Samurai!

New York: Ballantine Books, 1978. Later printing. Mass market paperback. fair. Mass Market Paperbook. Somewhat curved. 270, [2] pages. Illustrations. Stamp of previous owner on first page. Martin Caidin (September 14, 1927 - March 24, 1997) was an American author and an authority on aeronautics and aviation. Caidin began writing fiction during 1957, and authored more than 50 fiction and nonfiction books, as well as more than 1,000 magazine articles. His best-known novel is Cyborg, which was the basis for The Six Million Dollar Man franchise. He also wrote numerous works of military history, especially concerning aviation. Sub-Lieutenant Sabur Sakai (25 August 1916 - 22 September 2000) was a Japanese naval aviator and flying ace of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. In his autobiography Samurai!, co-written by Martin Caidin and Fred Saito, Sakai claims 64 aerial victories. Japanese records listed 28. Such discrepancies are common. This book traces his experiences from fighter-pilot school to the early Japanese victories; from his 600 mile fight for life from Guadalcanal to his base in Rabaul, to the story of the now handicapped veteran's return to the air during the final months of World War II. This book has been written by Martin Caidin from Saburo Sakai's own memoirs and journalist Fred Saito's interviews with the fighter pilot. This book describes the life and career of Sabur Sakai, the Japanese combat aviator who fought against American fighter pilots in the pacific theater of World War II, surviving the war as one of Japan's leading flying aces.