Operation Ten-Go

7 April 1945, East China Sea, south-west of Kyushu

American victory

A week after the Americans landed on Okinawa, Yamato, the largest battleship ever built, sailed with the light cruiser Yahagi and eight destroyers under Vice Admiral Seiichi Itō to fight her way through to the island, beach herself and fire her guns until she was destroyed. She had no air cover. American submarines and flying boats tracked her from the moment she left the Inland Sea, and about 380 aircraft from Vice Admiral Mitscher's carriers attacked from shortly after midday on 7 April. Yamato was hit by about ten torpedoes, nearly all on her port side, and seven bombs; she rolled over and her magazines blew up in a column of smoke seen in Kyushu. About 3,000 of her crew died, with Itō. Yahagi and four destroyers were also sunk. The Americans lost ten aircraft and twelve airmen.

United States Navy

11 ships, none lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
USS Hornet	Aircraft carrier Essex class	Survived
USS Bennington	Aircraft carrier Essex class	Survived
USS Belleau Wood	Aircraft carrier Independence class	Survived
USS San Jacinto	Aircraft carrier Independence class	Survived
USS Essex	Aircraft carrier Essex class	Survived
USS Bunker Hill Mitscher's flagship	Aircraft carrier Essex class	Survived
USS Bataan	Aircraft carrier Independence class	Survived
USS Cabot	Aircraft carrier Independence class	Survived
USS Yorktown	Aircraft carrier Essex class	Survived
USS Intrepid	Aircraft carrier Essex class	Survived
USS Langley	Aircraft carrier Independence class	Survived

Imperial Japanese Navy

10 ships, 6 lost

Ship	Type	Outcome
IJN Yamato Itō's flagship	Battleship Yamato class	Sunk
IJN Yahagi	Light cruiser Agano class	Sunk
IJN Asashimo Fell behind with engine trouble and was sunk first	Destroyer Yūgumo class	Sunk
IJN Hamakaze	Destroyer Kagerō class	Sunk
IJN Isokaze Scuttled by Yukikaze	Destroyer Kagerō class	Scuttled
IJN Kasumi Scuttled by Fuyutsuki	Destroyer Asashio class	Scuttled
IJN Yukikaze	Destroyer Kagerō class	Survived
IJN Hatsushimo	Destroyer Hatsuharu class	Survived
IJN Fuyutsuki	Destroyer Akizuki class	Damaged
IJN Suzutsuki Steamed home stern-first	Destroyer Akizuki class	Damaged

Map

Yamato's last sortie 6–7 April 1945