About Kazuo Sakamaki
Kazuo Sakamaki (酒巻和男, Sakamaki Kazuo; November 8, 1918 – November 29, 1999) 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. He was a graduate of the 68th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1940. == Career == === Attack on Pearl Harbor === Ensign Sakamaki was one of ten sailors (five officers and five petty officers) selected to attack Pearl Harbor in five two-man Ko-hyoteki class midget submarines on 7 December 1941. Of the ten, nine were killed (including the other crewman in submarine HA. 19, CWO Kiyoshi Inagaki). Sakamaki was chosen for the mission due to his large number of siblings. 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.
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