Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. 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. 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. Sublieutenant saburo sakai was a japanese naval aviator and flying ace gekitsuio, of the imperial japanese navy during world war ii. Sakai enjoyed a singular and most cherished reputation among fighter pilots. Saburo sakai was a national hero in japan as its greatest surviving air ace of world war two. Pilots everywhere spoke in awe of his incredible exploits in the air. Sakais claude mitsubishi type 96, january 1962, american. The fact that sakai never made a combat launch from an aircraft carrier in no way.
The book japanese destroyer captain by captain tameichi hara was an exception. Saburo sakai became a living legend in japan during world war ii. In the last pages of the book, sakai or rather, caidin describes in great detail how he shot down a superfortress on the last night of the war. Samurai by saburo sakai martin caidin fred saito abebooks.
He was taught to live by the code of bushido, which he defined in his book, samurai. Two zeros were shot down in the battle, and the b32 was seriously damaged. This book covers the life of sabruo sakai during the period of his prewar flight training to the end of wwii. Apr, 2010 based on an excerpt from the book samurai by saburo sakai. 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. 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. Saburo sakai was born on august 25, 1916 the thirdborn of four sons and three sisters in saga, japan. It did not seem that sakai had shot down every type of fighter plane that the usa.
The family was poor, but intensely proud of their samurai heritage, according to mr. Samurai is another book you wont be able to put down. Japanese zero pilot saburo sakai, shot down by eight dauntless tailgunners. The personal story of this outstanding pilot is vividly described in saburo sakais book samurai which was written with the cooperation of martin caidin and fred saito. 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. For a man who engaged in more than two hundred aerial combats, this. Greetings cardsakai, saburo, japanese navy fighter acephoto greetings card made in the usa the greatest japanese ace of wwii. Saburo sakai, a japanese fighter pilot in world war ii who said he shot down 64 allied planes, including one of each type the united states flew. Written by martin caidin from saburo sakais own memoirs and journalist fred saitos extensive interviews with the world war ii fighter pilot, samurai. The photo shows sakai as a sergeantpilot in china and is reproduced is from a telephone card given out as a favor at his memorial service in 2002. 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. Apr 28, 20 saburo sakai along with several widows and brothers of his comrades who died in the war, now owns and operates a printing shop in japan. Of all japans aces, saburo sakai is the only pilot who never lost a wingman in combat.
The book also claims to be an illustrated edition but there appear to be no photographs or other illustrations present. Saburo sakai was a japanese naval aviator and flying ace who had 64 aerial victories. Saburo sakai is perhaps one of the most famous japanese air aces to emerge from wwii, credited with at least 28 aerial victories and shooting down or severely damaging well over 60 allied aircraft, despite later in the war flying a plane that was vastly inferior to his opponents planes. Everyone at the event was an aviation fanatic and had read the book and knew the story well. I obviously had not read sakais biography, samurai. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Legendary zero pilot saburo sakai was japans most recognized ace, but few. Based on an excerpt from the book samurai by saburo sakai. The personal story of this outstanding pilot is vividly described in saburo sakais book samurai which was written. Saburo sakai was born into an impoverished samurai family in 1916.
The wildcat was clinging grimly to the tail of a zero, its tracers chewing up the wings and tail. He came from a family descended from a long line of samurai, japans ancient warrior class. Sakai had 28 aerial victories including shared by official japanese records, while his autobiography samurai. Written by martin caidin from saburo sakai s own memoirs and journalist fred saitos extensive interviews with the world war ii fighter pilot, samurai. Martin caidin was an american author and an authority on aeronautics and aviation. Legendary zero pilot saburo sakai was japans most recognized ace, but few knew the man behind the legend saburo sakai is probably japans 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. On a patrol with his zero over java, just after shooting down an enemy aircraft. Saburo sakai along with several widows and brothers of his comrades who died in the war, now owns and operates a printing shop in japan. 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. Oct 10, 2000 saburo sakai, a japanese fighter pilot in world war ii who said he shot down 64 allied planes, including one of each type the united states flew, but who later befriended the americans he once. Sakai is shown to have been a patriotic and heroic fighter, who, like most soldiers, gave little thought to the politics of the war. 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.
Saburo sakai and the zero fighter pilots another point of interest is sakai s debunking certain myths that have cropped up since the end of the war, such as his famed last combat. Saburo sakai was born on 25 august 1916 in saga in japan. 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. The book states that on the night of august 1415, 1945, the evening before. Saburo sakai saw a few more sorties before the end of the war and eventually claimed 64 victories. I was hearing it for the first time as the interpreter and was almost in tears hearing this beautiful story of a mothers love and devotion, and sakais vision of her in his great moment of need. The story is written in the first person by the japanese ace, saburo sakai. At age 11, his father died, leaving his mother alone to raise seven children.
