Kamikaze, Men, Heroes

At some point it becomes difficult to continue, to write about an event.  At some point, you feel that no matter what and how you write, it will be inadequate in terms of justice to the significance of the event, to the degree of the horror, the pervasiveness of extreme heroism.  At such a point, it is best to simply state a few facts and trust that the humanity of the reader will be enough.

On December 13, 1944, 68 years ago today, a Japanese plane armed with two bombs, piloted by a Kamikaze pilot of the 201st Air Group, Shimpu Attack Unit, Mabalact Airfield, Philippines, crashed into the Nashville at almost 500 miles an hour.

Impact, explosion of the bombs, explosions of the ready-ammo on deck, fires, all in seconds.  Some men’s bodies were instantly vaporized, some torn into two, three, four pieces by the blast or shrapnel, some shredded by hundreds of pieces of hot, small shrapnel, some burned instantly, some far too slowly.  190 men were wounded, 133 died.  Uncounted was the common acts of heroism, to save shipmates, to save the ship.  Men rushed through 70 foot flames, into exploding ammunition, to rescue crew-mates or fight fires.  Others stayed at their duty stations searching the sky for another Kamikaze while Nashville held her place in line.  

I can tell you this, the look in the eyes of the crew that relayed this event to me was different than anything else I had seen from them.  Nothing was ever the same for the men of the Nashville.

List courtesy of William R. Parker, son of Nashville Marine PFC William L. Parker, who was wounded in the attack:

Marines Wounded

Cpl William J. Clement

Cpl Dale N. Fielder

PFC Raymond J. Jollicouer

PFC Williard B. Limbaugh

PCF Peter M. Liska, Jr.

Cpl James P. Nelson

PFC William L. Parker

Sgt Paul J. Reilly

PFC harold W. Strus

PFC Charles E. William

Marines Mortally Wounded

PFC Ralph G. Acosta

PFC Ellsworth P. Montgomery

PFC William C. Randle

Marines Killed In Action

PltSgt Roland E. Bailey

PFC Donald E. Bielfuss

PFC Eldon E. Buckner Jr.

PFC Jesse L. Clay

PFC James N. Constant

PFC Donald DeBruyn

Cpl Leslie D. Edwards

PFC Denzel J. Faubion

PFC Julian Gonko

PFC Robert W. Grisham

PFC John R. Kohl

PFC Gazel P. Koren

PFC David D. Kottler

Cpl Lyle E. Mahoney

PFC Warren W. Marshall

PFC Donald J. McMullen

Cpl Frederick M. Peir

PFC Dominic R. Pellicino Jr

PFC James A. Richard

PFC Frank L. Schallmoser

PFC Harold W. Stiener

PFC Franklyn F. Thompson

Cpl Robert L. Utton

Sgt Jerome J. Vallner

PFC Marion P. Young

An even greater number of sailors were wounded and killed.