Fall and Winter 1944
Following the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Kamikazes appeared with frequency. This collection of imagery contains attackson U.S. Navy ships and vessels off the Philippine Islands from October 30, 1944 to December 15. USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) and USS Franklin (CV-13) were attacked on October 30, where Kamikazes crashed into the flight decks of both carriers. On November 5, USS Lexington (CV-16) was damaged when a Japanese plane crashed near her island.
In an attack on USS Cabot (CVL-28) on November 25, a Kamikaze crashed on her flight deck port side, destroying gun mounts, with a second crashing near the port side, sending fragments and burning debris into the light carrier. Continuing that day, two Kamikazes crashed into USS Intrepid (CV-11), but her crew was extinguished the fires within two hours. Also attacked by a Kamikaze on November 25 was USS Essex (CV-9). She received damage to the port side of her flight deck. Two days later, USS Saint Louis (CL-49) came under a series of attacks and was hit by Kamikaze on her port quarter. On November 29, USS Maryland (BB-46) received damage between her turrets Nos.1 and 2 from a deliberate Japanese aircraft crash.
During the Ormoc Bay landings on December 7, 1944, USS Ward (APD-16) and USS Lamson (DD--367) were struck by Kamikazes and couldn't be saved from the damage. During the Mindoro landing operation on December 15, numerous U.S. Navy ships and vessels came under attack. Despite coming under considerable Kamikaze attacks, USS Marcus Island (CVE-77) received only minor damage. A Japanese Yokosuka P1Y "Frances" aircraft made an attack on USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) but was thwarted. USS LST-472 and USS LST-738 also came under attack and were lost after being hit by Kamikazes.
Collage of images: 80-G-270983-84-86: USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), December 15, 1944, being attacked by a Japanese Yokosuka P1Y "Frances" aircraft. Official U.S. Navy photographs, now in the collections of the National Archives.
