In response to the American threat to Okinawa, the Japanese deployed the Kamikaze, or "Divine Wind," in a desperate attempt to disrupt the invasion. This involved sending over 900 Kamikaze planes on suicide missions to inflict heavy casualties on the US Pacific fleet. These attacks were accompanied by conventional fighters and bombers as escorts. The resulting battles, which occurred in the lead-up to the Okinawa invasion and during the subsequent three months, led to significant Japanese losses, with over 7,000 aircraft destroyed.
During these conflicts, 67 Navy, 21 Marine, and three USAAF pilots achieved ace status by shooting down at least five enemy aircraft between March and June 1945. However, the Japanese faced several disadvantages, including inexperienced pilots, outdated aircraft, and the superiority of American fighters like the Hellcat, Corsair, and Thunderbolt. Consequently, American pilots often returned from missions having shot down multiple Japanese planes, with some achieving the rare distinction of becoming "aces in a day."
