"APRIL FOOL"

Any one who was there will tell you the same story------ships, all sizes and kinds, as far as one could see in all directions.  1500 ships and nearly 1000 carrier aircraft ready to support the combined Army and Marine landing forces.
It was the first day of April, 1945 and the invasion of Okinawa was about to start.  The invasion was the first to take place on Japanese territory.  It would be costly-----to both sides.
The U.S. combined forces numbered some 548,000 while Japan numbered about 130,000.  But they were no pushover by anybody's measure, well supplied, well prepared and well dug in, they were fierce defenders.  In  three months of fighting we suffered some 50,000 casualties.  Japanese losses numbered 124,755.  The Navy suffered some 350 Kamikazi attacks.  These were bomb-laden planes piloted by youngsters taught to take off but not how to land.  There job was to pick a ship and fly into same and do great damage.
On a personal note; I had a friend who was Executive Officer on a wooden hull mine sweeper.  A small vessel with a small crew and a big job.  They were to sweep the waters for mines before the invasion.  They would cruise back and forth in ever closer to the beech sweeps to clear the way for the landing.  Meanwhile, the enemy was firing at them constantly but, as he said, "We were so small they could never hit us!"  April Fool!.......Medicineman!