Of all japans aces, saburo sakai is the only pilot who never lost a wingman in combat. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Everyone at the event was an aviation fanatic and had read the book and knew the story well. 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. Saburo sakai books list of books by author 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. Sakai is shown to have been a patriotic and heroic fighter, who, like most soldiers, gave little thought to the politics of the war. Legendary zero pilot saburo sakai was japans most recognized ace, but few knew the.
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. Here we see sakais wing of zeros ambushing a wing of p39s. The family was poor, but intensely proud of their samurai heritage, according to mr. Sakais straightforward, bracing narrative became internationally. 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. Samurai by saburo sakai martin caidin fred saito abebooks. Read this book many years ago and this was a reread.
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. Editions for samurai 055324664x mass market paperback published in 1985, kindle edition published in 2018, 1591147557 hardcover published in 2010. Classics of naval literature by saburo sakai 20100615 by saburo sakai 1 jan 1647. For a man who engaged in more than 200 aerial combats, this was an incredible achievement. He came from a family descended from a long line of samurai, japans ancient warrior class. Samurai sakai, saburo, caidin, martin, saito, fred. Saburo sakai and his coauthor martin caidin paint a vivid and enthralling picture of the japanese side of world war ii. Saburo sakai was japans legendary pilot during world war ii and his story told here in conjunction with martin caidin whose other books have included zero and the zero fighter and mr. The song inspired one of sakais fellow aces to perform something of an airshow over an australian base to show off. Sublieutenant saburo sakai was a japanese naval aviator and flying ace gekitsuio, of the imperial japanese navy during world war ii. If you happen to like our videos and have a few bucks to spare to support our efforts. This is a replacement for book i had many decades ago. This book covers the life of sabruo sakai during the period of his prewar flight training to the end of wwii.
Saburo sakai is perhaps one of the most famous japanese air aces to emerge from wwii. He passed away at of a heart attack at age 84 while attending a u. Oct 08, 2000 the family was poor, but intensely proud of their samurai heritage, according to mr. From zero to hero saburo sakaithe samurai of the skies. Military history ibooks author saburo sakai and martin caiden formatbinding trade paperback book condition used very good jacket condition no jacket as issued edition first edition. The specialties in samurai as told by saburo sakai himself are the way he pictured his exciting dogfights in the beginning of the war, his emotional feelings, especially in the last part of the book, wherein sakai described very thoroughly his feelings of fright after encountering. Apr, 2010 based on an excerpt from the book samurai by saburo sakai.
Illustrated edition by martin caiden, saburo sakai, fred. The wildcat was clinging grimly to the tail of a zero, its tracers chewing up the wings and tail. Binding paperback isbn 10 0743412834 isbn 9780743412834 publisher i books, place of publication new york date published 2001. He went on to write ten books and give numerous interviews. He was the highest scoring japanese ace to survive the war. A group photo of sakai and the other pilots in his fighter squadron, taken just seconds before the siren sounded announcing the impending arrival of the flight of b26s that included the wabash cannonball, my dads. 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. The book also claims to be an illustrated edition but there appear to be no photographs or other illustrations present. Unfollow saburo sakai to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Interview with saburo sakai project news read only. My father and i and saburo sakai american heritage. Dogfight between saburo sakai and james southerland august 7, 1942 excert from samurai. Saburo sakai as a petty officer wearing a life preserver.
A couple of months ago a friend loaned me a magazine with an article about modern fighter pilots compared to wwii pilots. Saburo sakai was born on 25 august 1916 in saga in japan. 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. The book was not published in japan and differs from his biographies there. His most famous work is samauri of the sky, an autobiographical text, which was turned in a movie in 1976.
Samurai by saburo sakai 1996, paperback for sale online. The samurai of the skies april 21, 2015 karl smallwood one comment 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. Sakai came from a family descended from samurai, japans ancient warrior class. A man of many stories, talents, and compassion, saburo sakai was one of a kind and will always be known as the sky 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.
Share samurai by saburo sakai 1996, paperback samurai by saburo sakai 1996, paperback. 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. And as japanese militarism surged in the 30s, so did the popularity of the old bushido ideology. The book states that on the night of august 1415, 1945, the evening before tokyos. Saburo sakais story as told in samurai is something special. Saburo sakai was born on august 25, 1916, in saga, japan, into a family of samurai ancestry whose ancestors had taken part in the japanese invasions of korea but who were forced to make a living as farmers following haihanchiken in 1871. Saburo sakai, japanese fighter pilot who reached out to create ties.
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. 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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Autobiography of japans fighter ace saburo sakai pages 160162. Saburo sakai is not just another pilot, after allhes an icon of world war ii. I obviously had not read sakais biography, samurai. Aug 20, 2012 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. This book has been written by martin caidin from saburo sakais own memoirs and journalist fred saitos interviews with the fighter pilot. He was taught to live by the code of bushido, which he defined in his book, samurai. The book also claims to be an illustrated edition but there appear. I found it amusing to read of sakai s frustration when as caidin states on his behalf the zeros succeeded in shooting down american aircraft by the tens and twenties, only to have them miraculously appear again next day.
Saburo sakai was a national hero in japan as its greatest surviving air ace of world war two. Samurai japans greatest fighter pilot tells his incredible story. Saburo sakai was born into an impoverished samurai family in 1916. Pilots everywhere spoke in awe of his incredible exploits in the air. Saburo sakais, was a fine aviator with a very interesting story to tell. 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. Theres a damn good reason why saburo sakai was the most.
Includes more than 12 photographs of the author and his exploits. Saburo sakai became a living legend in japan during world war ii. This gives a view of the pacific air war from the japanese side. Sakai had 28 aerial victories including shared by official japanese records, while his autobiography samurai. First published in english in 1957, it gave americans new perspectives on the air war and on the japanese pilots who, until then, had been perceived in the united states as mere caricatures. Two zeros were shot down in the battle, and the b32 was seriously damaged. 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.
A picture of the man who had piloted the japanese zero that had fired the fatal burst, a famous air ace, saburo sakai. 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. Samurai is another book you wont be able to put down. On sunday, august 11th 1998, i had the unique pleasure of being invited to the tokyo home of mr.
In great detail, the book describes how sakai shot down 3 of them, and with equal detail describes 7 others he saw fall before the guns of his mates. Written by martin caidin from saburo sakais own memoirs and journalist fred saitos extensive interviews with the world war ii fighter pilot, samurai. It is a fascinating and honest look at the air war in the pacific from the japanese perspective. Sakai came to prominence in 1957 when his memoir, samurai. 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. For the story, though fairly calmly written, seems. Pacific wrecks dogfight between saburo sakai and james. With akihiko hirata, takeo chii, hiroshi fujioka, natsuyo kawakami. 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. Sakai enjoyed a singular and most cherished reputation among fighter pilots. More information about this seller contact this seller 15. Saburo sakai was born august 16th 1916 in the farming village of nishiyoka in the saga prefecture on kyushu island, japan. Interview with saburo sakai project news read only war.
814 1401 507 270 591 457 71 1451 1395 881 1125 371 803 388 674 566 931 165 385 51 1309 1296 474 242 299 133 969 1398