Phalanx Against the Divine Wind

Merriam Press World War 2 History Series. First Edition 2017. Halsey’s Fast Carrier Task Force was the ultimate naval armada during WWII. To protect the carriers squadrons of destroyers were placed in harm’s way on the outer flanks of the formation. USS Haynsworth DD700 was one of 9 sister destroyers that formed Squadron 62. They fought in engagements in the South China Sea, Iwo Jima, Tokyo, and Okinawa. They battled Japanese warships, submarines, torpedoes, mines, and planes. On Apr 6, 1945, Kikusui No.1 was initiated, the largest kamikaze attack of WWII. The Haynsworth was the first warship struck. For the Fifth Fleet, it was a fight for survival against nearly 700 enemy planes in an epic battle that spanned 30 hours. Phalanx Against the Divine Wind contains possibly the last first-hand accounts of kamikaze attacks against destroyers. It is a riveting account of young sailors and their warships’ struggle for survival during their intense battles against the Japanese in WWII. 292 photos/illus, 7 maps.