1942: The Legendary Battle Between Japanese & Americas Aces | Dogfight Over Guadalcanal | Tmeline
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- A re-creation of the dogfight between one American and one Japanese pilot who faced each other over the Pacific in the summer of 1942.
Dogfight Over Guadalcanal examines and recreates every dramatic moment of the showdown between 30-year-old Southerland in his Wildcat, and Saburo Sakai, 25, in his Mitsubishi Zero.
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One of the most amazing and beautiful war stories I've ever heard. Much respect for both fighter aces.
On a patrol with his Zero over Java, just after shooting down an enemy aircraft, Sakai encountered a civilian Dutch Douglas DC-3 flying at low altitude over dense jungle. Sakai initially assumed it was transporting important people and signaled to its pilot to follow him; the pilot did not obey. Sakai descended and approached the DC-3. He then saw a blonde woman and a young child through a window, along with other passengers. The woman reminded him of Mrs. Martin, an American who occasionally had taught him as a child in middle school and had been kind to him. He ignored his orders and flew ahead of the pilot, signaling him to go ahead. The pilot and passengers saluted him.Sakai did not mention the encounter in the aerial combat report.
I believe at one point he attacked a plane that dived into the clouds. It had Lyndon Johnson in it
@@thomasswafford250
Too bad he missed it then.
A fighter pilot with a heart. God bless his soul.
Many years after the war, the woman who held up the child in the window confirmed the story to be true.. After the war, he sent his daughter to study in the US. She subsequently married an American airman and so he became grandfather to Japanese-American children.. He died at a banquet in his honor while reaching across the table to shake the hand of an American fighter pilot.
Wow,dude this is a very sensitive testimony i love it, thank you
It is gratifying to see the friendship that has grown between the US and Japan since the war. Thank you to all the veterans for your attempts of reconciliation.
We had a delegation of observers from the JSDF come and watch our Training while I was at the School of Infantry on Camp Lejeune in '89.
I'm sure the pregnant women that were bayonetted and raped, the beheaded POW's and the odd few that became a Japanese meal are also all gratified.
@@wntu4
Agreed. They were certainly not humanitarians with the enemy.
@@vanmust I mean exactly what I said. It only happened a few times but it did happen.
obriets :the irony is, during WW2, China and USA were allies and enemies of Japan...now it’s opposite
Saburō Sakai’s feats that day are beyond remarkable. Rest In Peace to his victims and all the victims of war.
This is probably the best dogfighting story of all time. And to find that wreckage and actually hold Pug's Colt 1911 in your hand, I can only imagine what that experience would be like.
Where is the Colt 1911
@@danielmassey3157 39:35
@@danielmassey3157 There is a posibility such pistol can be restored by repla cing all its corroded par ts with a brand new one... Almost all its parts are available for sale in Ame ricas gun market...
@@fortunatodeguzman8017 yes but most of the time a restoration will destroy a lot of the value
An amazing story of courage and endurance by both pilots; great to see the reconciliation of Sakai with the American rear gunner.Also those brave natives who helped Sutherland certainly deserve official recognition.
I agree I think they should get a civilian medal
I have seen Sakai's goggles with the bullet damage. They are on display at the Museum of the Pacific War in Fredricksburg, TX. The best WWII Museum I have ever been to.
Free ff
In two visits to the lower 48 never got to Texas . Damn shame I missed that museum . You guys have got sooo much to see . 2 X 4 wk visits an Aussie can see very little .
@@richardfilkins4117 l
I’ve been there, truly the best ww2 pacific museum out there.
I wonder why Sakai donated it to Texas when there are Japanese museums aplenty.
My father (Vietnam Vet.) met Mr. Saburo Sakai at a VFW party in New Sanno (Tokyo, Japan). Mr. Sakai was able to identify stars in the day-light since his childhood.
Thanks for that insight . Amazing
What hero’s those villagers are!!! Wow saved the pilots life and survived torture for helping!! World needs more people like that!!
I love watching this kind of documentaries. Send prayer for those people who died during the war.
The more I read, listen and learn about WWII, the more amazed I am at the bravery of these people. Just amazing heroism, on both sides.
Yeah back when there were LOTS of MEN, and such traits were encouraged, neigh required by society. Soy boy softies will be the demise of western culture and freedom as a whole. Our military has gone woke while china grows stronger.
