Photo: Wikimedia Commons

HISTORY

Photo: Honma via Wikimedia Commons.

Wounded Saburō Sakai walks away from airplanes after legendary return flight from Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942. Next to him walks Buntaichō Lt.jg. Jun-ichi Sasai (54 v.) with his personal Zero fighter (V-138)

in the background.

Photo: M: D. Harmer.

The final part of the duel between Sakai and Southerland, which took place on August 7, 1942 over Guadalcanal, was depicted by Piotr Forkasiewicz.

VF-5 pilot Lt. James J. “Pug” Southerland that fought against Sakai over

Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942 in one of best known dogfights of World

War 2. His Wildcat F-12 (Bu.No. 5192) exploded at low altitude moments

before impacting the ground. The wreckage landed in a ravine covered

with dense jungle. Most parts have been well preserved by thick foliage

protection. It was found in 1998.

According to Sakai, they arrived only after the

fifth attempt on June 20, 1944 (in reality on

June 22).

Two days later, in the morning of June 24, the

Japanese radar identified an enemy formation

approaching Iwo Jima. Yokosuka Kōkūtai made

ready 25 machines, with Kōkūtai 252 and 301

another 32 machines available. The fighters

took-off at 6.20, climbing counterclockwise

around the island. Japanese formation clashed

at 06.30 with Hellcats of VF-1, VF-2 and VF-50.

Without major problems Sakai shot down two

Hellcats and then wanted to join a formation of

fifteen fighters, which he identified as Zeroes.

But it was his bad sight that betrayed him this

time. The Zeroes were in fact Hellcats of VF-2.

June 2022

Before Sakai could do anything, he was in the

middle of the gang of Hellcats, who tried to hit

him without success, but fired more and more

furiously.

When Ens. Clarence E. Rich and Ens. William

A. McCormick of VF-50 appeared on the scene,

they saw how four Hellcats chased one Zero,

which maneuvered so sharply that pursuing fighters falled to a spin. McCormick did not want

to get involved in such a confusing combat,

where novices from VF-2 were fooling around.

But Rich joined the fight and managed to pursue Sakai down to 5000 feet. As enemy tracers began to fly around him, he was forced to

break and disengaged from the attack on Sakai.

He got the Zero recognized as a damaged.

Sakai had reached the sea level during the fight

and tried to escape by flying low over the water. Not less than three times the waves hit the

wing of his Zero. Near Iwo Jima the attackers

were discouraged by anti-aircraft fire and Sakai safely landed at main airfield Motoyama.

The amazed ground crewmen found out that his

Zero did not have a single hit!

According to Yokosuka Kōkūtai war diary, Saburō Sakai took part in an interception mission

of US Naval aircraft in the morning of June 24,

and in an escort mission for torpedo bombers

on the same day in the afternoon. The report

says victories of the fighter unit were seventeen F6Fs including six probables in the morning and one F6F in the afternoon. But individual

victories were not recorded. One of Sakai´s colleagues participating in these combats was his

friend Ens. Kaneyoshi Mutō (35 v.) who as well

served as an instructor with the unit .

Iwo Jima became the target of raids on July 3

and 4. It was on the US Independence Day that

Sakai shot down another US Navy Hellcat. During the three days of battles Yokosuka Kōkūtai

lost 54 machines (not 71, as stated by Sakai)

Back from deadly mission, Petty Officer Saburō Sakai with blood streaming down his face. He was hit in the head by two heavy fragments.

Blinded in his right eye and temporarily in his left eye, having paralizing

wounds in his left leg, arm and chest! His return flight from Guadalcanal

took almost five hours. Everybody wanted to hear from Sakai his unbelievable story. Immediately behind him stands Lt. jg. Jun-ichi Sasai,

to the Sakai´s right in white shirt wearing a helmet is Petty Officer

Toshio Ôta (34 v.). Behind Ôta wearing a helmet is Petty Officer Sadao

Uehara (13 v.). Unusually in a middle of the excited crowd stands Cdr. Yasuna Kozono the Executive Officer and Hikóchó of Tainan Kōkūtai, he can

be seen in a white cap between Ota and Uehara. Famous Hiroyoshi Nishizawa (87 v.) can be seen in upper left part of the photo in flight helmet.

A war time photo of AO2c Harold L. Jones, Dauntless gunner of VB-6 who

almost killed Saburō Sakai on August 7, 1942 over Guadalcanal. His pilot

on the epic Flight 319 mission was Ens. Robert C. Shaw.

INFO Eduard

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