Explanation on Filming of Kamikaze Attack

Documentary being made on USS Laffey
Written by Sonny Walker

 

During the week of December 4th, 2006, John Hudak, Al Dorris and Sonny Walker had the good fortune to observe and assist in the filming of a documentary about Kamikazes shot by Darlow Smithson Productions Ltd, a British production company from London, England.

They filmed on board the USS Yorktown and the USS Laffey. It was quite exciting to see how movies are made. Smoke machines, camera angles, rehearsals, make-up and coordination is what it is all about. They used re-enactors to play the parts of sailors battling the Kamikazes.

I think the ship really felt alive again with sailors running around her decks wearing dungarees, life jackets, helmets and sound powered phones. She had crews in Mount 53, she had a gunner on a 20mm forward of the bridge. She had lookouts on the bridge wing and men at the engine order telegraph and on her helm. Even though she was still tied to the pier at Patriots Point, she felt like she was back at sea.

The filming crew traveled to California to interview Ari Phoutrides. They then went to Houston, TX to film some Japanese Zeros diving and flying to mix with the shots made at Patriots Point. They went to Japan to interview some Japanese pilots to get their view of the war tactics used by Japan. While at Patriots Point, they interviewed plank owner Al Dorris who was on MT 41 during the attack. After leaving Patriots Point they went to Pennsylvania to interview Larry Delewski and get his stories of the fierce battle at Okinawa on 16 April 1945.

They often asked Al what it was really like during the battle so they could get the shots to look authentic. They asked me about what the men would have been wearing, I called Larry to ask him about the action in MT 53 and they dressed the way Larry told us.

I’m sorry to say but the show will be made in conjunction with The Smithsonian Channel and it is going to be a pay per view show. But, I have been assured by one of the producers that we will get a copy of the show.

Our thanks must go out to Peter Nicholson and his crew for preserving our piece of history.

 

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