Talk:Kamikaze/@comment-26846553-20160730224450

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● The Worthy Enemy ●

The episode of Kamikaze and USS Hawkbill is well known in Japan, I want to introduce the story. I apologize in a long sentence and poor English.





In July, 1945, Kamizaze was only an active warship in Singapore. Her comrades Haguro and Ashigara had been sunk in front of her, Takao and Myoko were not able to move for the damage. Kamikaze performed transport and convoy escort duties hard alone. Allied Forces aimed at her with precedence. And then, the fight happened.



On July 17, Kamikaze and three auxiliary minesweepers escorted three small tankers toward Indochina from Singapore. USS Hawkbill (SS-366) spotted the convoy in the east coast of Malay. The Captain of USS Hawkbill was Lieutenant commander W. M. Scanland, Jr. and Kamikaze's Captain was Lieutenant commander Hitoshi Kasuga, Both were brave and superior naval officers.



At about 7:00 p.m., Scanland ordered to shot six torpedoes from a range of 2,000 yards. Kasuga noticed torpedoes in coming, and evaded all torpedoes. At 8:10 p.m., Kamikaze spotted Hawkbill by her sonar, then she rushed for Hawkbill for attacking. When both came close to 700 yards, Hawkbill fired two torpedoes again. Scanland was confident of victory while looking in a periscope, however he was surprised the next moment...Kamikaze evaded all torpedoes again.



Kasuga confirmed the course of the torpedo calmly, and pointed the bow to torpedoes. Just before hits, he shouted, " Starboard three degrees ! ". Torpedoes passed only three meters of Kamikaze's side. Kasuga spotted Hawkbill's periscope, Kamikaze dropped depth charges. Blast ! Hawkbill's stern was lifted by pressure on the sea surface, Kamikaze's AA guns shot it.



Hawkbill was in a desperate situation, but Scanland hit on a good idea. The area was very shallow (about a hundred feet), he ordered to pour into her negative tanks. Hawkbill dived immediately into the sea, then laid at the bottom. Kamikaze continued to search and attack for a few hours, then some debris floated. Kasuga made a judged that he sank her and decided to return to the convoy.

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