Read The Twilight Warriors Online
Authors: Robert Gandt
JANUARY 26Spruance assumes command of U.S. Fifth Fleet; Mitscher takes over Task Force 58.
FEBRUARY 10Vice Adm. Ugaki takes command of IJN Fifth Air Fleet.
FEBRUARY 19U.S. Marines land on Iwo Jima.
FEBRUARY 20Intrepid
deploys to join Task Force 58 at Okinawa.
MARCH 16Iwo Jima declared secure.
MARCH 18Air Group 10 flies combat missions against Japanese mainland.
MARCH 19USS
Franklin
struck by Japanese dive-bomber.
MARCH 26–29U.S. 77th Inf. Division captures Kerama Retto.
APRIL 1Love Day. U.S. invasion of Okinawa begins.
APRIL 6–7Kikusui
No. 1. First massed kamikaze attack.
APRIL 7IJN battleship
Yamato
and five escorts sunk by Task Force 58 aircraft.
APRIL 12–13Kikusui
No. 2.
APRIL 15–16Kikusui
No. 3.