Right. Kids in school used to always learn of ww2. For obvious reason until bureaucrats have history removed from schools
@@motonut4503 yes sir
What the fck are you talking about?? The barbarbarism of Japans military culture will shame their history until the end of history
@@iandixon2278 Says the guy from the country who's only history is literally just war and conflicts
Thank you for the years of research and writing so I can sit here in 2020 and read about and witness the heroic feats of amazing young men who came before me.
No words can describe about valor, discipline, dedication etc of both the soldiers. A credit to their nations, societies and families. Its an honor to have meet them in person.
This video is a great testament to both pilots and the challenges they overcame. I love it. It gives me great pride and respect that the stories of both these pilots was so well captured and preserved for generations to learn and respect.
this is THE BEST close combat historical documentary EVER concerning the pacific theater.
Sakai's book was perhaps my favorite war book. He goes into great detail about his training.
Outdoor freedom read Captain Taemichi Hara’s biography, Destroyer Captain... that will make you sweat....
Mine too. He tells, ao., how they practiced by grabbing flying flies in front of them!
I read it too, very well written from a real warrior.
@@aimokaki4706 Grabbing flies was something I practiced as a competitive fencer. The trick is to wait for them to fly toward you. I found it true with bats as well. I took out several small bats where I used to live when they would fly into my home when I would leave the door wide open in the summer. Lately, I bat wasps out of the air when they try to attack me. It's not as difficult, but I'm 70 years old now. Those wasps are sure surprised when I attack them. They are used to people running away!
Outdoor freedom I recommend the autobiography “I-Boat Captain” by Zenji Orita. He was the skipper of Japanese Submarines in WW2. One of his friends was Captain of the submarine that sank USS Indianapolis.
Thank you for this piece of history.
It's rare to see a tale of unsung heroes.
Both are heroes.
Rip Gentlemen.
Many people don't realize how tough the Grumman Wildcat was. Above 300 mph, the Wildcat was more agile than the Zero and racked up a score of 678 kills to 130 losses, an almost 6:1 kill ratio for the entire war.
Rofl.
when the hellcat arrived its game over.
Later in the war most of the Japanese pilots were all rookies !
First model airplane i built in the 80's was a Hellcat. When my Southern, demure, Christian grandmother took me in to pick something out, i just pointed and whispered cuz i dint wanna cuss at Granny. lol!
My Grandfather, Jerome K Albosta, flew with the record setting VF-80 (Vorse's Vipers) and the Hellcat was his favorite plane to fly - he flew Corsairs, Wildcats, Hellcats, and Bearcats. He also went on to fly jets during Korea. He was on the flight deck of the Ticonderoga when it took 2 Kamikaze strikes! Although he was only credited with 3.5 kills so not an Ace but he did get the Distinguished Flying Cross for sinking a Japanese ship with rockets. They also flew air cover for the Iwo Jima Invasion! He retired with the rank of Commander and recently passed in December 2020 at the age of 98! We have only a precious few left from "The Greatest Generation"! The following was their record setting day -
On 16 February 1945, VF-80 participated in strikes against airfields and military installations on Honshu, also shooting down 71 Japanese aircraft-a single day record for carrier-based squadrons.[VF-80 supported the invasion of Iwo Jima from 21 February and hit other Japanese targets until early March when it was relieved and returned to Ulithi.
Edit - I failed to note he also was awarded the Navy Cross
TIMELINE: I remember reading Sakai biography many years ago; and I don't remember him saying that the bullet went through his skull. I do remember one of the men who witnessed his landing said he made a perfect landing. That is even more remarkable considering he kept from passing out for five hours as serious as his wound was. I never heard if he had any impairment from that wound. Out fighting Americans for three more years says it wasn't serious, but it seems there must have been some small changes from a bullet going clean through his head. He said the worst thing he went through was the eye surgery, because they performed it with him fully awake.
I read years ago he returned to Japan to recuperate. He then had a role training new pilots when he had recovered. I have always been fascinated with this story. I was amazed that eventually he was able to meet his opponent and I believe they became friends until one of them died. Reminds me of Gabby Giffords who took 2 bullets to the brain & lived to tell about it. In his case landing an airplane on a carrier after taking a bullet through the forehead, absolutely incredible.
