1944 â The 1st Japanese suicide submarine attack was at Ulithi Atoll, Carolines. A Japanese Kaiten attack sinks the US naval tanker Mississinewa. The kaiten was aptly described by Theodore Cook as ânot so much a ship as an insertion of a human being into a very large torpedo.â The guts of the beast was a standard Type-93 24â³ torpedo, with the mid-section elongated to create the pilotâs space. He sat in a canvas chair practically on the deck of the kaiten, a crude periscope directly in front of him, and the necessary controls close to hand in the cockpit. Access to the kaiten was through hatches leading up from the sub and into the belly of the weapon. The nose assembly was packed with 3000+ pounds of high explosive; the tail section contained the propulsion unit. The kaiten were launched from a traditional submarine and has only limited success. rochestermilitary.com
