Secrets of the Dead - dogfight Guadalcanal

warhawker · Post by **warhawker** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:34 pm

I dont know if anyone caught this show last night on PBS about a famous biographical dogfight between a Navy Helcat, piloted by Southerland, and a Japanese Zero, piloted by Sakai, over the skys of Guadalcanal. The investigation and detailed on the pilots, aircraft,tactics and discovery of the crash site are worthly!

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_do ... index.html

As well there is a metion of a organization that seek out wreck sites in the Pacific for their history and current projects
http://www.pacificghosts.com/index.html

tkjaer21 · Post by **tkjaer21** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 3:27 pm

I didn't get to see it, but that websight is very cool.

STUKA · Post by **STUKA** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:25 pm

ok so the guy had a bullet go through his eye and brain and lived to write about the story post war?

warhawker · Post by **warhawker** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 8:55 am

STUKA wrote:ok so the guy had a bullet go through his eye and brain and lived to write about the story post war?

Yes that is correct! the way that the bullet hit the canopy slowed down enough that the it went through his head without causing him to die on the spot! In fact, in the show he talked about how the event happened and how he happen to land his aircraft back at a Japanese airbase. As well, there are B&W photos of him being pulled from the aircraft with blood coming out of his head where the bullet went in. These two stories were well documented by both side with photos, eye witnesses (no punt intended!) and the actual wreckage proof of this valent dog fight in the air! An amazing story.

Rogue · Post by **Rogue** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 7:55 pm

Damn, I missed it!

You didn't record it did you?

jaywhy8202 · Post by **jaywhy8202** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:10 am

Check with your local PBS affiliate's listings for repeat airings -- especially during overnights.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_do ... index.html

This program also airs on affiliates that broadcast PBS HD.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:56 am

Those guys were tough in those days. On a personal note. I got a paper cut the other day. It hurt real bad.

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:37 am

Knowing the Japanese, that guy was probably an early combat cyborg. Just lost some coolant.

But seriously, wow.

Fox Tare-28 · Post by **Fox Tare-28** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:52 pm

Rowsdower wrote:Knowing the Japanese, that guy was probably an early combat cyborg. Just lost some coolant.

But seriously, wow.

Like that one Spartan said in 300, "It's just an eye."

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 7:33 pm

Fox Tare-28 wrote:[
D Like that one Spartan said in 300, "It's just an eye."

immeww2 · Post by **immeww2** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:45 pm

Amazing reading!!

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Secrets of the Dead - dogfight Guadalcanal

Secrets of the Dead - dogfight Guadalcanal

PBS Secrets of the Dead: Dogfight Over Guadalcanal