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1by Mitsuo Fuchida

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2 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”




3by Mitsuo Fuchida

By MITSUO FUCHIDA CHIEF SKY PILOT

OF JAPANPublished by Sky Pilots Press Copyright 1953

All story and movie rights reservedSKY PILOTS OF AMERICA INTERNATIONAL, INC.

45 East Julian StreetSan Jose, California, U.S.A.

FORWARDHere is the true story of the incidents that

led to the conversion of the man who was the Com-mander of the first air fleet of the Japanese Impe-rial Navy.

Here is Captain Mitsuo Fuchida of theJapanese Imperial Navy who led the 360 planesthat plunged without warning on the AmericanPacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor on the fateful morningof December 7, 1941.

This book is dedicated to all pastors, Sundayschoolteachers, public school teachers, and allgovernmental agencies as well as all organizationsthat are seeking the solution for peace on earthand good will among men, to the end that all man-kind may seek-as this man sought-Jesus Christ, theWay of Peace.

When the Prince of Peace, the Lord JesusChrist, is seated in authority in the assembly of theUnited Nations” the deceitful darkness of men’sheart will disappear, dispelled by the glory ofHim who said,

“I am the light of the world. He thatfolloweth Me shall not walk in darkness

but shall have the light of l ife.”Having met the Prince of Peace, Mitsuo

Fuchida is no longer an emissary of hate but anambassador of love.

Here, too, you will read about the Sky Pilotsof America International and of the prayers and ne-gotiations which made possible the bringing of Cap-tain Fuchida to this country that he might witnesson behalf of his new Commanding Officer, the LordJesus Christ, and later return to his native Japan toorganize the youth of that country into squadronsof the Sky Pilots of Japan!

CONTENTSChapter1. 1 Bomb Pearl Harbor ....................................092. 1Am Three Times Rescued ............................. 193. 1 Look for a New Way of Life ........................ 274. 1 Learn the Miracle of Love ............................. 495. 1 Receive a Letter ............................................ 656. I Let Elmer Sachs Tell His Story .......................717. 1 Reach America................................................85Postcript ………………………….........................…………..91

With appreciation to JOHN ANDERSON BARBOURfor invaluable editorial assistance

CHAPTER ONEI Bomb Pearl Harbor . . .

With grateful acknowledgment for the use ofmaterial in I LED THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBORin the United States Naval Institute proceedings,Annapolis, Md.

The Akagi pitched and rolled under my feetin the rough sea. White surf whipped across theflight deck in startling contrast to the predawn black-ness. The crews were hard pressed to keep theirplanes from sliding into the sea. The time was 5:30A.M. The day was the seventh of December. Theyear, 1941. I climbed to the Commander in Chief’squarters. “I am ready for the mission,” I reported. Admiral Nagumo stood to his feet. He graspedmy hand hard in his. “Fuchida,” he said, “I have confidence in you.”

Together we entered the dim light of the brief-ing room where the pilots were waiting. The roomwas crowded, and some of the men were standingin the passageway craning their necks to see me as




4 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”I stood before the blackboard on which were writ-ten the positions of ships in Pearl Harbor.

On that board also was the time-0600 hours,and the day-7 December.

After I had called the men to attention,“Captain Hasegawa gave us our final briefing. Thenhe said: “Take off according to plan.”

The crews scrambled to their places. I climbedto the command post above the flight deck. TheOperations Officer, Genda, put his hand on myshoulder. He did not speak. He just smiled at me. Iknew what was in his mind.

Air Officer Masuda questioned me about thepitch and roll of the ship. Would the weather delayat the last minute the plans that had been laid socarefully over the past months? I reassured him.

“ If we can co-ordinate the take-offswith the pitching of the fl ight deck

we’ll be all right,” I said.Then I saluted and left. My plane was in

position, its tail striped w1th red and yellow to markit as the commander’s.

Just before I got into the plane, the officerin charge of the maintenance gang came over tome with a white hachimaki (cloth headband). I couldjust make out his smile in the dim light.

“It’s a gift from the maintenance crews,”he said. “We want you to take it to

Pearl Harbor.” I shook his hand and tucked the band into myflying cap.

The engines warming up were a full-throatedroaring chorus in my ears. Suddenly a green lampwas swung in a circle at the end of the flight deck.It was the signal for the take-off. As it was re-leased, the first plane moved forward. It gainedspeed. I held my breath wondering if the pilot’stiming would be right. Then I breathed easier as itwas air-borne.

Another followed . . . and another ... andanother ... out into the blackness.

Fifteen minutes later 183 fighter bombers andtorpedo planes had taken off from the flight deckof six aircraft carriers. This was the first wave ofthe total of 359 planes which I led into Pearl Harbor.We were 230 miles due north of Oahu Island andPearl Harbor.

This was the culmination of my every wakingthought since that day, September 24, 1941, whenCommander Genda had taken me as ide atKagoshima on the southern tip of Kyushu and said,

“Don’t be alarmed, Fuchida, but wewant you to lead our air force in theevent that we attack Pearl Harbor!”

My heart was still pounding with the excite-ment of the proposal when Genda took me on boardthe Akagi for conference with First Air Fleet Com-mander, Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo and his staffincluding Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral RyunosukeKusaka. In that conference Commander Genda urgedthe use of torpedoes against the ships in PearlHarbor.

“But that’s impossible,” I protested. “The water depth in Pearl Harbor only

averages about thirty-two feet.”Genda insisted that if we could find a way to

torpedo the ships in such shallow water, it wouldadd to the surprise of the attack by its very unex-pectedness. Besides, the torpedoes below the sur-face would do more effective damage than bomb-ings from the air.

So at last I had agreed to find a way. And Ihad only two and a half months. Indeed, less thanthat, because that day I learned that Decemberwas the month planned for the attack. Althoughofficially we spoke of “If we attack.... “ we all thought“When we attack. ... “

In the weeks that followed I had stepped upthe pace of training and this was difficult to dobecause we did not want American observers tonotice any undue activity on our part.

Early in November I licked the torpedo prob-lem. We added more fins to our torpedoes andplanned to drop them from a height of fifty-twofeet instead of the usual three hundred or more.

And now December 7 was here, and our airarmada was air-borne. We flew through heavy cloudsfor forty-five minutes. Then I turned on the radio-direction finder and picked up the Honolulu radiostation. As I listened to a program of light music, Iadjusted the antenna and found we were five de-grees off course. I corrected this. As I continuedto listen I heard the announcer give the weatherreport:

“Averaging partly cloudy, with cloudsmostly over the mountains. Cloud base

at 3500 feet. Visibility good. Windnorth at ten knots an hour.”

We could not have asked for better weather!0730 Hours-Time to deploy for attack. We were over KahukuPoint, the northernmost tip of the island and still no




5by Mitsuo Fuchidaindication that anyone knew we were in the air.We had two plans for the attack.

