A Timeline of Operation Ten-Go

With Allied troops landing at Okinawa, additional naval support from the Imperial Japanese Navy was required. However, the IJN had only a smaller number of naval units at its disposal after a series of naval defeats in 1944. They still retained the largest battleship, that of the Yamato, which would be sent to Okinawa for Operation Ten-Go.

April 1, 1945

The first of the Allied troops landed at Okinawa on April 1, 1945. When they landed, there were a few Japanese troops along the beachheads. Most were fortified further inland, where they established more extensive positions. As such, the Marines quickly secured a beachhead at Okinawa and began to move further inland.

During this period, plans were drafted to provide additional naval support for the Japanese troops. The operation proposed was that of Operation Ten-Go, which would call upon Japan's largest battleship, as well as a group of accompanying destroyers. Fuel shortages ensured that the Yamato could not remain at sea for long, so it was dispatched to Okinawa, where it was expected to beach itself on the coast. Then it could provide additional support as a shore battery, and its crew could reinforce the Japanese army.

April 5

The Yamato battleship remained in port at Mitajiri anchorage. By the 5th April, the first orders for the Yamato's Operation Ten-Go were handed to the captain aboard the Yamato. The mission details stated: "The Surface Special Attack Unit is ordered to proceed via Bungo Suido Channel at dawn on Y-1 day to reach the prescribed holding position for a high-speed run-in to the area west of Okinawa at dawn on Y-day. Your mission is to attack the enemy fleet, supply train, and destroy them. Y-day is April 8th."

Soon after, the crew was informed of the Yamato's new mission at around 15:00. A final farewell party was held before the ship left Mitajiri.

April 6

On April 6, the Yamato departed for Operation Ten-Go. After leaving port, the battleship sailed through the Bungo Channel. It could not go undetected and was tracked by U.S. reconnaissance planes for much of its trip. It was also discovered by two U.S. submarines, but they were unable to intercept it as they could not keep pace with the ship. The Yamato was informed of the presence of U.S. submarines and altered course to evade potential torpedo strikes.

April 7

On the 7th, the Yamato was sighted by further reconnaissance aircraft. Task Force 58 began to close in on the battleship and its escort fleet. The first wave of aircraft flew over the Yamato, and then the ship and its escorts' anti-aircraft guns commenced firing. A former officer aboard the ship stated:

The machine guns were firing everywhere. It was like a net of bullets, so it wasn't so easy for the planes to bomb us. However, only a few U.S. aircraft were lost. TBF torpedo bombers dropped torpedoes, which struck the port side of the ship. Water flooded aboard the battleship, but counterflooding and the sealing of watertight compartments reduced the flooding.

The Japanese fleet sailed on even after three of the destroyer escorts had been wiped out. However, additional waves of planes struck along the port and starboard sides of the Yamato. Aboard the battleship, the orders were given to abandon ship. Then the Yamato began to roll over. A cloud of smoke engulfed the battleship as it slipped beneath the sea. Hundreds of remaining naval personnel were left in the surrounding sea and were picked up by other smaller Japanese ships.

The demise of the Yamato ensured that Operation Ten-Go was all but over. The operation had fallen apart before the Yamato reached Okinawa. The Battle of Okinawa continued up to June, when the final Japanese divisions were defeated.