Considered to create a topic for this amazing pilot, person and story teller. I've finished his book "Samurai!" and still under impression about his war experience and life. Still thinking about eye surgery without any anasthesia he took after he was almost shot down in airfight... Still impressed. He is passed away in Sepmtember 22, 2000.
Lieutenant junior grade Saburo Sakai 坂井三郎
Sakai Saburō (
August 25,
1916 –
September 22,
2000) was a
Japanese naval aviator and
fighter ace (
"Gekitsui-O", 撃墜王) of the
Imperial Japanese Navy during
World War II. Sakai was the Imperial Navy's fourth-ranking ace and Japan's second leading fighter pilot to survive the war (after
Tetsuzo Iwamoto).
Read more about him:
Saburo Sakai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,
Saburo Sakai,
An afternoon with Saburo Sakai,
Saburo Sakai - Japanese Zero Pilot & Ace
PS: Of course, I remember that he also shot down many european and american pilots. But he worth a respect for me.