If we had the advantage of surprise, the tor-pedo planes were to strike first. Then the levelbombers were to attack the air bases. In case ofresistance the dive bombers were to attack first toconfuse and attract the enemy fire. Then the levelbombers would bomb and destroy the aircraft guns.Finally, the torpedo planes would attack the shipsat anchor in the harbor.0740 Hours-I gave the signal for a surprise attack. The dive·bombers rose to 4000 meters, and the level bomb-ers hung just below the clouds.0749 Hours-I gave the order. My radio man tapped out thecode – “To, to, to, to… Notify the squadron

to plunge into attack!”0755 Hours-The dive bombers, led by Lieutenant CommanderTahahashi, attacked Hickam Field, Ford Island, andWheeler Field.0757 Hours-Lieutenant Commander Murata and his torpedoplanes attacked the battleships in the harbor.0800 Hours-In single-file formation the fighter planes strafedthe air bases.0805 Hours-The level bombers began to drop their bombs onthe battleships.

The Honolulu radio broadcast continued itsnormal program.

Then suddenly the ground below came alive!Dark gray blossoms of smoke-bursts made my planetremble. Suddenly it was jarred as if a giant handhad pushed it. We had a hole on the port side! Asteering control wire was damaged, but the planewas still under control.

I looked down in the minutes that followed.Black clouds of smoke rose from the airfields. Ahuge column of dark red smoke rose 1000 feetinto the air from the battleship Arizona. Its powdermagazine had exploded!

The Tennessee was on fire.I pul led the bomb release above the

Maryland. The planes behind did likewise. Twodirect hits!

The target ship Utah on the western side ofFord Island had capsized.

My heart was ablaze with joy for my successin getting the whole main forces of the AmericanPacific Fleet in hand. In the years that were to fol-low I would put my whole hate-flamed effort intoconducting the war that ensued.

CHAPTER TWOI Am Three Times Rescued

I won’t bother you with the details of myearly life. Enough to say that I was born in 1902in a lonely village-

Nara Prefecture of Japan. Naturally, I don’tremember it, but I was just three years old whenthe Russo-Japanese War broke out, a war that endedin victory for Japan. That war with its victory for mycountry played its part in increasing the militarymindedness of my country.

Influenced by the increasing military atmos-phere I came to aspire, like many young men of mynation, to become an officer. When I was eighteenyears old, my cherished desire was realized. I en-tered the Naval Academy.

At that time the Japanese Navy was aimedat America. We thought and trained in terms ofAmerica as our future enemy. We were taught thatshe would be, and every effort was made to in-flame the hatred of the nation against her. How-ever, I myself, had neither hatred nor enmity towardthe American people as individuals.

I was very happy the day I was enrolled inthe Academy. I was eager to show myself in navaluniform to the people of my native village. I couldscarcely wait for my first vacation. And how proudlyI walked along the streets at home in my new uni-form!

Upon graduating I was appointed midship-man and set sail for overseas as a member of atraining squadron. On this voyage, I remember itwell-the year was 1927- we came to San Francisco.

There I was offended when I learned of theimmigration law known as the Japanese ExclusionAct which that year had just been enacted. Being amidshipman of twenty-three, I could not help feel-ing ill about this law, and I was afraid that our fu-ture enemy would be America.

When I returned home, I joined the air forceand became a Flying Officer. Fifteen years passed.




6 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”I became an expert pilot with a record 10,000hours of flight. Then came that never-to-be-forgot-ten day when Commander Genda told me I hadbeen assigned as the General Commander of theair squadron against Pearl Harbor.

The Board of Supreme War Command in Ja-pan was strongly convinced that the destiny of thewar was fully dependent upon the successor failureof the Pearl Harbor attack. Hence, in order to in-crease the hatred of the aviators toward Americaand to secure the utmost devotion to this strategy,the military agents accused America with such strongwords as “Brutal and proud America, the long-timeenemy...” et cetera.

After that day when I took the leading part inprecipitating the war between Japan and America, Ispent myself in the four years that followed. I servedas a most patriotic and faithful soldier to the mothercountry.

During those years I faced death a numberof times. I remember one occasion as though itwere yesterday. With my pilot I was on reconnoitrerwork between Formosa and China. Our fighter planewas not equipped with homing devices like the largerplanes. It was easy to lose yourself. And this daywe were lost! After we had circled for some timethe pilot said to me:

“We have only ten minutes’ fuel left.What wil l we do?”

At this time we were flying about 500meters above the water “Take the plane up as highas you can until we run out of fuel,” I replied.

At 2700 meters the engine sputtered anddied. We were out of fuel. With my field glasses Iswept the ocean. It was a beautiful day.

I saw a Chinese junk off toward the horizon,and I instructed the pilot to make the junk his tar-get. A plane will normally glide four times the lengthof its height.

We hit the water almost beside the junk! Theplane nosed over and began to sink; but the cap-tain of the junk rescued us. Incidentally, I was laterable to come to the rescue of that same captain.

It seems incredible, I know, but two yearslater I was forced down once more, this time in theregion of the Java Islands. Again I was rescued bya junk captain. The same captain!

In the Battle of Java my plane was badlydamaged. Fuel leaked out of one wing tank. Weheaded toward Borneo, wondering if the remaininggas would hold out. We came to a high mountain

but with the condition the plane was in, it seemedimpossible to rise high enough to get over it.We threw overboard everything we could move.

In the end, we had to crash land in the jun-gle. One of the crew was killed. Miraculously therest of us could move. We started walking throughthe jungle-a slow, tortuous progress! We knew thesea was not very far away. Once on the coast ourchances of rescue would be much better.

We walked for three days. At night we tiedourselves to the branches of trees-up above thereach of the jungle animals that prowled in thedarkness.

The third day we saw a plane in the jungleahead. We walked a little nearer, and we discov-ered that it was our own! Three days! We had beenwalking in a circle!

We gave up hope of getting out alive. Wewere weak from the shock of landing and withstruggling through the jungle. We lay down to waitfor death.

It was then that in the other direction I saw avalley, a deep valley. Something inside of meseemed to say, “Come.” I got up, the others follow-ing and we made our way toward the valley.

Then we heard the faint roaring of a distantwaterfall! A river! We pressed on and found theriver. We followed its course downward and reachedthe bottom of the valley. There a native found usand led us to the coast. Not long afterwards wewere rescued, and by the same Chinese junk cap-tain; he sailed us to our base.

Looking back lean see now that God wasseeking me before I found Him, preserving my lifethat I might serve Him.

On yet another occasion, during the Battleof Midway, I was with the aircraft carrier, Akaga. Iwas confined to a hammock, having just undergonean appendectomy. The American planes began torake our ship with fire. Two bombs hit the deckwhich was still filled with planes. They did terribledamage.

Another bomb blew out the side of the shipwhere I was lying. I was ,blown out into the ocean!Both of my legs were broken, but I managed some-how to stay afloat. After about twenty minutes oneof the destroyers picked me up. The ship sank tothe bottom of the Pacific. Had it not been for thegrace of God, I would have been down there withthe rest who sank.




7by Mitsuo FuchidaIt is altogether possible that the dropping of

the atom bomb on Hiroshima saved my life. Justbefore that bomb fell, which speedily concludedthe war, I had agreed to a proposal of our govern-ment that I lead a new suicide project.

The plan was to land our planes on the airstrip at Guam. Each man in the suicide squadronwas to run with a bomb to the nearest Americanplane, attach the bomb to the wing of the plane,and try to get away before the bomb (with a shortfuse) exploded. It was almost certain death for everymember of the squadron.

