Instinctive behavior occurs when an animal has a particular internal state while it is in the presence of a specific external stimulation called a releaser or a sign stimulus.
47 Ships Sunk by Kamikaze Aircraft. by Bill Gordon. Sources differ regarding the number of ships sunk by kamikaze aircraft during World War II. Inoguchi (1958, 211-34) lists the names of 34 ships sunk by kamikaze attacks, and Warner (1982, 323-34) gives the names of 57 ships sunk by special attack aircraft. However, an examination of other historical records indicates that both of these two lists do not have the correct number of ships sunk by kamikaze.
Unfortunately, the U.S. Merchant Marine has no official historians and researchers, and statistics for WWII vary: 1  Mariners killed at sea direct result of enemy action or as POW on American flag ships Coast Guard: 5,662. 2  Mariners killed at sea from war causes, compiled by Captain Arthur Moore: 6,847.