keywords: war, combat, world war II, wwii, okinawa invasion, aircraft carrier bunker hill, kamikaze attack, deck fire
Synopsis: Aftermath on the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill after she was struck by two kamikaze planes which caused a massive fire on her deck... (read more)
The aftermath of two successful Japanese Kamikaze attacks on the USS Bunker Hill. Although badly crippled she managed to return to Bremerton, Washington for repairs.
On the morning of 11 May 1945, while supporting the Okinawa invasion, the USS Bunker Hill was hit and severely damaged by two suicide planes. A Japanese Zero dropped a 500-kilogram bomb that went through Bunker Hill, and exploded in the sea. The Zero then crashed onto the flight deck, destroying parked planes full of fuel, causing a massive fire.
The remains of the Zero went over the deck and dropped into the sea. Then a second Zero, which was piloted by Ensign Kiyoshi Ogawa, plunged into a suicide dive. The Zero went through the AA fire, dropped a 500-kilogram bomb, and crashed into the flight deck near the control tower.