@@paleoman5223 When I spoke to Saburo Sakai in the late 1990's at Maxwell AFB, Alabama I asked him if he flew off carriers during the war. He responded that he was carrier qualified but after Pearl Harbor he never flew off a carrier. All of his assignments were in land based fighter squadrons.
Thank you, I stand corrected then. His story is truly fascinating. Speaking with him must have been something else.@@johnemerson1363
He was blind in one eye. Read his autobiography, Remember his saying that his 1st view of a B-29, it was framed larger then his vision.
Buddhism, it's the humility in all of us...What an amazing story. I was an FAC in Vietnam, I salute all those who served their nations.....
I wish they had met and shook hands. Amazing story, thank you.
When I was 7 yrs old I lived near Pearl Harbor. One day I heard the drone of many planes and ran out the front door to see a flight of Japanese Zeros flying over the jungle. I'll never forget seeing the big red "meatball" on the side of their fuselages. I ran back in the house and said "Mom, didn't we beat them?!". It was 1969 and the movie Tora, Tora, Tora was being filmed. I got to see a re-enactment of an event, where it actually happened that 99.9% of the world will never get to see.
Oh my God my grandfather served in the Navy and was stationed in Hawaii when they were filming tora, tora, tora. My dad was in his early teens and told me about it. Also my grandfather and his shipmates played a role in the movie, " Wackiest ship in the army"
That's so cool! 😎🇺🇸
@@americanpatriotism1776 the army had ships? I thought that was the navy?
@@Legion-xq8eo relax its just the name of the movie nothing PC about it
@@Legion-xq8eo 😂😂😂🖕
I read Sakai's book "Samurai!". The training the IJN pilots went through was long and brutal. This was not the same as what IJN pilots received at the end of the war. The Japanese Navy expected their pilots to be almost super-human. As long as the engine was running and it had wings they were expected to fly their planes and complete the mission, no matter what.
Discipline is serious habit for Japanese.
11111111🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞11111111111🤞🤞
Lo
Keeping up with a Mitsubishi while flying a Grumman wildcat is a feat in and of itself.
Once the Allied pilots figured out how to fly their heavier, but better-armed and protected aircraft, the Zeros were done. They were flammable coffins. The way Japan designed these planes to fight a WW1 style turning fight while establishing a training program that expected their pilots to survive many encounters was a major planning failure on their part.
Exactly what I was thinking Wildcat was a helpless cow for a Zero..even the later Hellcat was not much in a dogfight...what helped the US pilots was the atrition of Japanese experienced pilots and the general order not to engange in dogfights but perform a boom and zoom tactic...with the huge numbers of US planes produced and getting involved that brought results
Wow. What full blown men these two. Their story was such a blessing to have so many witnesses to tell it. My Dad was a hardned Combat veteran Vietnam War 11th Cavalry 66-67. His Dad my Grandpa fought the Germans in WW2 in france. My Dads brothers were combat vets Vietnam aswell . My heart goes bn out to all combat service men..of which so many their heroic stories will never be heard..for ever to go in silence to the anals of time. Seems so unfair so lonely God Bless an keep you All.
@Hello William how are you doing
Use the edit icon to pin, add or delete clips.Welcome to Gboard clipboard, any text you copy will be saved here.
This is so true. So many served and suffered, never to be remembered..
My Grandfather my father's father fought WW1 in France and Italy. Grandad had 2 brothers also fought at Gallipoli WW1 .All came home. My Grandfather my mums Dad swerved WW2 never got to go overseas. But Mums mother had 5 brothers served overseas in WW2 in various theatres in Europe and the eastern campaigns. All bare one came home . The youngest being underage put his age up (as a lot did at the time to go join his brothers ) was killed in France on his 21st birthday.
Both Sakai and Southerland sound like absolute badasses
flyforce16 please read Tom Farrier and World War 2 aircraft Facts
Definitely
@@sandrastone5847 What? Are you talking about the Dunkirk movie?
Sakais book is a great read, "Samurai"
334th_Hartmann , Absolutely, I read it in 1971 and have never forgotten it.
One of the best WW2 stories that I have seen. I have nothing but the utmost respect for both of them. Their generation truly earned being called the Greatest Generation.
This documentary is deserving of a humanist award. The villigers were as much heroes as were the fighter pilots.
Read up on Sergeant Major Vouza: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_C._Vouza
True.
