Most kamikaze died in vain. Only 1 in 9 kamikaze pilots hit their targets during WW2.
Incredibly, despite the immense sacrifice involved, it’s estimated that only 14% to 19% of Kamikaze aircraft succeeded in hitting their targets. Many were shot down before they could get close to the ships they were attempting to damage, while others missed through the pilots’ error.
Even with this poor success rate, however, the Kamikaze pilots were still able to earn themselves a place in history as one of Japan’s most dangerous weapons from the Second World War. Throughout the conflict, at least 47 Allied ships were sunk by Kamikaze fighters, while a further 300 were seriously damaged.