80th Anniversary of the end of Operation Iceberg, invasion of Okinawa.
A couple of days ago was the 80th anniversary to the end of Operation Iceberg, invasion of Okinawa by US forces. Attacks on Okinawa began as early as 10th October, half a year earlier. The above photo on the left shows Naha, the Capital of Okinawa, during the initial bombings of 10th October 44. The photo on the right was taken by US aircraft on the 2nd July 45, after the invasion, shows Naha which was 90% destroyed.
Reports kept at the Okinawa City Archives state that the attack on the 10th October came as a surprise to military personnel and the civilian population. The US fleet came in behind a typhoon and on the morning of the10th, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. The first wave came in at 6:40am and targeted the airports, Yomitan, Kadena and Iejima Island. The 23rd Independent Fighter Group were dispatched from Yomitan to intercept the attacking carrier planes. 6 planes were shot down, 3 crash landed and one destroyed on the ground with a total loss of 10 aircraft. At about 7:00 am, a telegram was sent out to the Combined Fleet HQ, but the Commander in Chief was in Taiwan. It was an hour and a half before the Chief of Staff took control but the second wave of attacks had just began. The second attack targeted shipping in Naha harbour and surrounding areas. One more wave attacked ports and shipping on a number of nearby islands.
The fourth and fifth waves of attacks were incendiary attacks on Naha city. Strong winds from the back end of the typhoon spread the fire through the city quickly and the city was engulfed in flames. The five waves of attacks went on for a total of 9 hours, until 3.45pm. A total of 1396 carrier aircraft dropped both incendiary and regular bombs which destroyed the city, airports, harbour facilities and hundreds of small ships and boats in the many harbours in and around many of the Okinawan islands.
Reports note that there were 218 military and civilian contract workers killed, including an army Colonel of the Okinawan Army Regiment. Naha civilians numbered 255 people dead. On neighbouring Amami and Yaejima islands it is reported that 668 people died.
On the US side, it is reported that 21 planes were lost . During the air raids, reconnacience SB2C Helldivers took hundreds of photos for planning of the ground invasion. In December 44 the Japanese actually lodged a formal complaint with the US about the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas calling it a war crime. The complaint was acknowledged by the US as a war crime in the traditional interpretation, but as the full extent of the damage was unclear so did not take any responsibility. As we now know, this was just the start of the terrible war in Okinawa.
Photos from the Okinawa City Archives.
Stu.