Many villagers on the pacific islands were decorated by the British and Americans.The Japanese got stupid and abused them which of course they went from bystanders to allies."Be careful who's hand you bite"
Pug must have plump and delicious to those cannibals. If they had the right spices they might have had a meal.
@@ppumpkin3282 A maybe on Guadalcanal cannibals. A definite on Papua New Guinea cannibals. Also, that place have over 600 of the world's different languages. They don't all get along.
The thickness of the metal on the fuselage of the Zero wasn't any less than that of the Wildcat. The Zero was not a flimsy plane. The lack of self sealing fuel tanks and no armor was a real weakness. I don't think the Zero was even given armored glass until late 1944 when it was already outclassed by planes like the Hellcat and Corsair.
I've read that Sakai's fellow pilots had to argue with their own medical staff to get Sakai evacuated back to Japan so he could have a real chance to recover from his head wound. Apparently the Japanese doctors at Rabaul didn't believe Sakai could recover and were willing to just write him off.
Yes,same secret practice observed in Russian fro nt line during WW.2 acco rding to American eye wi tness....when the attendi ng doctor saw your batt le inflicted wounds see ms hopeless - they just put you in 2nd or 3rd pri ority ward untill you died natu rally...Accordingly, the Israeli emergency wa rd is only 100-200 mete rs from the frontline,all possible first aid treat ment will be experien ced by wounded soldiers immediately,just a few meters from the battle front...then transfered to a nearby helicopter if the case is so severe - for fur ther and final hospital treatment....Almost no wound death were reco rded due to such rapid first aid system ....except for those who are hit on the brain,heart,mutila ted body due to direct hit from artillery shells,bom bs,rockets,etc....
This is really an exceptional documentary! From the flying scenes to the interviews. It's gratifying to see such quality work compared to what passes for historical research on some TV programs.
Nope. The wreckage was discovered decades ago. Pug's 1911 was confirmed recovered in 1968. This is TRIPE television, not documentary. The man is a sham.
A mom of silence for those who had fallen during wars but still haven't been found, Rest in Bruh.
Awesome documentary! Thank you for actually recreating the dogfight with real planes rather than CGI makes so much difference.
These guys are what are true Hero's are not sports figures no matter how great. They "sports figures" never put their lives on the line...........
They didn't my mansions & then cry about "we beez sooooo oppressed...", either... 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
@@lunaokittens9574
Or demanded gender rights due to being confused on what sort of creature they are.
@@eelchiong6709 😂😂😂😂😂😂...
I'm soooo bloody 💀💀💀🤦♂️👍
Wow this is some quality stuff! Thanks so much. We don't see this kind of documentaries on TV anymore.
Couldn’t be more different machines and men. But both with the same fighting spirit of warriors!
@Hello Richard how are you doing
Yes!!
What a great history video. Thanks Timeline. I read Sakai's book, "Samurai!" when I was in high school. I found it by chance in a public library. I read it for a book report. Ever since, I been mesmerized with the stories about WW2 aces. American, German, Japanese, Russian and British. All fascinating.
Excellent recreation and commentary of a famous aerial duel.
For those interested in Saburo and Pug's fight you may not know that Sakai flew over 100 miles upside down in his Zero on that long flight back to Rabaul in order to stop the blood from his head wound getting in his eyes any further as he could barely see.
Upside down...can you imagine that?
Damn,that's hardcore.
Myth. Sakai flew upside down only momentarily, and only because he was so disoriented from the pain of his wound. He used his muffler to staunch the bleeding.
@@Nachtsider I speak Japanese and did my research in Japan. Please quote your sources.
@@GM-fh5jp His memoir. Page 171.
"Finally I was through. The muffler was taut beneath my helmet, and pressed tightly against the wound. I crawled back to my seat and brought the fighter back to an even level. My head felt better at once. The bleeding stopped."
"More than once I snapped awake to find the Zero in an inverted position. Once I came to, flying upside down,and was so loggy I failed to move the controls. In a few seconds the engine coughed alarmingly. It was enough to bring me awake and I jerked the controls over to right the plane."
Pretty conclusive evidence that he had no intention whatsoever of flying upside down. With a muffler staunching the bleeding, he would have no need to pull such a silly stunt.
@@Nachtsider Presumably you are quoting "Samurai!" which I read in Japanese?