But the atom bomb fell before we could carryout what Americans would have called, “OperationSuicide.”

CHAPTER THREEI Look for a New Way of Life

With the war over I had to find a new way oflife. It was hard. I had had twenty-five years ofNavy service, and civilian:life was strange to me.After I was repatriated, I took up farming, but itwas indeed a path of thorns to me.

I must admit that I was bitter and disillusioned.I had never in my life realized so keenly theunreliability of other men as I did during these years.I was strongly convinced that one’s own ability wasall that could be relied upon. Consequently, I workeddiligently at farming and gave a cold glance at theworld affairs around me.

I started my new career of farming near Osakafrom practically nothing. It seemed so insignificant,something like an ant’s progress. Nevertheless, astime went on I built myself a house and dug a well.

So my days passed in loneliness. It was a farcry from the regimentation and glamor of my mili-tary life. I was like a star that had fallen. At onemoment I was Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, and the next,I was nobody!

Whenever I thought of my past, I could nothelp but think of the mystery of my survival. Whywas I still alive, when men all around me had diedlike flies in the four years of conflict? Gradually Icame to believe that I had been supported by somegreat, unseen power. My sullenness began to bediffused and dispelled by a sense of gratitude.

Moreover, as I continued to live in closer

relation to the earth, through the plants and thecattle, and the other aspects of farm life, I wasgradually led to think in terms of a Creator of allthese things. With the increasing sense of the factof a Creator-God I came to feel ashamed of myformer godless idea that man’s own power and abilitywere his only trustworthy guides.

I had never been an atheist, in the extremesense of the word, but religion had had little placein my thinking. In my early life there was very littlereligious atmosphere. Consequently, I grew up tomanhood without any formal religion. After I en-listed in the Navy, the former “War Catechism” be-came the sum total of my ideology.

With the ending of the war the national out-look was altogether changed. Japan stepped outwith the slogan of “Peace” to reconstruct a nation.

Four years passed and during those years Ihad watched the constant change of social phe-nomena, but with cold eyes. In spite of it all, though,I could not help loving the mother country with hermountains and rivers.

I set my mind to the problem of what wouldbe the proper way for Japan to exist as a nation.Finally, I arrived at a conclusion. I concluded thatthe only way for the Japanese to survive and pros-per and find a place in the sun again would bethrough the doctrines of peace, irrespective of othernations’ conditions. But my military- specialized mindsaw in the conditions that prevailed in the world apossible danger of a second and greater “PearlHarbor.”

Impelled by a desire to warn my people, Idetermined to send out into the world a book enti-tled, No More Pearl Harbor-no matter how insig-nificant my work might be. As my writing progressed,however, I came to realize that in my appeal for“No More Pearl Harbor,” there must be an assur-ance among men of the transforming of the powerof hatred to the power of true brotherly love. Buthow was that transformation to become a reality?So long as the peoples of the world remained inopposition to one another, the only ultimate con-sequence could be the destruction of human civili-zation.

If the peoples of the world profited by theexperience of the horrible years of war, the secondhalf of the twentieth century should be a genera-tion of nations united! The problem finally resolvedaround a person. Who, I asked myself, couldaccomplish the task of banishing suspicion and




8 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”war. My mind turned toward God, the Creator of all things.

God works in mysterious ways. In the midst of these thoughts I learned that the Japanese warprisoners were returning from America. In the lists of returning men I found the name of a lieutenan twhom I had known very well. I went to Uraga to meet him and to ask about the treatment of prisoners ofwar in American camps.

Little did I know as I started for Uraga that that meeting was to be the first step in a completetransformation of my way of life.

PICTURE SECTION




9by Mitsuo Fuchida




11by Mitsuo Fuchida




13by Mitsuo Fuchida





CHAPTER FOURI Learn the Miracles of Love

My lieutenant friend was very glad to seeme. We talked about many things. Then I asked thequestion that had brought me to Uraga:

“What kind of treatment didyou receive in America?”

My friend, informed me that the treatment inthe American camp where he had been confinedhad been fairly good. Of course, he added, therewere difficulties and sufferings mentally and spir-itually. But then he told me the following amazing story:

“Something happened at the camp whereI was interned,” he said, “which has madeit possible for us who were in that campto forego all our resentment and hatred,and to return with a forgiving spirit anda feeling of light heartedness instead.”“After the end of the war,” he went on, “there came to the camp a certain

American girl . Her age, I would judge,was about twenty. She began to minister

to the Japanese war prisoners withher whole heart and strength.

“As she went about the camp shesaid to us, `if there is any discomfort

or any need that you have, let me know.If it is at all possible to help in any way,

I would like to do so.’“She looked after our sick with such

tender and loving and conscientious care,”said my friend, “that all our hearts were

touched.”“About three weeks after the girl first came

to the camp, one of the prisoners asked her,” ‘Whyare you so kind to us?’

“Her unexpected reply was, ‘Because myparents were killed by the Japanese Army...’

“We were amazed. The moral code that wehad been taught was that the murderer of one’sparents becomes a sworn and irreconcilable en-emy! We could not understand how anyone couldreturn kindness for that!

“The young girl told us that her parents hadbeen Christian missionaries in the Philippine Is-lands’ at the beginning of the war. When the Japa-

nese landed, her parents escaped to the moun-tains in North Luzon, and were safe there for threeyears.

“Then the American Army landed in the Phil-ippines, and the Japanese were forced up into themountains. Some Japanese soldiers found the mis-sionaries in their mountain retreat and accusedthem of being spies. They were ordered to be putto death.

“ ‘We are not spies,’ the missionaries in-sisted. ‘But if you must kill us, let us have thirtyminutes with our Bibles and prayer.’

“For the next half-hour, so the report cameback to the young girl, her parents quietly readtheir Bible and prayed. And then they were put todeath.

“The girl did not hear about the fate of hermother and father until the end of the war. At first,bitter tears of grief and indignation blinded hereyes. She was filled with a terrible hatred for theJapanese. Then gradually another attitude possessedher.

“‘Before my parents were slain they askedfor thirty minutes of time to pray to God,’ shethought. `What was that prayer?’ she wondered.She became convinced that among other thingsher parents surely asked the forgiveness of Godfor their executioners. Her hatred was washed awayby a Spirit-directed love for all men, even en-emies! And now she is spending her time helpingthe men in prisoner-of-war camps.’

It was a beautiful story, but I could not un-derstand such enemy-forgiving love. Where did manfind such love? I had never heard of people re-turning good for evil. I desired all the more todiscover the source of this power that could re-move hatred from the hearts of people and changethem into friendly, loving individuals. Only when Ifound that answer could I write a satisfactory con-clusion to my book, No More Pearl Harbor. ‘“

Several months went by. Then I was con-fronted with another example of this same strangemiracle of love.

I had been summoned by General MacArthurto the Tokyo Headquarters. As I came out of theShibuya railroad station, I noticed an American mis-sionary (later I learned that his name was TimothyPietsch) handing out leaflets to the passers-by. Iaccepted one.

