Join facebook to connect with saburo sakai and others you may know. Sakai, by contrast, was flying and fighting on behalf of the evil unleashed by japanese militarism in the 1930s. The rise of japanese naval air power, by mark pattie. Warrant officer saburo sakai is the most famous japanese pilot and was one of the few high scorers to survive the war. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Illustrated edition by martin caiden, saburo sakai.
It describes the life and career of saburo sakai, the japanese combat aviator who fought against american fighter pilots in the pacific theater of world war ii, surviving the war with 64 kills as one of japans leading flying aces. Over the course of three hours, he and i discussed a number of topics, almost all related to his exploits in the war, but to some broader issues as well. Btw, saburo flew with the real 343 kokutai of the ijn in ww2. Its the japanese version of the first and last and the reader follows sakais career from the early days of japanese victory to the wars conclusion. Aug 27, 20 i read this story long time ago and it still brings tears to my eyes reading it again. Through most of his flying career he flew the famous mitsubishi zero in its various models. Only if all warriors had the heart and honor of mr. Samurai saburo sakai english download friends of pdf. Samurai saburo sakai english download language, english winged samurai. Interview with saburo sakai project news read only.
Over the course of three hours, he and i discussed a number of topics, almost all related to his exploits in. Samurai saburo sakai pdf saburo sakai with martin caidin fred saito. I read this story long time ago and it still brings tears to my eyes reading it again. Saburo sakai august 25, 1916 september 22, 2000 was a japanese naval aviator and fighter ace of the imperial japanese navy. Piloting a mitsubishi a6m zero was hairraising enough, with its notorious lack of armor and selfsealing fuel tanks, but flying one while bleeding to death, down one eye, and fading in and out of consciousness is the kind of experience saburo sakai, legendary japanese fighter ace, places the reader in through his autobiography and memoir, samurai. Saburo sakai the merciful realistic battle discussion. Military history ibooks new ed by sakai, saburo isbn. Saburo sakai was born on august 25, 1916 the thirdborn of four sons and three sisters in saga, japan. Illustrated edition ebook written by martin caiden, saburo sakai, fred saito. Saburo sakai was born into an impoverished samurai family in 1916. Luckily for sakai, he was not assigned to a naval carrier. Autobiography of japans fighter ace saburo sakai pages 160162. On december 8, 1941, sakai flew one of 45 zeros from the tainan kokutai that attacked clark airfield in the. He came from a family descended from a long line of samurai, japans ancient warrior class.
See more ideas about wwii, imperial japanese navy and world war. Its the japanese version of the first and last and the reader follows sakai s career from the early days of japanese victory to the wars conclusion. Descargar samurai caidin martin en pdf libros geniales. By 1937 he had graduated at the top of this his enlisted pilottraining class, and he quickly saw combat in china. Interview with saburo sakai project news read only war. Saburo sakai and the zero fighter pilots is a book by henry sakaida dealing with the wartime history of saburo sakai and.
Samurai of the air on august 7, 1942, badly wounded japanese ace saburo sakai disengages from his american adversaries and embarks on an epic 640mile flight back to his base at rabaul, new britain. Wwiis elite airmen and the epic battle to become the master of the sky john r. Jun 15, 2010 saburo sakai is japans greatest fighter pilot to survive world war ii, and his powerful memoir has proven to be one of the most popular and enduring books ever written on the pacific war. Media in category saburo sakai the following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total. Sublieutenant saburo sakai was a japanese naval aviator and flying ace of the imperial japanese navy during world war ii and was the highest surviving ace of the ijn. Four different a6m2 zeros are alleged to have been flown by saburo sakai and documented by henry sakaida in his biography of sakai, winged samurai. Here you can find saburo sakai samurai shared files. Saburo sakai and the zero fighter pilots is a book by henry sakaida dealing with the wartime history of saburo sakai and friends of pdf. According to japanese naval fighter aces by hata, izawa and shores, official records show that sakai had claimed 28 victories by the time he was wounded in action on 7 august. Afterwards, sakai was adopted by his maternal uncle who paid for him to attend tokyo high school, but did not excel and in his second year returned to.
His total of 64 victories puts him in fourth place after warrant officer hiroyoshi nishizawa, 1 victories, lt. Saburo sakai was born in saga, on the island of kyushu, in 1916 to a family that had turned to farming as changing economic and social conditions led. First off, let me say that this is one of the grand combat memoirs of world war iibut you knew that, right. Samurai of the air originally appeared in the may 2018 issue of aviation history. Sublieutenant saburo sakai, sakai saburo, 25 august 1916 22 september 2000 was a japanese naval aviator and flying ace gekitsuio, of the imperial japanese navy during world war ii.
