Koyama, JMSDF; Mr Bill Leary, US National Archives, Wash-
ington DC; Mr J. S. Lucas and the staff of the Department of
Photographs, ImperialWar Museum, London; the staffofthe State Papers
Room and Reading Room, British Library, London; Miss Phyllis
Throssell and Captain E. Throssell; Ufficio Storico Della Marina
J.
Militare, Rome; the Librarian and staffofthe War Studies Library, King’s
College, London; Colonel John Weeks.
I received invaluable help and encouragement from all at Salamander
Books; especial thanks are due to Mark Holt for his patient and expert
design work and to Malcolm Little and Ray Bonds.
Theviews expressed in this book are not necessarily shared by the indi-
viduals and organizations whose help is acknowledged here. Any mistakes
or misinterpretations offact are the responsibility ofthe author alone.
In conclusion, my gratitude and my love go to my wife, Doreen
Ehrlich O’Neill, for her unfailing beliefand support; and, for the pleasure
oftheir company at all times, to my daughter Bekah and my son Danny.
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