He is another of my fave people from WWII. At the fall of Corregidor, Gen. Douglas MacArthur reserved a seat for Sakakida on the submarine he would ride to go to Australia. Instead of going, he gave up his seat to Clarence Yamagata, a hawaiian born intelligence officer with a family. Pretty selfless, huh?
He endured severe torture at the hands of the Kempei Tai.
Despite being suspended from his wrists tied to his back and being burned by cigarettes, he did not change his story; that he was merely a civilian pressed into serving as translator for the US army.
He managed to escape and even returned to Manila to participate in the War Crimes Tribunal.
His was an epic journey. His amazing story can be read in detail at:
http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1996_cr/s960130a.htm
in 1996 he was awarded the Bronze Star and Prisoner of War Medal and in '98 the Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous).
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