1

I BOMBED Pearl Harbour  

 

Captain MitsuoFuchida’s Personal Testimony

 

CAPTAIN MITSUO FUCHIDA led the bombing raid on Pearl Harbour which opened the Pacific War. First man over the target and last to leave it, after personally damaging the battleship Maryland, he is sole surviving Officer of the seven Commanders and thirty two Squadron Leaders whom he led in the Pearl Harbour raid. He now has good reason to feel that God spared his life that he might be saved and become a Christian Testimony.

 

Captain Fuchida had many close brushes with death, including six crashes at sea. Shortly before the battle of Midway he underwent an Appendectomy on board ship. Though he did not fly, he was in the thick of that battle. A bomb-hit on his ship broke both his legs and hurled him into the sea, from which he was rescued and sent back to Japan. Had he not been out of action he would have commanded the Japanese Air Force at Guadalcanal and might well have met the fate of many of his fellow Officers who died there.

 

God had other plans for Captain Fuchida, as this testimony in his own words reveals.

 

NNZ2006-05-04_7

The following is his personal testimony:

 

 

As my writing progressed, I came to realize that in my appeal for “No More Pearl Harbour” there must be an assurance of the transformation of hatred among mankind to true brotherly love. So long as mankind remained in opposition to one another within the frame of nationality, the consequences could be the destruction of civilization.

The latter half of the twentieth century should be a generation of mankind as a whole, and not a generation of separate nations; but finally the problem remained as to WHO could be the one to accomplish such a great task?

In the midst of these thoughts, one day in Tokyo at Shibuya railroad station at a Pocket Testament League meeting, I received a Christian pamphlet. The pamphlet was the testimony of Sergeant Jacob De Shazer entitled “I Was a War Prisoner of Japan”. At the first glance my mind was captivated and I read the pamphlet through with great enthusiasm. One portion of the pamphlet interested me particularly, and that was the confession of Mr.De Shazer that during his imprisonment, he one day came to feel a strong desire to read the Bible. He recalled to mind what he had heard before about Christianity which could transform human hatred to true brotherly love. This portion, as I read, drew my mind to the same state, and with a desire to read the Bible I purchased one and started reading. Before covering the first thirty pages my mind was strongly impressed and captivated.

“This is it!” I was strongly convinced. I concluded that the true realization of “No More Pearl Harbour” was no other than to expect Christ’s second coming and to endeavour to prepare men from all over the world to welcome Christ’s return.

As a first approach towards this, I was convinced that I should first of all become a good Christian. Thus, I contacted the Pocket Testament League representatives who showed me from the Bible how to become a Christian. I then opened my heart and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour on April 14, 1950.

I still realize my need of Christian growth, but I feel great joy in my daily Bible reading, and my heart is filled with peace as I kneel down to pray. Moreover, I think I can say today without hesitation that God’s Grace had been set upon me and guided me even before I came to know Christ.

 

Taken from:  ”Captain MitsuoFuchida’s Personal Testimony”

Acknowledgement:  The Pocket Testament League of Australia

PO Box 253 Kingsgrove NSW 1480

 

Comments(1)

  1. George

    Powerful testimony, thank God For Jake DeShazer & the Pocket Bible League. We all could use more pocket NT’s to share with other needy people. Thank God & Bless your great work of building Disciples for the coming Kingdom.

Leave comments