On April 6, 1945, the USS EMMONS was on patrol between Ie Shima Island and the northwestern tip of Okinawa. In one of the largest Kamikaze attacks ever, the Japanese launched over 350 suicide planes. At approximately 1730 the first of five Kamikazes hit the USS Emmons. Casualties were very heavy that day: Seven officers were either killed or missing in action, six wounded, fifty enlisted sailors were either killed or missing in action and sixty five were wounded. Although the USS Emmons was severely damaged and the remaining crew was ordered to abandon ship, she refused to sink. Her burning hull drifted all night towards Ie Shima Island. Ie Shima Island was still held by the Japanese and early on the 7th of April the order was sent out to scuttle the Emmons before she could beach on the island. Currently she rests in 145 feet of water off of Kouri Island.