@@GM-fh5jp, no matter the fighter (then or now), none are designed for sustained negative Gs and the engine would have starved as the fuel pickups and fuel system ran dry. No way Sakai flew over 100 miles inverted.
It's worth remembering these heroes who gave their lives for a noble cause.the natives who took care of pug and suffered for taking care of pug deserve the same honor.it was God's blessing they were able to free themselves from their captors
Literal good samaritans
WOW, these 2 men were just built different. What a fateful day they experienced together 80 years ago.
My father was on all of those islands as they were taken ! I love videos like this because I can see the actual places he told me about being on and when !! R.I.P.
My grandfather was on quite a few these islands as well. Their generation was as tough as nails!
@@johnmilligan2964 >> Amen.
@@johnmilligan2964✌ Tru Statement bro most definitely was and still is touch My grandfather was in ww2 and afterwards till this day stay in French at 91 years young?🌷Rih Rip🌷 to all the kings and Queens that lost their lives❤ Thank y'all for being Brave enough to fight✊ for all Generation ❤☝🏽
@@johnmorrison7879 GOD BLESS
@@johnmilligan2964 AMEN !!
Excellent, excellent, excellent documentary.
It's been decades since I read Saburo Sakai's book, and must do so again. Highly recommended.
Its funny you say that. Because it was about during my summer vacation in 1976 or"77 while my folks went to work, that I would read his book. And when my father would get home I would recount what i had read and it was a glorious time too. There were passages that were both wrenching and remarkable events to read.
@@josephcisneros9290 May I know the book title and the author name,will try to buy it on.line if possib le.....
One on one mutual combat between two highly trained military pilots one trained, experienced, and determined, the other trained, skilled, and determined as well. Both with excellent machines but with some differences. It's
in those cases that the end result lies with the skill and determination of the pilots. Both were also brave men who fought valiantly. ✌🏻🇺🇸
Glad we are now allies.
I read an article about Sakai's injuries and survival when I was a kid based on his diary, but had no idea about the rest of the entire story until now.
Rest In Peace to two great warriors
Finally something about a dog fight and nothing but a dog fight. Perfect for a quarrntine Saturday
hmm yes the 49min saturdays, my fav
Indeed it was man to man machine against machine. Prop planes no fancy stuff just skill and firepower . A light agile plane with no armor against a somewhat sluggish built like a tank . Good match great adventure. Hats off to both brave pilot’s....🙏👍✌️🤙
Rumor has it that Southerland was growling through his teeth: "Dammit! I'm gonna go see the F6F dealer when I get back to the carrier."
@@jasondessing3508 F4F did what it was designed to do and smashed the Japanese at Midway, after that even without the F6F the Japanese didnt have enough experienced pilots to be effective anyway.
@Sunflower Seeds mbń
What a wonderful historic story.
Men of skill and courage on both sides 👍
When I was a kid dad used to tell us stories from the war. One of them was the capture of that airfield. He was a radio operator in the 1st Marines. It seems I remember something about maybe the 5th artillery? This could have been on another island. I don't know if they were assigned to one unit across many campaigns. He survived the war. I was born in '56. I find it amazing that he may have witnessed part of these events.
Perhaps the 5th regiment, which was part of 1st Marine division. They had an awfully tough time there, as did the Navy. Your father likely went through plenty of traumatic experiences in the fight for survival.
I am currently a canadian Air Force trainee lol
Such an amazing history being told here, ace vs. ace fighting in the airial combat called "dogfight"..
When two intellectuals recognize a common factor in each other, even in a dog fight.
well said
Amazing story. Brings tears to my eyes! 👍
They both have my utmost respect! True warriors in the truest sense of the word!
Both were awesome pilots!
The guys that helped Southerland deserve medals.
Michael Mace And a new canoe.
This is a nice documentary
That engine, the gun...all of it...including the locals video account of that day needs to be in a museum. "Lest we forget".
Are you willing to foot the bill to recover it out of that jungle? Find someone who is willing if you want it that way.
@@eelchiong6709engine would have been easy
It's just a helicopter flight away
I read Saki's book , Amazing how he flew all the way back with a wound from a 50 cal. round . This man is blessed , they both were blessed ! He said they did not wear parachutes because they did not fit right , restricted movement , not for the belief of killing themselves . Up until that wound , he was not ready to sacrifice himself to the Devin One . He talked about the last time he went up after some B-29's , the war was over . The B-29' came anyway , so they went up anyway ! Incredible !
