A reading of a detailed official account covers Japanese explosive boats, their intended attack methods, and the Allied countermeasures around Okinawa. Air reconnaissance and bombardment sought out concealed boat bases before craft could launch. At night, radar-equipped gunboats formed flycatcher lines backed by cruisers and destroyers, while landing craft and amphibious vehicles guarded the transports, beaches, and reef. The layered system sharply limited the damage caused by suicide boats, swimmers, and other small craft despite the large numbers prepared for the campaign.
Chapter · 3:27:10-3:34:44
Book watch point: defending Okinawa's transport area
An official account of Operation Iceberg explains how naval gunfire, air attack, and layered small-craft screens reduced the threat from Japanese suicide boats.