The tract had a startling title-“I WAS A PRISONER OF JAPAN.”




15by Mitsuo FuchidaThere was a picture of an American sergeant onthe cover. As I read the leaflet, I learned that hewas Sergeant Jacob DeShazer - a member ofDoolittle’s squadron which left the aircraft carrier,Hornet, to bomb Tokyo.

DeShazer testified, in the leaflet, that hishatred of the Japanese was born the morning ofDecember 7, 1941 - the morning I led the raid onPearl Harbor!

While I was in the air over Pearl Harbor, hemust have been engaged in KP. duty, peeling pota-toes in preparation for dinner at his American armycamp. It was about three in the afternoon. Sud-denly a news flash blared out over the loud-speakerin the kitchen:

“Early this morning the Japanese Air Forcelaunched an outrageous surprise attack on PearlHarbor. Due to this barbarous act and sneak attackthere is great damage and destruction to the Ameri-can Navy and the Air Force. There now exists astate of war between America and Japan.”Corporal DeShazer threw down the potato in hishand and shouted out, “Jap .... Wait and see whatwe will do to you!”

Perhaps a month later there was a recruit-ment for a dangerous mission from his air base,and a request was made for volunteers to make upa special crew. DeShazer responded immediately,and was accepted. He was transferred to anotherair base to be trained as a bombardier. For twomonths he trained intensively.

Then, on April 1, 1942, sixteen B-25 NorthAmerican bombers were hoisted to the flight deckof the aircraft Carrier, Hornet, in San FranciscoBay. On board that ship was DeShazer, now Ser-geant DeShazer.

Ten miles out of the Bay an announcementcame over the loud-speakers: “Our objective isthe bombing of Tokyo’” Cheers rang out all overthe ship.

This was the Doolittle bomber squadronwhich raided Tokyo on April 18, 1942.

Bombardier Sergeant Jake DeShazer was oneof the occupants of the last plane to leave theHornet. They took off from the aircraft carrier at adistance of seven hundred miles from the edge ofa peninsula of Japan. They bombed Nagoya andthen headed toward China.

DeShazer confessed that his bitter hatred,for the Japanese caused him to shoot at a fishingboat in Ise Bay.

In China before they reached a designatedairfield in Chiang-Kai-Shek’s territory their bomberran out of gasoline! The crew had to parachuteinto the dark night. The next morning DeShazerwas captured and interned as a prisoner of war.

Because of his unprovoked attack on thefisherman, he was treated as a war criminal. Hewas taken to Tokyo; then back to Shanghai andtortured. His bitterness and hatred toward the Japa-nese increased. It is said that he cursed, saying,“Let the entire Japanese race be obliterated fromthe earth!”

Then several quiet nights came to him. Hebegan to ask, “Why should there be hatred amonghuman beings?” His thoughts went back to whathe had learned when he was a child attendingSunday school - that Christ can change hatred tobrotherly love.

He begged earnestly for a Bible in order toinvestigate to see if this were true. At first he wasrefused.

Later a guard brought him a Bible, but saidhe could have it for only three weeks.

He spent many hours reading the Word ofGod over and over. And there came the momentwhen he surrendered his heart to Christ. His bel-ligerent attitude toward his guard changed to ten-derness and love.

The guards marvelled at the change in him.“That must be a great and wonder-working Book,”they thought.

Three weeks passed, but his Bible was nottaken away. He continued to pray and to searchthe Scriptures.

The war came to an end. He was liberatedand repatriated. He entered a Bible college, and assoon as he was graduated, he returned to Japan.Once he had sailed from San Francisco Bay withbombs. Now he was sailing from the same baywith a Bible. Once he had hatred, now he hadcompassion, and a prayer on his lips that he mightbe able to bring salvation to the people he hadhated.

When I had finished reading SergeantDeShazer’s story, I became more ashamed thanever of my own revengeful spirit. If a Bible couldchange his life, it might change mine. I bought aBible for myself.

The next day, before I had even opened myBible, I was surprised to read an item about theBible in the newspaper. In its editorial column there




16 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”was a commentary which stated that the Bible wasthe world’s bestseller, that it had been translatedinto the languages of all civilized countries. Thewriter of the column stated that if Christians werebanished to some island and only allowed onebook, without exception they would choose theBible. The writer ended with a call to the Japanesepeople:

“Oh, people of Japan, if there is anyone ofyou who has not yet read the Bible, please readthe first thirty pages with an open mind. Surelythere is something there that will touch your heart.”

For me, without a doubt, this was a voicefrom Heaven. I started to read the Bible. I becameabsorbed in it. Presently I came to the Gospel ofLuke.

There I faced the scene of the crucifixionof Christ. I read the words of Luke 23: 34, “Father,forgive them for they know not what they do,”Jesus prayed for the very soldiers who were aboutto thrust his side with the spear.

Here was the source of this miracle of lovethat can forgive enemies! Suddenly, I could under-stand the story of the American girl whose parentshad been slain. Their prayer must have been theprayer of Christ. Surely, they must have asked Godto forgive those who were about to decapitatethem. The young girl’s love for the Japanese mustbe the answer to the prayer of her parents.

This, too, could explain the transformationin Jake DeShazer’s life!

I am not ashamed to say that my eyes filledwith tears. Immediately, I accepted Jesus as mypersonal Saviour.

On the cover of the tract that told the storyof DeShazer’s conversion I noticed an address. Isought out the place and discovered that the manwho had handed me the tract at the railway stationwas Timothy Pietsch. He was working at the timefor the Pocket Testament League.

I wrote to him and he immediately replied,asking me to meet him at Osaka where some meet-ings were being held. I went to Osaka and methim. There, too, I met Glenn W. Wagner, also ofthe Pocket Testament League.

Mr. Wagner showed me from the Bible whatwas involved in becoming a Christian. He told me:

“There are three things you must do. First,study the Bible. It means to listen to the voice ofGod. Second, you must talk to God throughprayer.”

These two things I comprehended and ac-knowledged. Then Mr. Wagner went on,

“The third thing to do is to confess Christas your personal Saviour before all men.”

At this I hesitated. Because of my past lifeas a military leader, I found it hard to be recon-ciled to the thought of confessing my conversionin public. It was a struggle. And then God helpedme to my decision.

The evangelistic party had an automobileequipped with a loud-speaker setup. I jumped ontothis car which was standing at the busiest street inOsaka. There I told the crowd:

“I am Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the air raidon Pearl Harbor. I have now surrendered my heartand my life to Jesus Christ.” The crowd swelledalmost immediately to huge proportions. In the nextfew days there were headlines in the papers:

“FROM A SOLDIER OF FAMETO A SOLDIER OF LOVE”

“FROM A ‘WAR CATECHISM’ TO THE BIBLE”

One write-up was headed with the lengthy banner:“THE MIRACULOUS CONVERSION OF

THE COMMANDER OF THE PEARLHARBOR BOMBING.”

My testimony was received in a variety ofways. Some said that I was an opportunist. Theysaid, “We know you very well. You will not believein Christianity. This must be some scheme. Whenwe think of your sincere and wholehearted devo-tion to the cause, we feel sorry for you.”

I remember one young man who came tome in those first days. He had an artificial leg.

