F JAPANESE ACES SABURO SAKI

Saburō Sakai was born in August 1916 and died in September 2000 at the age of 84. He was one of the best Japanese fighter pilots of the Second World War, who was called a fighter ace. He is credited with at least 64 air victories. Saburō Sakai came from an impoverished samurai family. Despite his plans to study, due to the difficult financial situation, he enlisted in the Navy in 1933, and was later transferred to the Air Force. Already in the course of learning to pilot, he showed above-average skills, and he passed all the exams with very high marks. He underwent his baptism of fire in 1937 during the Japanese-Chinese war. He also achieved his first aviation victories over the territory of China, flying Mitsubishi A5M and A6M Zero planes. In the war in the Pacific, against the United States, he served from December 8, 1941, fighting over the Philippines and over Borneo. In 1942, he fights over New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, including Guadalcanal. In the course of the fighting over the last island, he is seriously injured, as a result of which he loses one eye and his face is partially paralyzed. After convalescence, he returned to line service and fought until the end of the war. After the war, Saburō Sakai converted to Buddhism and declared himself an opponent of military actions and killing.