Tetsuzo iwamoto, 80, and petty officer 1st class shoichi sugita, 70. Sakai had 28 aerial victories including shared by official japanese records, while his autobiography samurai. Dogfight between saburo sakai and james southerland august 7, 1942 excert from samurai. At age 11, his father died, leaving his mother alone to raise seven children. A couple of months ago a friend loaned me a magazine with an article about modern fighter pilots compared to wwii pilots. Pacific wrecks dogfight between saburo sakai and james. Saburo sakai is japans greatest fighter pilot to survive world war ii, and his powerful memoir has proven to be one of the most popular and enduring books ever written on the pacific war. The book is an oversized paperback, roughly 11 x 8, and has a wonderful painting on the cover of sakai and his zero rocketing upwards after he was horribly wounded attacking a dauntless formation over tulagi in august of 1942. Sakai, born in 1916, hoped to escape the poverty of life in his rural village by enlisting in the imperial japanese navy at age 16. Samurai by fred saito,martin caidin,saburo sakai and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Saburo sakai simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Written by martin caidin from saburo sakais own memoirs and journalist fred saitos extensive interviews with the fighter pilot, samauir.
He had, by his accounting 3,700 hours flying time, with at least 1,500 hours of that in zeros. One feels both the deep dedication of sakai to the samurai spirit and to his sense of duty, as well as his keen awareness of the folly of the war. He interviewed saburo sakai three times between 1970 and 1991. Saburo sakai s 500 mile trek back to rabual from guadacanal in his crippled zero is a testimony to the man and to the nature of war. He was the 4th best japanese pilot by number of enemy aircraft he shot down. Samurai is another book you wont be able to put down. Sakai scenario saburo sakai was the greatest japanese ace to survive world war 2 with 62 air claimed combat kills. From march until august, 1945, sakai flew the shiden against b29 raids. He was the son of a captain of the japanese imperial navy, and even in his youth, sasai was destined to. On sunday, august 11th 1998, i had the unique pleasure of being invited to the tokyo home of mr. Two zeros were shot down in the battle, and the b32 was seriously damaged.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read samurai. In the case of saburo sakai the most common number given is 64 but nearly all sources agree that this number was basically invented by martin caidin when he wrote samurai. Saburo sakai the merciful realistic battle discussion war. Written by martin caidin from saburo sakai s own memoirs and journalist fred saitos extensive interviews with the fighter pilot, samauir. In this video sakai talks with maeda akira, a famous japanese pro wrestler. Saburo sakais 500 mile trek back to rabual from guadacanal in his crippled zero is a testimony to the man and to the nature of war. Saburo sakai was born on 25 august 1916, in saga, japan. The wildcat was clinging grimly to the tail of a zero, its tracers chewing up the wings and tail. Saburo sakai was born august 16th 1916 in the farming village of nishiyoka in the saga prefecture on kyushu island, japan. Saburo sakai archive luftwaffe and allied air forces. Saburo sakai august 16, 1916 september 22, 2000 saburo sakai was born august 26th 1916 in the farming village of nishiyoka in saga prefecture on kyushu island, japan. Taught to live by the code of bushido hagakure the code of the samurai, which meant serving the lords of saga and living your. Saburo sakai and his coauthor martin caidin paint a vivid and enthralling picture of the japanese side of world war ii.
Of these four aircraft, only two are known by serial number. According to sakaida, sakai san has flown a6m2 model 21s carrying tainan ku tail codes as follows. First published in english in 1957, it gave a new perspective on the air war and on the japanese pilots who, until then, had been perceived in the united. Sakai was the imperial navys fourthranking ace and japans leading fighter pilot to survive the war. He may have been a great pilot and a masterful shooter, but his cause was vile. In this japanese name, the family name is sakai saburo sakai japanese. Winged samurai is one of my favorite books in my small but growing library of all things jnaf. Sep 22, 2000 media in category saburo sakai the following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total. Oct 08, 2000 saburo sakai was born in saga, on the island of kyushu, in 1916 to a family that had turned to farming as changing economic and social conditions led to the passing of the warrior class. Aviation art poster samurai saburo sakai saburo sakai the battle of guadalcanal sublieutenant saburo sakai sakai saburo.
Caidin wrote the prose of the book, basing its contents on. This page includes several scenarios based on his exploits as described in samurai. Faced with the prospects of a desolate rural life, he enlisted in the imperial japanese navy at sixteen. Saburo sakai samurai poster by basilbarfly redbubble.