“I am a member of the Special SuicideSquadron,” he said. “Then, and now, and in thefuture, the ‘War Catechism’ will be my life’s creed.You say that you have been converted from the‘War Catechism’ to the Bible. I have come to hearwhat it was that made you change your mind.”

Then he revealed a dagger that he had withhim. “This was presented to me as a token,” hesaid, “by the Commander in Chief at the time ofmy appointment to the special squadron.”

On the dagger I saw the signature, SoemuToyoda. The air became charged with hostility. Hisattitude showed that he would not hesitate to usethe dagger if he were not favourably impressed bywhat I had to say.




17by Mitsuo Fuchida“After leading so many to death, how can

you become a Christian now?” he asked.For three hours I talked with him and when

he left, he was nodding his head in approval. As Isee it, conversion means to reverse one’s positionto the opposite direction. If a person is facingEast, he turns West. My conversion does not meanthat I, as a militarist, in becoming a Christian, lostmy patriotism. As a militarist I served my countryto the best of my ability; but now as a Christian Ishall love my country and all other people to thelimit of my ability. There was love for my country,Japan, and for the people of Japan, but humankindand the world were forgotten. Now all is changed.

A very polite letter came to me from a coalminer in Hokkaido. He said that he was an armylieutenant returned from Siberia. Formerly, he hadbeen a grade school teacher.

“Through Christ, you are meaning· to say,peace is attainable, to which I express my duerespect. Neither Christ nor any religion will bringabout peace. This fact has been proved by history.Peace is attained only through Lenin, Marxism. Isurmise that this is your first contact with the Bi-ble, which also may be true with Lenin-Marxism.Then I would advise you to give the same persist-ence and fervour that you are devoting to theBible also to Lenin-Marxism. If you will allow me, Ishall undertake to guide you by knowledge of thedoctrine of Lenin-Marxism.”

It was true, as he said, that I had no knowl-edge of the Bible. And I had not read any Commu-nist literature before either. However, when one isnearing fifty years of age, there develop such thingsas comprehension and intuition.

I do not know what Marxism teaches aboutthe principle of humanity, but, like the rest of mygeneration, I have observed the conduct of Com-munism. Its utter disregard of the preciousness ofhuman life and its lack of natural human love surelyis not the way to peace! So I wrote:

I acknowledge your most cordial letter. Asyou have surmised, this is my first step in search-ing the Bible. In my forty-seven years of life I havelearned that a dose of hydrocyanic acid if takeninternally will lead to death, but I have never onceseen this poison. Therefore, I have not the faintestidea of its shape, form, colour, or odour. But ifsomeone should hand me this deadly poison, itwould be ridiculous for me to experiment by tak-ing it to see if it was poison or not! To me Lenin-

Marxism is like the hydrocyanic acid.Thank you.Respectfully. There was no answer to this letter!

I am positive of my conversion. There was atime when my back was turned to Christ, but nowI look to Him in faith. I firmly believe that Christ isthe only answer and the only hope of this world.

Eleven years after Pearl Harbor! Little did Idream that eventful morning, that my view of lifewould be so revolutionized. Today I am a Christian!I say it over and over again. This is the message Isend to all mankind with a fervent prayer that therewill be “No More Pearl Harbor.”

CHAPTER FIVEI Receive a Letter

More than two years passed. Then-one dayI received unexpected foreign mail!

It was a letter from America. Wondering whocould be writing to me, I opened it. I discovered itwas from the Sky Pilots of America International!I read:“Dear Captain,“I have for the past two and one-half years beenacquainted with your conversion and loving loyaltyto the Lord Jesus Christ, and of your tireless ef-forts in evangelizing your homeland of Japan, thatyour people, too, might enjoy the glorious salva-tion through our precious Redeemer.

“So for these past months I have been pray-ing the Lord to make it possible for me to contactyou that I might suggest the things that the Lordhas laid upon my heart. I definitely feel that SkyPilots of America International, of whom the LordJesus Christ is the Commander in Chief, will ap-peal to your interest. We are a seven-year-old mis-sionary work building boys and men into a militaryarmy for the Lord Jesus Christ, an army whichfights with the Sword of the Spirit of God thewarfare that He has given us to do.

“Our dear and mutual friend, Bob Hamilton,who is a Sky Pilots’ officer, flying air life as anavigator from the mainland to Tokyo, will tell youmore about our Sky Pilots’ work. This is what Ihave in mind. For the past four years we haveknown that we should aim our efforts toward theOrient, to help train the Japanese and Chinese and




18 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”Korean boys of today who are the men leaders oftomorrow how to fight the good fight of faith.

“Inasmuch as the Japanese boy and manloves and enjoys regimentation, we feel that oneor two men like you, building an army for the LordJesus Christ in Japan such as we are building inNorth and South and Central America, will help todo in one generation a better job for Christ thanhas been done in any previous generation.“I would like you to pray about accepting an ap-pointment from the National Headquarters of SkyPilots to be Commanding Officer of our JapaneseSky Pilots Missionary Movement, and help us raiseup Christian leaders and officers who will in turntrain the boys how to be loyal Japanese citizens ofa new Christian Japan.

“I would love to hear from you as the Lordlays it upon your heart to prayerfully consider thismatter, and should He lead you to further assist usin this work, we would be very happy indeed. Wefeel that the boy is the key to the solving of theentire problem. Tomorrow, the men of today willturn everything over to the boys of today-ourschools, our churches, our properties, our gov-ernments.

“We beseech you in prayer to help us teachthe Japanese boys how to be the pillars of thechurch, the school, the home, and the govern-ment of our nations of tomorrow.“Please write soon.”

The letter was signed “Yours for more MenMissionaries, Sky Pilots of America International,ELMER B. SACHS.”

Questions crowded my mind which neededto be answered.Who was Elmer Sachs?What was this rather strange-sounding organiza-tion? How had Elmer Sachs heard of me?Was this the hand of God?

I can do no better than to let Elmer Sachsanswer those questions in his own words.

CHAPTER SIXI Let Elmer Sachs Tell His Story

For the sake of the record, my name is ElmerSachs, former Illinois ace detective arrested byChrist (for that is how I like to describe the factthat I have been born again!) in 1937. I attendedthe Bible Institute of Los Angeles and took over a

church in Puente, a suburb of Los Angeles.It was in June of 1949 that I resigned as

pastor of my small community church, which I hadpastored for seven years, to give my full attentionto the Sky Pilots of America International which I,with another member of my church and the helpof the Lord, began in 1945.

Both the church and the Sky Pilots’ workgrew so large that I was compelled to give fulltime to one or the other. I discovered on my kneesthat the work of Sky Pilots was the number oneburden on my heart.

Shortly after finding myself free to give my“all effort” - to borrow a phrase from Captain Fuchida- General MacArthur, then stationed in Japan, cameout with a plea for the Christians of America toexert themselves now if they ever intended to takeadvantage of Japan’s open door. As never beforethe way was open to preach and teach the Bible tothe people of that great nation.

This situation burned into my heart to suchan extent that I became overwhelmingly burdenedfor the boys of Japan and the Orient. I pleadedwith God to assist us in getting our Sky Pilots’work’ going in the Orient.

