Saipan Rufe
by Mike Hirsch
by Mike Hirsch
| Mike writes of his encounter with the Saipan Rufe: "As a pilot with Northwest Airlines I've had the opportunity to operate from various points in Japan to Saipan and Guam. While on a trip, I had heard that there was a Japanese Zero just off the beach in front of our hotel in 25 feet of water. I went out in a boat (minutes from shore), the boat driver (a rather large fellow named Tank) found it easily. I asked him if the canopy was open; he said that it was on its back and did not know. We ruminated on the idea that in a battle that saw so many casualties (over 45,000 killed), thinking of one person made the event more manageable to consider. | ||
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