was a Japanese naval officer who became the first prisoner of war of World War II to be captured by U.S. forces.
Early life and education
Sakamaki was born in what is now part of the city of Awa, Tokushima Prefecture, the second-oldest of eight sons.
Sakamaki's submarine became trapped on a reef off Waimanalo Beach, Oahu, as it attempted to enter Pearl Harbor. The book Attack on Pearl Harbor claims that his submarine hit two coral reefs and sank. Sakamaki ordered his crewman, Kiyoshi Inagaki, to swim to shore, and Sakamaki attempted to scuttle the disabled submarine and swim to shore as well. The explosives failed to go off and Inagaki drowned.
Sakamaki made it to shore, but fell unconscious once on the beach, where he was found by a U.S. soldier, David Akui, and was taken into military custody. When he awoke, he found himself in a hospital under U.S. armed security. Sakamaki became the first Japanese prisoner of war in U.S. captivity during World War II. Japanese high command struck his name from the records and told his family that he had been killed in action. His submarine was recovered and taken on tours across the United States to encourage war bond purchases. Following his return, he received hate mail from strangers, including a letter ordering him to "immediately perform ritual suicide" and make a public apology for his shame of having been taken prisoner. Though he privately published his memoirs, he avoided discussing his wartime experiences with his family.