I thought it was a 30. cal. A 50. cal would disintegrate a human.
Saburo Sakai's book is a superb read, I highly recommend. It will touch the heart.
Wow amazing story!
And 6 months later they found a Zero fighter almost intact in marshland by Alaska and found out all the good and bad of the Zero. Then the F6F hellcat started flying against the Japanese. It was better then the Zero. Our pilots had 2 years of training and the Japanese started to really feel the loss of so many elite fliers. There pilots were barely trained.
A Zero crashed at pearl harbor during the attack. We had a flyable zero back in 1941
Sakai wrote a great book on his service. His most amazing feat was he never lost a wingman during the war that's amazing when you consider
"Samuray" book Saburo Sakai
@@aleksandarljubenovic347 Yes ...a wonderful book.
The only discrepancy in this video is the bullet didn't go clear through his head it lodged in the back of his skull it's in minor story also he wasn't the highest Ace of the war for Japan a wonderful amazing pilot named Nishizawa had 100 kills including 10 Mustangs sake credited him with being the best pilot of the war the poor guy got killed while riding in a transport plane being evacuated from Iwo Jima he never had a chance to defend himself
john gibson What about Tetsuzo Iwamoto..?
@Young DreYes good point ...Saburo's superior in kills was Nakajima who was an IJA pilot ...he had confirmed 101 kills.
Interesting Lee Saburo knew him and mentions him in the book in his very sad, ironic Death.
In the book "samurai" that Sakai wrote he said he was sad because Nakajima suffered an Inglorious death he went downas a passenger in a transport plane going from rabaul to another Island.
Nakajima had dreamed about his death which Sakai said had terrified him before it happened... it was every fighter pilots Nightmare and probably still is to have to be flying in a transport plane as a passenger totally helpless
Nakajima was nicknamed 'Hanya" ( The Demon) for how he fought in the air .
@Young Dre Correction on the name of the highest IJA ace : he was Lt. Nishizawa...he flew a Nakajima ki-43 " Oscar"
I did not know there was a movie made about Saburo Sakai, but when I was younger I read his book. For anyone interested in military aviation, it is well worth the read! A very talented aviator who by all rights, should not have survived the war.
Amazing story, too bad Sutherland died early. Had he survived and met Sakai, it might've been a tearful reconciliation.
Agreed
Sakai finished fighter pilot school as one of 40 out of 1500 that applied. He was talented and flown a superior aeroplane.
@@theguywhoasked5591 JJ in the
@@theguywhoasked5591 pl
They might have even become friends.
Saburo Sakai. An epic Japanese pilot.
Now, I can understand n appreciate the grudging admiration the Americans n the Japanese have for one another's way of life, chultures n values.
similar to a filipino Greatest pilot Jesús Antonio Villamor was a Filipino-American pilot who fought the Japanese in World War II. On February 9, 1942, Capt. Villamor conducted a reconnaissance mission over occupied Cavite in a PT-13 escorted by four American P-40 Warhawks. No sooner, 6 Japanese Zeros appeared. Capt. Villamor's aircraft damaged but was still able to land it safely. One P-40 was lost at the cost of 4 Zeros. Capt. Villamor's mission proved to be a success, as the films were delivered, and the information was collated with the ground observers, and counterbattery fire was put into effect.[31][32]
at 47:30 the statement is INCORRECT. Though Sakai was a high scoring IJNAS ace 64 kills was well short of the top scoring ace mark. As of the end of WWII, there were only two IJNAS fighter pilots who were credited with over 100 victories each. Depending on various totals cited, Tetsuzō Iwamoto or Hiroyoshi Nishizawa was Japan's top scoring ace. Having said that this was a very good story, both warriors of the skies fought valiantly and lived to tell the tale. Hats off to both gentlemen.
Near the end of his life, Subaru Sakai did what VERY FEW Japanese have done. Sought forgiveness from their former enemies.
If only governments could be so humane!!!
Marvellous effort that. Great viewing. You can only shake your head at what happened.
An amazing story of two great flyers who persevered to live another day.
Overwhelmingly the best of best war battle by individuals involved and survived by wills and lucks. Much better than big movies.