I began to pray that God would give us theman who led the air attack on Pearl Harbor. I thoughtthat if this man could only be converted and hisservices secured as Chief Sky Pilot for Japan, whata powerful magnet he would be in drawing Japa-nese boys to himself and thereby unto Christ. ForChrist is not only the Author and Finisher of ourfaith, but He is also the Commander in Chief ofSky Pilots International.

Knowing that boys are hero-worshipers, weprayed for the conversion of those who are con-sidered heroes so that they might lead their fol-lowing to Jesus Christ. Six months later I wasprivileged to hear Rev. L. W. Ketcham give his firsttalk in the United States, following his tour ofJapan. I pricked up my ears when he spoke of theimpact of Mitsuo Fuchida’s conversion, which hadjust taken place before his return.

I was elated.Then I started to pray in earnest that the Lordmight open the door to make negotiations possi-ble with this man in order to obtain his servicesfor Sky Pilots of America International. Hardly dar-ing to believe that the Lord would ever permit thisorganization to have the services of such a man, Icontinued to pray.




19by Mitsuo FuchidaIt was my firm conviction that a man like

Captain Fuchida, as Chief Sky Pilot of Japan, couldaccomplish in ten years what fifty missionaries couldnot accomplish in a hundred years.

Of course, I do not mean to imply that I donot love and respect all the missionary efforts inforeign fields that our churches have been and aredoing. I pray much for them and their efforts. Butthey will agree with me that with the world popula-tion increasing at the rate of 28,000,000 peryear over and above the death rate as comparedwith a total missionary effort resulting in the evan-gelization of only about a million and a half peryear, we are retreating twenty-six and one-half stepsfor every one and a half steps forward. We need tolook for a new method to replace the outmodedmethod of Christian missions. I believe that theLord is raising up Sky Pilots of America Interna-tional as an experimental laboratory to explore andproduce a missionary vehicle that will gain groundrather than lose it.

God’s Word says, “When the enemy comesin like a flood I will raise up a standard againsthim.” We believe that Sky Pilots is one of thesestandards, raised up to produce more men mis-sionaries - the number one cry in all Christendom!

In eight years’ growth our organization has7000 boys who are now receiving 204 hours ofhighly specialized soul-winning training each year.Compare that with the twenty-five to thirty hoursof Sunday school teaching per year, which oftenis the sole Christian instruction received.

I prayed all the more fervently that God,would give us this man! But how could we contacthim? It was out of the question financially, and wedid not have the time to go personally to Japan.There were so many things to talk over that some-one in our organization would almost certainly haveto have personal contact with him before he couldunite with us.

It was not until early in 1952 that God’sanswer came.

I remember the day well. It was February 1. Ihad just completed a month away from our Cali-fornia office in company with Eddie Motter in Colo-rado. I expected to spend the next two months inthe Northwest organizing new squadrons and vis-iting those already established.

I planned to spend the only day I had athome-undisturbed by any callers-wading throughthe stacked up work. But as I landed our Sky Pilot

plane at our California air base, I met Bob Hamil-ton. He had just flown in, in his small “Inter State”plane.

“So, you’re Elmer Sachs,” he said. “I did notexpect to meet you here. 1 thought you were inColorado. I’ve been hearing about your Sky Pilots,and I want to tell you 1 think it is one of the finestmissionary organizations I have ever heard of. Howcan I help you?” “What do you do?” 1 asked.“Well, I fly this little plane on my off-time. Mostly Iam busy navigating a D-C 4 across the Pacific Oceanon the Korean air lift between California and Japan.I make the trip across every nine days.”

“Japan!” I exclaimed. “Come to my office. Iwant to talk to you!”

As we talked 1 found that he was a genuineChristian, born and raised in China by his mission-ary parents. Then I poured out the desire of myheart. I wanted to contact the man who had ledthe raid on Pearl Harbor. “Surely the Lord has sentyou here. Do you still want to help?” I asked him. “I sure do!” answered Bob Hamilton.

“All right, then, we will appoint you, on a sixmonths’ probationary period, with the rank of aMajor in the Sky Pilots of America International.Your first assignment will be to take to Japan thisSky Pilot manual and information packet, alongwith a personal letter which I shall dictate. FindCaptain Fuchida. Give him this letter and this ma-terial after you have made certain that he is reallyborn again.

“When you have satisfied yourself that he isa true Christian, offer him the rank of one-starGeneral in Sky Pilots and the position of ChiefSky Pilot of Japan.”

“I shall do my very best, sir,” said Bob Ham-ilton. We had prayer and Bob went on his way. The next day I took off for the Northwest.

On his first trip after our meeting, Bob Ham-ilton discovered that Captain Fuchida lived on hisfarm three hundred miles south of Tokyo. He mailedhim the letter (referred to in chapter five) andmaterial from me along with a covering letter fromhimself to Captain Fuchida. In the letter he askedhim to study, the material carefully and if he feltqualified, to prayerfully consider accepting the po-sition offered.

Captain Fuchida replied to Bob’s Tokyo address.




20 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”Mise, Unebi-ChoTakaichi-GunNara-Ken, JapanMarch 15, 1952.Dear Brother Hamilton:I have received your kind letter of March 3, andseveral pieces of literature about Sky Pilots, en-closing Mr. Sachs’ letter. I am thanking you, and Iam very glad that I can understand what the SkyPilots work is.

I am only ashamed to be so long in answer-ing, but for these days I have been praying whatour Lord has given me to do. Now our Lord leadsme to make it possible for accepting your offerand to start promptly in bringing the Sky Pilotswork into Japan just in faith and trusting Him.

I would be very happy to assist this workwith all my efforts. Will you please let me knowhow I may contact· with this new work.With love in our wonderful Lord.Yours, because His,Mitsuo Fuchida.

It was March and I was in Oregon when Ireceived Bob’s letter.

“Praise the Lord,” he said. “Mission accom-plished. Here is a copy of the letter that was wait-ing for me in Tokyo from Captain Fuchida.”

I was thrilled. My first thought was that nowI would have to go to Japan to help Fuchida setup his Sky Pilots of Japan organization. But thatwas out of the question, or so it seemed. I wasalmost afraid to suggest that Captain Fuchida cometo this country for fear bodily harm might come tohim. After all, was he not the man who had pre-cipitated our bloody war with Japan? Then my life’sverse came to me. “If God be for us who can beagainst us?” (Rom. 8: 31).

That decided me. I would write to CaptainMitsuo Fuchida suggesting that he come to Americain order to get firsthand knowledge of how SkyPilots was set up.And so a few weeks later Mitsuo Fuchida receivedthis letter:May 6Mitsuo Fuchida,Mise, Unebi-cho, Takaichi-Gun,Nara-Ken, Japan.Dear Brother Fuchida:

“If God be for us who can be against us?”(Rom. 8: 31). Your most welcome letter acceptingoffer to head up the Japanese Division of Sky

Pilots International is a direct answer to prayer. Forthree years I have been praying for a man like you,that God would send unto us, to lead these fineJapanese boys how to be great warriors in theArmy of God Almighty, through our Lord and Sav-iour Jesus Christ, who is Commander in Chief ofSky Pilots International. We here in America areelated, and want you to make the necessary ar-rangements to come over to the United States assoon as you possibly can, that we might be to-gether for at least six months’ of training, com-bined with itinerary speaking engagements all overthe United States, to raise the financial help we willneed for this great missionary work, not only forJapan, but all the Asiatic countries as well asour own.

