Lunga Point
On the evening of 21 February, "Lunga Point" was performing routine close air support with the rest of Task Group 77.4. At the time, the escort carrier task group consisted of "Lunga Point", her sister ships "Bismarck Sea", "Makin Island", , , and , along with a destroyer contingent. The task group was steaming approximately east of Iwo Jima. At 18:45, the task group spotted the Japanese planes headed for them, when a Mitsubishi G4M made a dive towards "Lunga Point". Gunners from "Bismarck Sea" shot it down. At 18:46, five Nakajima B6Ns dove towards "Lunga Point". The first plane, approaching from the starboard missed with its torpedo, passing harmlessly in front of "Lunga Point". It subsequently crashed into the ocean at a high velocity. The second plane also missed with its torpedo, but managed to disengage and fly away. The third plane also missed with its torpedo, which proceeded behind the stern, and, set aflame and damaged heavily, attempted to crash into the carrier, approaching from the starboard side. The kamikaze exploded before it could hit the ship, and the wreckage of the plane skidded across the deck, and off the side of the carrier, sparking a brief gasoline fire. The fourth plane detonated in mid-air, due to a direct hit from a anti-aircraft shell. The fifth plane switched targets to "Bismarck Sea", sinking it with the loss of 318 lives. Damage to "Lunga Point" was minimal, and eleven of her crew was wounded. There were no fatalities. She was able to continue operating in support of troops on Iwo Jima.