The credits don't even mention Ralph Wetterhahn , but he is truly a competent investigator. No doubt editing to fit a time constraint removed much of what he found. He was in my squadron (VA146) in the Navy Flying A7Es during Viet Nam, was an Air Force pilot doing exchange duty with us and was a superb pilot and officer and represented the Air Force very well. He had been flying F4 Phantoms on a previous tour with the Air Force.
According to Wikipedia, Pug's plane was found in 1998, including his pistol. When was this footage of finding the pistol actually filmed?
Aired for the first time, 8th November 2006.
When I was young, I hated the Japanese military because of Pearl Harbor and the many other atrocities committed against Americans and most of its allies. After reading of Saburo Sakai, I felt he was different; both high courage and honor. I was most impressed by his long flight back to Rabaul, in spite of serious wounds. Years ago I was fortunately able to acquire an autographed photo of him. It is the only photo of a Japanese combatant that I ever sought.
The Solomon Islands is a Museum on land and sea I was deployed there back in 2009 we come across Sherman tanks American and Japanese grenades with there pins still in them tanks in peoples back yards we went to an old man's house he had an American bomber in his back yard with guns still attached was an amazing deployment.
Really dang!
While living in Fiji with my ex-wife I regularly made the trip to Guadalcanal to dive Iron Bottom. The island is truly a snapshot of WWII history.
When you read many ww2 stories from pilots ALL SIDES you will find so many times were the opposing pilot would not finish off the wounded or serve damaged planes. I think of a German Ace who saw an American bomber returning from a bombing. The bomber was so damaged it should not still be flying. But the German escorted the bomber threw France . After the war many many yes later the 2 pilots meet up and became friends. Crazy world.
Stigler & Brown
The 2 pilots like many of their counterpart fought because of their leaders. If only human being can learn to live in peace and conquer the outer space !
@@kusada3035 Lieutenant Franz Stigler and Second Lieutenant Charlie Brown
He flied in a formation to stop the flaks 44's firing
A hero and legend
No bullets fly!!
Just because one is your enemy on paper, does not make one any less of a Gentleman.
Two Masters at their best much respect for both,
A katana wielding Samurai vs a gun slinging Cowboy! You gotta love this
And katana won in the last too.
History should never forget.
Valliant men and their story is amazing.
I love how when they talk about certain planes they show footage of other planes...
Unique individuals internally driven.
My Grandfather, Jerome K Albosta, flew with the record setting VF-80 (Vorse's Vipers) and the Hellcat was his favorite plane to fly - he flew Corsairs, Wildcats, Hellcats, and Bearcats. He also went on to fly jets during Korea. He was on the flight deck of the Ticonderoga when it took 2 Kamikaze strikes! Although he was only credited with 3.5 kills so not an Ace but he did get the Distinguished Flying Cross for sinking a Japanese ship with rockets. They also flew air cover for the Iwo Jima Invasion! He retired with the rank of Commander and recently passed in December 2020 at the age of 98! We have only a precious few left from "The Greatest Generation"! The following was their record setting day -
On 16 February 1945, VF-80 participated in strikes against airfields and military installations on Honshu, also shooting down 71 Japanese aircraft-a single day record for carrier-based squadrons.[VF-80 supported the invasion of Iwo Jima from 21 February and hit other Japanese targets until early March when it was relieved and returned to Ulithi.
Edit- Family mentioned he also was awarded the Navy Cross!
I cant even find my keys in my pocket. But this guy finds his .45 and the .50 round that jammed his wing gun.
Yeah dude that guy is hella impressive. All rusted, and rust is jungle floor color. thats nuts
sometimes i get disoriented with constant ringing in the right ear i couldnt imagine making his way through a jungle filled with japanese troops while being wounded going off on adrenaline and dehydration
edit: the best way i can explain the constant ringing in that ear is close to when a flash bang goes off and you hear that high pitched whistle or is it a concussion grenade but thats how my ear sounds about 12-24 hours a day
To be fair, the locals found it over years and the white guy just showed up to film it and make money.
@@r.m.5548
Either way it's still impressive.
@@siggyretburns7523 yeah, in a hey look flashy thing go boom kind of way, but i'm not 9 any more
In Honour of True Real Warriors...Saki' & Sutherland.....
......ROCKMAN😎!
why wasn't Sutherland ever asked about why he didn't fire his guns since he survived the crash... surely he talked to someone about the fight? odd????