What Hitler did in Germany for Nazism, whatJoe Stalin has been doing for Communism, we, ofSky Pilots, are dedicated to do for Jesus Christ,the Son of God, the living, resurrected Saviour ofall mankind, in every nation where God will raiseup men like yourself, willing to fight the fight offaith, and willing to die for the greatest cause forwhich man could lay down his life.

I would like to know by return mail if youcan arrange your affairs so as to be with us here atthe home base headquarters not later than July 15.Forgive me if I seem to be hurrying you, but weare wanting to use you in our Sky Pilots’ movingpicture film, and wish to have your permission thatwe may count on doing this, as we have sched-uled this film to be ready for showing by Septem-ber, 1952.

Let us know if you speak the American lan-guage enough to make yourself understood; if so,perhaps you could come here a little sooner thanJuly 5, if you can make the necessary arrange-ments to put your affairs in order, and if you canpossibly rent your farm to relatives to operate dur-ing your absence. We shall expect to pay for yourpassage to the United States.

May the Lord Jesus continue to ‘guide anddirect you in the decisions He would have you tomake (I know they are momentous) and bless youwith all spiritual blessings.Yours for more Men Missionaries,

SKY PILOTS OF AMERICA,ELMER B. SACHS

Then Mitsuo Fuchida wrote:At the Tokyo Bible Center,June 2, 1952




21by Mitsuo FuchidaBeloved Teacher Sachs:

I have received your letter of the 6th ofMay. Also I received a letter from Brother Hamil-ton of your organization. I came to Tokyo with theintention of meeting Brother Hamilton and speak-ing with him about the work of the Sky Pilots, butI was being used in special evangelistic meetingsin the Tokyo area and missed the chance to seehim. But I told Brother Pietsch what I wanted totell him.

I will be very glad to build the work of theLord through the Sky Pilots in Japan, trusting thatthe Lord will bring the next generation of Japa-nese to true Christian faith. With this in mind, Ioffer myself completely to the service ofChrist.

From June 3rd until the 10th I will go to myhome in Nara Prefecture to make arrangements forgoing to America and winding up my affairs, andwill return to Tokyo on the 10th. Brother Hamiltonhopes to come again to Japan on the20th of June, and then I will talk things over withhim again.

Please pray for my going to America, thatthe blessing of our Lord wil l be poured outupon it.(Signed) Mitsuo FuchidaThe Lord’s Faithful Servant.

There followed much detail of business.Agreements had to be signed. Papers and formshad to be made out. The Lord used Bob Hamiltonin a wonderful way in negotiating terms and condi-tions. The Rev. Timothy Pietsch also proved to bea very able assistant in these negotiations. Moreo-ver, Timothy Pietsch allowed us to use his homeand assisted with his camera to take movie film forthe first Sky Pilots of America film, “Combat.”

As Timothy Pietsch planned to come to theStates in the fall, it was arranged that CaptainFuchida should travel across with him.

CHAPTER SEVENI Reach America

In the presence of Bob Hamilton and Timo-thy Pietsch in Tokyo I signed the necessary agree-ment papers accepting the position of Chief SkyPilot of Japan as well as accepting the invitationof the home office to sponsor my coming to

America in order to study the work of Sky Pilotsof America International. Thus I would better beable to build the Sky Pilots of Japan.

God was good to me in enabling me to getpermission to come to America.

On the 16th day of October, 1952, supportedby the prayers of many Christians in Japan, I de-parted from my native country for America. Four-teen days later we docked in San Francisco. TheRev. Elmer Sachs met me and hurried me off tothe Sky Pilots’ headquarters.

There, with the Christian friends who hadgathered, we bowed our heads together to offerprayers of gratitude to God for bringing me to theUnited States safely.

Two days later I left with Elmer Sachs in hisLuscombe air sedan for Los Angeles. On that hip Ipiloted a plane for the first time since the close ofthe war as all Japanese were forbidden to fly inJapan. It was a joy to me to pilot a ship throughthe clouds again.

In Los Angeles I met Cliff Barrows, BeverleyShea, and Billy Graham. There we made a film forBilly Graham’s Hour of Decision television pro-gram, to be released on the eleventh anniversaryof the day I bombed Pearl Harbor!

I was with the Sachs for Thanksgiving. Thenwe “ joined Bil ly Graham for a meeting inAlbuquerque. In the weeks and months that fol-lowed, I met thousands of people. I have lost countof the places we have visited. Places like Oakland,California; Omaha, Nebraska; Salem, Oregon; Seattle,Washington; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Wichita, Kan-sas; Washington, D.C.; Mansfield, Ohio; Greeley,Colorado; Florida, Michigan, Missouri, et cetera.

I remember the thrill that was mine when inone of my first meetings in Los Angeles-it was anall - Japanese meeting - I led my first soul toChrist in America. And he was one of my owncountrymen!

In Washington, D.C., in the latter part of Feb-ruary, 1953, I addressed meetings in the Naval An-nex Chapel, the Pentagon Chapel, and spoke be-fore one thousand midshipmen at Annapolis.

At the time of writing, I have completed sixmonths of my seven-to eight-month tour of theUnited States and Hawaii visiting and studying manySky Pilots squadrons. I have been amazed at thetestimonies of pastors who say that their Sky Pilotboys and men do more soul-winning witnessing intheir communities than all other departments of




22 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”the church put together!

I have been astounded to hear from the lipsof these Sky Pilot boys of the numbers of soulsthey have led to accept the Lord Jesus Christ aspersonal Saviour.

I have seen many things in this country forwhich you American people may be thankful, thingsthat make your nation great. I am most thankful forthe missionaries you have sent to Japan to preachthe Gospel of love and peace through Christ. Thetestimony of your Christian homes has been a won-derful experience to me.

While in Washington, D.C., I was impressedby the many loyal Christian gentlemen who prayand read their Bibles every day and are faithful intheir church worship. I was impressed as I sawover television President Eisenhower pray at hisinauguration.At first, I must confess, I was often afraid that Imight run into some unpleasant situations becauseI was the one who led the raid on Pearl Harbor. Onthe contrary, however, I have found a warm wel-come from the American people.

Japan today is standing at the crossroads.Communism is working strongly on the left hand.The old Shinto Imperialism seems to be comingback again on the right. Now since I have foundChrist, I am convinced that the way for Japan isneither left with Communism nor right with Imperi-alism but forward to the Christian way of life.

This is the real purpose of my coming toAmerica, that I might better learn how I may serve,the Lord. I pray for all Americans that you willkeep your nation a loyal Christian nation. Perhapsin a short time the people of Japan can join withyou as a Christian partner bringing peace to theworld. I believe that the only answer to peace forthe whole world is Jesus Christ. He only can bringbrotherly love to all mankind.

