The story
Saburo Sakai, flying an A6M Zero fighter, shot down a F4F Wildcat fighter flown by James Southerland. His fighter was subsequently hit by gunner Harold Jones in a SBD-3 Dauntless dive bomber, blowing away the canopy, causing a gashing wound on his head that blinded him in one eye. He was able to fly his fighter back to Rabaul, New Britain, collapsing only after having successfully landed.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.