F4F-4
Wildcat
Pilot
"Pug" Southerland of VF-5 is credited with shooting down the first Japanese
aircraft loss of the Guadalcanal campaign. Immediately afterwards, he
became the first American aircraft loss of the campaign, being shot down
by legendary Japanese Ace Saburo Sakai, who from his own logbook confirmed
he was flying Tainan Kokutai A6M2 Zero V-128 that day
Arguably the most historic wreck in the Pacific, the story of both pilots and this monumental mission is certainly one of the most exciting aerial dogfights of the Second World War because both pilots survived, and were able to recount their sides of the story. This they did in great detail. In 1996 Michael also interviewed the Solomon Islander who led Southerland to safety.
