In Response To: Hoyt as authority?
I can’t add much to Rick’s take on this matter, but here’s are a couple of additional fragments that may help a bit (or perhaps cloud the broth): No. 1 (1st ) Special Attack Corps (SAC) (Philippines) Formed 20 Oct 44 at Mabalacat NAS/Luzon in the Philippines from 1st Air Fleet volunteers and it was the first of the Special Attack or kamikaze units. Shikishima Unit (Philippines) Assigned to 1st SAC; departed from Mabalacat; expended 25 Oct 44 (this was the first special attack unit expended in the Philippines and was credited with sinking the CVE USS St. Lo off Samar Is.). These come from the following, which I feel is the most accurate and comprehensive English language published work on the special attack forces and beats Hoyt hands down: Warner, Denis and Peggy Warner, The Sacred Warriors: Japan’s Suicide Legions. New York: Avon Books, 1982. Regarding 1 FR, it was: ….ordered to Clark Field on Luzon in the Philippines on 15-17 Oct with 41 FRANKs on strength as part of the SHO-Go 1 a
