The Ki-21 Bomber’s Audacious Belly Landing at Yontan Airfield: A Rare Japanese Airborne Operation in the Pacific War

The Battle of Okinawa, fought between April and June 1945, was one of the bloodiest and most intense engagements of the Pacific Theater during World War II. It was a crucial battle that saw fierce fighting between U.S. forces and the Imperial Japanese Army, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Amidst the larger battle, a daring and audacious raid took place that would become one of the rare instances of Japanese airborne operations in the Pacific theater. This operation involved a Japanese Ki-21 bomber, which executed a belly landing at Yontan Airfield and deployed commandos among the parked U.S. aircraft, creating chaos in the heart of the American air operations.

The Ki-21, also known by its Allied reporting name “Sally,” was a twin-engine bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during the Second World War. While the Ki-21 had initially been one of Japan’s most formidable bombers in the early stages of the war, by 1945, its design was increasingly outdated, particularly in comparison to the newer American aircraft that dominated the skies. However, during the Battle of Okinawa, the Ki-21 would find itself involved in one of the most unique and desperate Japanese air missions of the war.

In this article, we examine the circumstances of the Ki-21 bomber’s daring belly landing at Yontan Airfield, its role in the rare Japanese airborne operation, and the broader context of Japanese tactics in the Pacific theater during the closing days of the war.

The Ki-21 Bomber and Its Role in the Pacific War

The Ki-21 bomber, also known as the Sally by the Allies, was designed as a medium bomber in the 1930s, capable of carrying heavy bomb loads over moderate distances. It was initially a formidable aircraft for the Japanese Army Air Force, used in numerous campaigns across the Pacific, including in China and the early stages of the Pacific War. With its relatively high speed and ability to carry a variety of bombs, it played a critical role in Japan’s early aerial assaults.

However, by 1945, the Ki-21 was increasingly outclassed by newer American aircraft such as the B-29 Superfortress and the P-51 Mustang. While the Ki-21 had been an effective weapon early in the war, by the time of the Battle of Okinawa, it was no longer a major threat in terms of air-to-air combat or strategic bombing. Nevertheless, the Japanese military, desperate in the face of mounting losses and the overwhelming U.S. forces, began to rely on unconventional tactics to maintain the fight.

In the final stages of the war, Japanese forces were desperate to disrupt American operations, particularly the vital airfields and logistical hubs that were essential to the U.S. war effort. It was in this context that the Ki-21 would be used in a daring, almost suicidal, mission—a mission that would become one of the few airborne operations by the Japanese in the Pacific theater.

The Belly Landing at Yontan Airfield

On the morning of April 1945, a single Ki-21 bomber was tasked with a high-risk operation against Yontan Airfield, one of the key American airfields on Okinawa. The mission’s objective was simple yet extremely dangerous: the bomber was to land on the airfield and deploy a team of Japanese commandos among the parked U.S. aircraft. This would disrupt American air operations by causing confusion, sowing chaos, and potentially damaging vital planes on the ground.

The Ki-21, with its two engines and undercarriage, was not suited for belly landings, but this would become a necessity for the operation. The bomber, having suffered mechanical failure or damage on its mission, had no choice but to attempt a belly landing on the airfield. This daring maneuver, carried out under the threat of American anti-aircraft fire and the constant risk of enemy interception, was a last-ditch attempt to carry out a mission of significant psychological impact.

Landing a bomber on its belly—without the protection of wheels or landing gear—is a risky proposition. The Ki-21’s belly landing was highly unorthodox and almost certainly part of the crew’s last-ditch efforts to complete their mission. The aircraft hit the ground hard, its belly scraping across the runway, but remarkably, the plane remained intact long enough for the Japanese commandos to begin their assault.

Once on the ground, the crew of the Ki-21 quickly disembarked, along with the commandos aboard. These soldiers, specially trained for this kind of operation, sprang into action immediately. The commandos quickly spread out, moving among the parked American aircraft and engaging in sabotage and other disruptive activities. Their aim was to cause as much chaos as possible, using whatever tools they had available to destroy or damage the U.S. planes and equipment.

The idea behind this unusual operation was to cripple American airpower on the island temporarily, hoping to delay or prevent the American forces from launching counterattacks or reinforcing their positions. Although the operation was relatively small in scope, its psychological impact was significant. The idea of a bomber deliberately belly-landing and deploying commandos into an active airfield was unexpected and shocking to American forces, adding to the already tense atmosphere of the Okinawa campaign.

Japanese Airborne Operations and the Use of Commandos

The raid at Yontan Airfield was one of the few examples of airborne operations carried out by the Japanese during World War II. Most of the Japanese Army’s focus was on conventional ground and naval warfare, and the Japanese did not develop a significant airborne capability, unlike their counterparts in Germany, the U.S., and the Soviet Union. In fact, Japan’s military strategy largely relied on traditional naval and army tactics, with relatively little use of specialized airborne forces.

However, as the war drew to a close, Japan was forced to become increasingly desperate in its military tactics. With American forces closing in on the home islands, the Japanese turned to unconventional and extreme measures. Kamikaze attacks, banzai charges, and sabotage missions became more common as the Japanese sought to slow the Allied advance. The raid at Yontan was one such attempt to disrupt the U.S. forces in a way that would maximize confusion and delay the American war effort, despite the overall hopelessness of the Japanese position.

The use of commandos in this type of raid was also an indication of the Japanese military’s changing tactics as the war neared its end. Rather than relying on massed attacks and conventional military units, the Japanese now sought to employ more guerrilla-style tactics, hoping to inflict damage and create disorder even in the face of overwhelming odds.

The Impact of the Yontan Raid and its Legacy

While the raid on Yontan Airfield itself did not result in significant damage to the U.S. aircraft, it was a notable demonstration of the Japanese military’s resourcefulness and desperation in the final stages of the Pacific War. The operation also represented one of the few airborne tactics used by Japan during the war, a rare and unusual approach given the country’s limited investment in airborne forces.

In the broader context of the Battle of Okinawa, which was marked by brutal ground fighting and devastating aerial bombardments, the raid at Yontan added another layer of tension and unpredictability. The battle for Okinawa was critical for the United States, as it provided a strategic base for launching further operations toward the Japanese mainland. Every effort to disrupt American air operations or supply lines, even one as audacious as the belly-landing raid, could make a significant difference in the outcome of the campaign.

Though the raid was a singular and isolated event, it highlights the degree to which both sides were willing to go to gain any advantage in the war’s closing months. It also underscores the increasingly desperate nature of Japanese military tactics as they faced inevitable defeat.

Conclusion

The raid at Yontan Airfield by the Ki-21 bomber and its commandos remains one of the rarest airborne operations conducted by the Japanese during World War II. This operation, though small in scope and ultimately unsuccessful in terms of its objectives, demonstrated the willingness of the Japanese to utilize any means possible to disrupt the American war effort. The Ki-21’s belly landing and the subsequent deployment of commandos was a desperate attempt to slow the inevitable tide of the Pacific War, and it serves as a reminder of the extraordinary lengths to which both sides went as the war neared its end.