Saburo Sakai

Saburo Sakai (, Sakai Saburō, August 25, 1916 – September 22, 2000) was a Japanese naval pilot and fighter ace ("Gekitsui-O") of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. He was the 4th best Japanese pilot by number of enemy aircraft he shot down. He survived the war, and became a famous figure for his criticism of the War and the government of the Japanese Empire. He became a pacifist and a Buddhist and promised that he would never again kill another living thing, even a mosquito. Only months before his death, Sakai told reporters that he still prayed for the souls of the Chinese, American, Australian and Dutch pilots he had killed. He also helped Microsoft design the popular computer game Combat Flight Simulator 2.

Sakai claims he shot down 64 enemy airplanes. He shot down a B-32 Dominator on the last day of the war.

 References 

 Other websites 
 The Last Samurai 
 "Saburo Sakai passed away September 22, 2000" 
 Memorial To Saburo Sakai 
 Copy of Sakai's New York Times Obituary 
 Excerpt from Samurai 
 WarbirdForum: An afternoon with Saburo Sakai
 Sakai's Mercy over Java 
 Interview with Sakai during the production of "Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2"
 "A new-found friend, the man who killed my father" 
 PBS: Secrets of the Dead 

Category:1916 births
Category:2000 deaths
Category:Japanese military people
Category:People from Saga Prefecture