@Hello Joe how are you doing
@@jennifercapps105 Hi Jennifer do we know each other?
This is one of your better documentaries. Zero's didn't lose their climbing edge until the Bearcat came on the scene.
They could be out climbed in shallow angle at high speed
The F6F Hellcat, P38 Lightning, P51 Mustang and F4U Corsair all made a big difference. The incredible A6M Zero’s days were number well before the F8F Bearcat (also an incredible plane & one of my favorites) showed up in 1944. We made some great aircraft.
Hellcat and F4U I thought?
No one even mentions his experience after the Atomic Bomb....and also he suffered radiation effects for years. He was on leave in outskirts of the city, and helped some other sufferers as he could.
It seems his body has a very tough immune syst em....or one possibility was that he was taking herbal medicine along wi th sysnthetic drugs duri ng that time....fresh coco nut milk was discovered very good in countering radiation sickness!!!...
What a story... after a deadly dogfight, no one dies and survivals became a legends.
Dogfighting a Zero in a Wildcat is a feat in itself.
yeah that's a pretty unequal fight. the only way the wildcats could hang is if they were using a zig zag with the foreward fighter, wait for a zero to bite, and the wing man comes in and rinses him off.
@@tannerdenny5430 thatch wave
That's why God made the Hellcats. Zero killers
@Ryan Knox sphincter says what?
@Ryan Knox slow down bud...the Hellcat was an improvement. It handled Zeros especially those with inferior pilots during the latter stages if the pacific war w little problems and high kill ratios...God saw fit to help the Allies win that war...say what you want. Now debate something else?
“Hit the brakes and he’ll fly right by”. Where have I heard this before.
Guadalcanal island was named for the village in Spain of the same name. It was named by Spain sailors in their voyages in the pacific. Year 1568. Named by captain Pedro De Ortega Valencia for the small village next to Seville where he was born. Guadalcanal.
In reading Sakai’s book...I recall he was hit by the lower .30 cal stinger gun of a Grumman Avenger, not the tail gunner of a Douglas Dauntless. Sakai thought he was coming in below a Wildcat, but it was an Avenger with it’s lower stinger gun...
@Hertzair I have an article about the ANM2 .30cal. stinger being improvised for land use. In that article it mentions Sakai being hit by the rear gunner in an SBD Dauntless. The Avenger was a torpedo plane correct?. They wouldn't be out there at that time.
bbigjohnson069 : I’ll have to see if I can find Sakai’s book and look it up again...apparently internet searches show Harold Jones hit him as tail gunner from a Dauntless....trying to recall where I read a Japanese pilot was hit in head from stinger from an avenger
bbigjohnson069 : I just looked up in Sakai’s book “Samurai” (or “Zero” for the 1990’s reissue off it) on page 218 he said he was attacking Avengers when he was hit in the head.
Sakai was mistaken. There were no TBFs present during that battle. It was an SBD Dauntless.
@@Nachtsider …correct, but Sakai said “he thought it was a Wildcat, and it ended up being the stinger .30 in an Avenger”
What a great story. Thanks to Ellon I probably misspelled but I mean the local man who found all the artifacts. Thanks to you Sir for finding everything.
The cockpit of the Zero was probably as or more important than the rest of the aircraft. It definitely helped to have a higher degree of visibility. Many early models of US ,UK and German air crafts were modified to equal the Zero's visibility.
Bit of a sad moment of seeing Sakai never got the chance to meet Pug again because of his fatal accident..., but perhaps maybe, during Sakai's later years, Pug would've watched over his post-war life and deeds, perhaps somewhat feeling proud of this former ace's reconciliation with his fellow Americans.
This is truly amazing story of the human will of Two fighter pilots who live through battle wartime and only one survived War. Unfortunately one who survives the jungle to only die accidentally. And such a sad ending for him. And the vowel by sekai to never kill another living thing again including a mosquito. Was a Monumental saying. I can only admire that. If people would have that value for life today I honestly believe that maybe they would have respect for others lives as well as their own. And the struggle for which that takes to survive.
Awesome quarantine ...moments
If anyone is interested, Saburo Sakai is the top scoring Japanese ace pilot to survive WW2 with 64 kills.
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa known as the "Demon of Rabaul" was the top scoring with over 100 kills.
No Japanese ace ever hit the 100 kill mark. Nishizawa's score was anywhere between 36 and 87.