By Dave Boitano
Ted Crosby, 93, can recall in detail that day in the spring of 1945 when he shot down five Japanese Kamikaze planes.
Crosby was flying a Grumman Hellcat fighter off the USS Hornet during the Battle for Okinawa when radar operators spotted a swarm of Japanese suicide aircraft headed towards the U.S. fleet.
At least two Navy destroyers had been sunk by the Kamikazes and Crosby’s flight leader decided to stop the Japanese planes before they could do more damage.
Crosby and other veteran naval aviators shared plenty of sea stories during a special Living Ship Day celebration held aboard Saturday aboard the Hornet, moored permanently at Alameda Point.