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Real WW2 combat footage - Kamikaze Attack, USS Laffey (DD-724)
https://www.dropbox.com ^

Posted on 03/06/2014 8:18:07 AM PST by NKP_Vet

Real WW2 combat footage - Kamikaze Attack, USS Laffey (DD-724)

(Excerpt) Read more at dropbox.com ...


TOPICS: Education; History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: battleofleytegulf
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To: NKP_Vet
My FIL was on a 'Jeep Carrier', the Corregidor, in the Pacific. They were attacked by kamikazes on several occasions, though not this intensively. His day job was aircraft mechanic, but was a side gunner for general quarters. He was convinced that no kamikaze pilot ever struck a target while still alive. The AA fire was just too intense. He described it as "snow, going up", due to the tracers in every third cartridge.

He described one occasion where a kamikaze airplane was in coming low, like the last one in the video. He thought it was going to hit, until one of the "big guns" knocked off a wing and set it afire. That caused it to hit the water, then catapult over the deck. He said he could feel the heat of the flames as it went over. That's close. His ship, though, was never hit. It went through "Halsey's Typhoon" and developed a crack in the hull, as the Liberty Ships were wont to do.

21 posted on 03/06/2014 7:41:59 PM PST by norwaypinesavage (Galileo: In science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of one individual)
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