Following the death of Admiral Yamamoto, Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki was rescued from the 2nd 'Betty' bomber, one of three survivors.Recovered from his wounds, Ugaki was given command of the 1st Battleship Division, which included the biggest battleships in the world Yamato and her sister Musashi.Ugaki was a driving force in the developement of the 'Kamikaze' programme both at sea and in the air.Following the disastrous Battle of Leyte Gulf, Ugake was recalled to Japan, where he was appointed commander of the IJN Fifth Air Fleet and overseer of all Naval aircraft in the Kyushu region.In March 1945 he launched the first wave of Kamikazes against the U.S fleet, anchored at Ulithi followed by Operation 'Ten-Go' which involved hundreds of Kamikaze attacks against shipping in the vicinity of Okinawa.With an American amphibious assault expected on the Japanese mainland, Ugake also began to gather aircraft and suicide boats and human torpedoes, and he consealed several hundred all over and around the coast of Japan.Had an invasion been launched, operation 'Ketsu-Go' would have seen the invasion force inundated with hundreds of Kamikaze attacks from the air, on and below the water, in the first crucial hours. On August 15th 1945 the Emperor made a radio announcement conceding defeat and calling on the military to lay down it's arms.After listening to the broadcast, Ugaki made one final entry in his diary noting he had not recieved an 'official' cease-fire order.Feeling he alone was to blame for the failure of the Kamikazes to stop the Americans, he would fly one final mission to show the true spirit of Bushido.Ugaki removed all rank insignia from his green uniform and posed for a final photograph holding a short ceremonial sword, a gift from Admiral Yamamoto, he then climbed into the back seat of a Yokasuka D4Y "Judy".Warrent Officer Akiyoshi Endo, whose place Ugake had usurped, refused to be left behind and climbed into the plane and sat on Ugake's lap.Of the ten aircraft that took off, three returned with 'engine problems'.At 19:24 Endo sent a final radio report that they had begun their dive on an enemy vessel.U.S Naval Records show no successful Kamikaze attacks on this day, and so it seems likely all the aircraft crashed into the ocean..... On the morning of August 16th, the crew of the American landing craft LST-926 found the still smouldering remains of a two seat aircraft cockpit on a beach.In the cockpit were two crew and a mysterious third person.The third man, his head crushed beyond recognision and missing his right arm, wore a dark green uniform.Nearby they found an ornate ceremonial short sword.The sailors buried the bodies in the sand..... Matome Ugaki kept detailed diaries during the war, and most of what is known of the Kamikaze program comes from these diaries.They also provide an insight into the changing fortunes of Japan from Pearl Harbour to the wars end from the Japanese point of view. The images above are from my first telling of the Death of Admiral Yamamoto a couple of years ago.(during my film-frame period) posted for want of something better. Thanks for the great comments and interest....now, what shall we have next ??