When I was appointed to train five hundredmen for two months prior to bombing Pearl Harbor,I remember that I gave my all effort to preparationsfor that attack. Now I pledge myself to the Lordand the members of my Sky Pilot missionary boardto give my all effort to train the men and boys ofJapan to become a loyal Christian people, living inlove, joy, and peace with one another and thewhole world.

With God’s help we will raise up an army ofChristian soldiers who will melt the Iron Curtain ofCommunism with the love, and mercy, and forgive-

ness of Christ our Lord. To this cause I dedicatethe balance of my life and strength.

After reaching America I was asked if I wouldaccept the position of Chief of Staff in charge ofall Japanese Air Force. Though I declined this po-sition, I will assist my government as a consultantin any way possible. My God is leading me toserve Him with the balance of my life, and I be-lieve I can help my people more by preaching theGospel of Love and Peace through Jesus Christ.

I am looking to God to provide a helicopterfor my work in Japan. I can reach my people morespeedily in the many inaccessible places wherethey have never heard the name of Christ. Alreadythe Lord’s people in America have provided a sta-tion wagon for Sky Pilots of Japan.

As I take up my work in Japan I know thatmy brothers and sisters in Christ in America arepraying for me. Prayer has been answered, I say ithumbly, in my conversion; and prayers for Japanwill be answered in the days that are ahead. Forthis, in the name of my newfound Friend, ChristJesus, I, Mitsuo Fuchida, now no longer an enemybut a brother, say, Thank you!

POSTCRJPTBy Elmer Sachs

It was a wonderful experience for me totravel well over 30,000 miles from one end ofthe United States to the other with Captain MitsuoFuchida. We travelled in the Sky Pilots’ four-seaterLuscombe air sedan and by car. Often as I lookedacross at the kindly serious face of my compan-ion, I marvelled afresh at the goodness of God -this man was my enemy; now he is my brother!Such is the miracle of the grace of God. ...

There are so many incidents in the monthsof journeying that stand out in my mind. I wouldlike to share two of them with you.

The first occurred in Washington, D.C., afterCaptain Fuchida gave his personal testimony forChrist in the United States Navy Chapel. A goodfriend of mine, Chaplain John Craven, introducedus to the Chief of all Navy Chaplains, Admiral E. B.Harp, Jr. Admiral Harp was the Chaplain abroad theaircraft carrier, Hornet, from which General Doolittleand his men, including Jacob DeShazer, took offin their B25’s to bomb Tokyo. Admiral Harp gra-




23by Mitsuo Fuchidaciously consented to permit us to return and totake coloured films, of the interview for inclusionin the first Sky Pilots’ film, “Combat.”

The second thrill was when General Doolittlein answer to my letter requesting an interview re-plied:“Dear Mr. Sachs,

“Have your letter of February 4 (1953) andagree that one of the most important objectivestoward which we should strive is improving rela-tionships between all nations. I admire the ambi-tion and industry of the Japanesepeople and am interested in seeing our presentfine relationship with them continued and strength-ened.

“Will be very pleased to meet CaptainFuchida. It will be fairly simple to arrange still pic-tures. Setting up for movies would be more diffi-cult.“Very sincerely,(Signed) J. H. Doolittle”

General Doolittle proved to be an amiablehost and very co-operative in helping us shootscenes for use in the film “Combat.” He joked andsaid that one of his chief worries was that whenpeople saw him in the movie Clark Gable’s chancesof popularity would be reduced!

He was pleased to hear our report and wished“Godspeed” upon Captain Fuchida and myself inour missionary venture. We chatted about the tre-mendous job Jake DeShazer is now doing as amissionary in Japan. General Doolittle recalled viv-idly the day that he led his raiders - including JakeDeShazer – to “Target Tokyo.”

We were unable to see President Eisenhowerand our good friend, Vice-president Richard Nixon.These men were just new in their offices-busydoing first things first.

I have been impressed with the loving warmthof the welcome of the Christians of all denomina-tions extended to this man who once hated usand was our enemy. Of course, we did meet a few- a very few small-minded individuals who stillheld bitterness in their hearts for the man who ledthe raid on Pearl Harbor. But most people weresensible enough to recognize that Captain Fuchidawas obeying the orders of his superior officersjust as much as was General Doolittle when heled his raid.

In conclusion, I ask your prayers, not onlyfor Captain Fuchida as he takes office as the Chief

Sky Pilot of Japan, but for the entire missionaryprogram of the Sky Pilots of America International.It is a program geared to meet boys where we findthem so that they may learn to wait upon theLord-Hand renew their strength, rising upon wingslike eagles.. “

At this writing Captain Fuchida and I prepareto leave for Hawaii where he will lay a wreath onthe hulk of the battleship Arizona and offer prayerand then set his face steadfastly toward his land ofthe rising sun. He has pledged himself to give hisall effort to the cause of Christ. Let us follow hisexample.

Give prayerful consideration to the applica-tion blanks appended to this volume.Yours for more Men missionaries,ELMER SACHS

I wish to join Sky Pilots of America Interna-tional as an active member. Please send applica-tion.Name ……………………………….Address ………………………………..State or Country …………………………………….I desire to be a supporting Sky Pilot member. Mymonthly contribution of $............ enclosed for theperiod of ……….. to ……….Name ……………………………….Address ………………………………..State or Country ……………………………………. I desire to contribute $............... monthly to thesupport of General Mitsuo Fuchida and the workof Sky Pilots in Japan and Orient for a period offive years. Enclosed is check for $ ……………………Name ……………………………….Address ………………………………..State or Country …………………………………….I desire to contribute $..... Monthly to the supportof Sky Pilots of America International to reach theboys of U.S.A. and the world. Enclosed find checkor sum of $ …………………..

This enclosed check is to go to General MitsuoFuchida’s Helicopter Fund. $ ……………………Name ……………………………….Address ………………………………..State or Country …………………………………….Please send me the Sky Pilot News.

Please detach this sheet-Fill out and mail to:




24 “from Pearl Harbor to Golgotha”SKY PILOTS OF AMERICA INTERNATIONAL45 E. Julian Street. San Jose, California

Our church is interested in investigating fur-ther your manual and method of organization, aswe are very interested in becoming affiliated with anational and international Christian army such asSky Pilots of America International. Please sendus the manual,standards and requirements.

Name of Church …………………………………………

Address …………………………………………………..

Town and State…………………………………………..

……………………………………………..Signature of pastor or authorized person

Our church is interested in sending from our mis-sionary fund $_____ monthly for the support of thiswork. .Detach and send to:

SKY PILOTS OF AMERICA INTERNATIONAL45 E. Julian Street, San Jose, California

CAPTAIN MITSUO FUCHIDA, now chief SkyPilot of SKY PILOTS OF JAPAN, is a two-starGeneral in the SKY PILOTS International.

As a lifelong military leader he led the Japa-nese Air Force raid on Pearl Harbor that precipi-tated the entry of the UnitedStates of America into World War II.

Captain Fuchida since the love of Christ hastransformed his life has dedicated himself to give“his all effort” to leadingthe people of his mother country to Christ.

Captain Mitsuo Fuchida is now no longeran enemy but a brother in the Lord to all the familyof God.




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