My Father and I and Saburo Sakai.While doing some research on World War II Japanese naval aviators, I happened to come across Col Francis Stevens's article "My Father and I and Saburo Sakai Saburo Sakai 坂井三郎 Sakai Saburō (August 25, 1916 – September 22, 2000) was a Japanese naval aviator and fighter ace ("Gekitsui-O") of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. " (Chronicles Online Journal, 21 June 2006). I've read about many amazing a·mazev. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. things done by members of our military, but never have I heard of something as astonishing and noteworthy as what Colonel Stevens did in his interaction with Saburo Sakai. Although Sakai was renowned for his skill and honor in aerial combat, Colonel Stevens is a great man in terms of a far more important virtue--the personal strength of character first to forgive and then to befriend be·friend tr.v. be·friend·ed, be·friend·ing, be·friends To behave as a friend to. befriend Verb to become a friend to Verb 1. a former enemy who felled not only many of his countrymen but also his own father. It was a beautiful act of humanity to which more people should aspire. Roger Van Royen Santa Rosa, California |
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