The main authors credit for the book should be saburo sakai, though, not martin caiden and it needs a huge and i do mean huge number of scanning errors correcting in the text. Autobiography of japans fighter ace saburo sakai pages 160162. In this video sakai mainly talks about the zeros characteristics. Editions for samurai 055324664x mass market paperback published in 1985, kindle edition published in 2018, 1591147557 hardcover published in 2010. Here we see sakais wing of zeros ambushing a wing of p39s. 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. For a man who engaged in more than two hundred aerial combats, this was an incredible achievement. Faced with the prospects of a desolate rural life, he enlisted in the imperial japanese navy at sixteen. In less than a minute the b29 disappeared beneath the water.
From zero to hero saburo sakaithe samurai of the skies. Interview with saburo sakai project news read only. The book lets us believe that the flying ace accounted for the destruction of over 60 us and other allied planes during his war time flying career. 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. Sakai had 28 aerial victories including shared by official japanese records. Legendary zero pilot saburo sakai was japans most recognized ace, but few knew the man behind the legend saburo sakai is probably japans saburo sakai. In great detail, the book describes how sakai shot down 3 of them, and with. Illustrated edition ebook written by martin caiden, saburo sakai, fred saito. By 1937 he had graduated at the top of this his enlisted pilottraining class, and he quickly saw combat in china. 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. Pacific wrecks dogfight between saburo sakai and james. This book has been written by martin caidin from saburo sakais own memoirs and journalist fred saitos interviews with the fighter pilot. He was the highest scoring japanese ace to survive the.
Saburo sakai and his coauthor martin caidin paint a vivid and enthralling picture of the japanese side of world war ii. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. The unforgettable saga of japans greatest fighter pilot by saburo sakai, martin caidin, fred saito and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Sakais account of the rise and fall of japanese naval aviation has not lost any of its riveting impact in the nearly 60 years since. I read these at the edge of your seat stories with mixed feelings as the japanese ace tells how he often out maneuvered my fellow country men and shot them down.
It is a fascinating and honest look at the air war in the pacific from the japanese perspective. According to sakaida, sakai san has flown a6m2 model 21s carrying tainan ku tail codes as follows. Written by martin caidin from saburo sakais own memoirs and journalist fred saitos extensive interviews with the fighter pilot, samauir. Unfollow saburo sakai to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. A seriously wounded sakai returns to rabaul with his damaged zero after a fourhour, 47minute flight over 560 nmi 1,040 km. Saburo sakai was born august 16th 1916 in the farming village of nishiyoka in the saga prefecture on kyushu island, japan. Sakai was born into a family with immediate affiliation to samurai and their warrior legacies and whose ancestors themselves samurai had taken part in the japanese invasions of korea between 1592 to 1598, but who were later forced to take up a livelihood of farming following haihanchiken in 1871. With akihiko hirata, takeo chii, hiroshi fujioka, natsuyo kawakami. Samurai, first published in 1957, is the wartime account of saburo sakai, the leading japanese fighter ace to survive the second world war.
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 japan s leading flying aces. More information about this seller contact this seller 15. This book weaves the war time experience of the aviator saburo sakai and his formidable zero fighter. Saburo sakai was born august 26th 1916 in the farming village of nishiyoka in the saga prefecture on kyushu island, japan. Sakai came from a family descended from samurai, japans ancient warrior class. Caidin was an airplane pilot as well, and bought and restored a 1936 junkers ju 52 airplane. This was hap arnolds infamous thousandplane raid of august 1415, and no b29s were lost to any cause that night.
Saburo sakai and the zero fighter pilots by henry sakaida. The story of saburo sakai provides for the first time an intimate look into the other side. This was hap arnolds infamous thousand plane raid of august 1415, and no b29s were lost to any cause that night. 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. Dogfight between saburo sakai and james southerland august 7, 1942 excert from samurai. Apr 21, 2015 saburo sakai is perhaps one of the most famous japanese air aces to emerge from wwii, credited with at least 28 aerial victories and shooting down or severely damaging well over 60 allied aircraft, despite later in the war flying a plane that was vastly inferior to his opponents planes. Samurai sakai, saburo, caidin, martin, saito, fred. Saburo sakai books list of books by author saburo sakai. Interview with saburo sakai project news read only war.
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