06.Saburo Sakai (さかい さぶろう)

Man said ”If you have determination and perseverance, ” it is the greatest phrase to describe Saburo Sakai. He started to dream to become a pilot since he was young, but as he didn’t pass the curricular test, he barely gave his dream up. But the Navy suddenly lack of pilots, so he joint the Navy to try to serve as a pilot when he was 16. He took part in the training program after he passed the strict Navy pilot test, even graduated honor, represent the whole class to receive the watch given by the Japan emperor.

He was sent to the China Japan war at first after a longer training. During the war, he shot down several bombers and fighters, then he was assigned to the Tainan Air Group (台南海軍航空隊), which is famous for taking down almost all of the American fighters at the beginning of war.

He took part in the WWII after the Japanese Navy struck the Pearl Harbor. He and his colleague took part in striking the Clark AB in Philippines, taking down lots of enemies. During that time, he was once serious ill and was sent back to Japan to heal his body for about three month. After his recovery, he and his squadron was transformed to New Guinea, taken part in the deadly Rabaul war, won most of his shot down credit here.

If you ask ”is he famous in the US?” the answer will be yes without hesitation. During the war, he was once flew to the US army’s air base as chasing the bombers, and they started to play tricks on the top of the airport instead of attacking the air base. Though he and his colleague burst their superior in to anger, they became really famous among both of the campaign.

“Even experts might be in trouble ” might be the best quote to describe how he was harmed in a dogfight. At first, the attacking procedure was very smooth, as they flew back to their air base, they found some hostile in front of them. Without checking whether it is bomber or fighter, Sakai engaged, and he was serious harmed, especially his right eye was stack by a shatter of the glass, which almost destroy his pilot career.

After the cure of his eyes, which didn’t became as good as it was, he was sent to Iwo Jima, taken part in the defend of the sky. He even almost taken part in kamikaze before it was formed as the commander tried to protect their reputation by doing it, but he failed and return to base. As the US wasn’t really interested in taking down Iwo Jima at that time, he was finally transport back to Japan as a tutor and new fighter test man.

Post war, he was in trouble at first, as he didn’t he retire payment and he was resigned by the US control Japan,     he formed his own printer factory to help those like him after he finally own a fortune. His wife even died. At 1955, he and the US journalist Martin Caidin cooperate the well known book, “Ôzora no Samurai, or Zero Pilot”, he became famous and provided a lot of precious data of the Tainan Air Group (台南海軍航空隊), visit the us several time and even regroup with the DC3 transporter crew that he disobeyed his superior to let it go instead of shot it down.