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Imperial Sacrifice
April 7, 1945. The Imperial Japanese battleship Yamato, on a one-way suicide mission to reinforce the embattled garrison on Okinawa, is attacked by Corsairs from the U.S.S. Intrepid. (T.G. 58.4). Lt. Hal Jackson and a fellow pilot, both of VBF-10, attempt to evade the deadly anti-aircraft fire from the sinking ship, after successfully delivering their bombs on target.
In the closing months of the pacific war, Japan was
becoming more desperate in the defence of her homeland. The armed forces of
Japan had developed more fanatical strategies to thwart the approaching U.S.
war machine. The Imperial Japanese Navy was not immune from this, even though
the diminished fleet was but a remnant of its former self. Thus, in April of
1945, the fate of the Yamato task group was sealed in a sacrificial plan to
reinforce the defenders of Okinawa. -Written by Mike Coenen
With only enough fuel to make the voyage from the
Inner Sea of Japan to the island, under assault from the combined American and
Allied Forces, the world's largest battleship, together with the light cruiser
Yahagi and eight escort destroyers, sailed into the South China Sea. They were
tracked by U.S. submarines through the Bungo Straits, their positions being
relayed to U.S. Task Force 58. There would be no air cover for the Japanese
Navy.
At approximately half past noon on April 7, 1945,
more than 380 U.S. planes from Task Group 58 attacked the Yamato Task Group in
three separate air waves. In the ensuing battle that lasted a little more than
three hours, the Imperial Japanese Navy ceased to exist. Sunk was the
battleship Yamato, the light cruiser Yahagi, and four of the eight escort
destroyers. The remaining destroyers limped home to Kure Harbor with what
survivors they could find from the sunken ships.
The sacrifice for the Japanese was staggering. In
addition to the Japanese Navy's loss of pride, 4,250 officers and sailors
perished. The loss to American forces were 10 planes and 12 aircrew.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamato, the architect who had
planned the attack on Pearl Harbor, had predicted this outcome at the
beginning of hostilities more than three and a half years prior to this tragic
battle. The giant did indeed awaken and returned with a terrible resolve. It
would culminate four months later not far from where the keel for the Yamato
was laid: Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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Overall Size: 32.5" x 23"
500 Limited Edition prints with ONE co-signature, $145
50 Artist Proofs with ONE co-signature, $175
50 Special Edition with ONE co-signature (remarqued), $245
