"Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima — and Calvary" by Chuck Colson, December 7, 2007

Sixty-six years ago today, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor — an action that dramatically altered the course of history. Jacob DeShazer was on KP duty in California when he first heard the news. Furious at what the Japanese had done, he resolved to retaliate personally. And in April 1942, he got his chance — as a B-25 bombardier when Doolittle’s Raiders attacked Tokyo.

During that fateful run, DeShazer’s plane ran out of fuel, and the crew bailed out over enemy territory. DeShazer was captured and spent the next forty months as a POW — including thirty-four months in solitary confinement. Three of his buddies were executed, and another died of slow starvation.

With plenty of time to think, Jake wondered: What makes people hate each other? And he also wondered: Doesn’t the Bible say something about loving our enemies?

He asked his jailers for a Bible and eventually got one. He read it with fascination, re-reading some parts six or more times. Then, ten days into his study, he asked Christ to forgive his sins. He remembers, “suddenly . . . when I looked at the enemy officers and guards . . ., I realized that … if Christ is not in a heart, it is natural to be cruel. . . . [M]y bitter hatred . . . changed to loving pity.” Remembering Christ’s words from the cross — “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” — he asked God to forgive those who tortured him, as well.

Fourteen months later, in August 1945, paratroopers liberated DeShazer from his prison cell. After the war, a chaplain on General MacArthur’s staff wanted something to help heal the animosity between the United States and Japan. He approached Don Falkenberg of Bible Literature International, who had read DeShazer’s testimony shortly after his release. And soon the story was being circulated as a booklet called, “I Was a Prisoner of Japan.”

But here’s where the story gets interesting. Japanese Navy pilot Mitsuo Fuchida was Chief Commander of the historic December 7 raid on Pearl Harbor. He had advised against attacking the American base, but when given orders to proceed, Fuchida led the assault.

Eventually Fuchida logged more than ten thousand combat hours. But his closest brush with death was on the ground in Japan. He was in Hiroshima the day before the atom bomb was dropped. His life was spared because orders had come to go to Tokyo.

When the war ended, Captain Fuchida returned to his family farm near Osaka. Later, stepping off a train in Tokyo, he was given a copy of Jacob DeShazer’s booklet. Intrigued, he began reading the Bible. And despite his Shinto heritage, he accepted Christ as his Savior.

How marvelous are God’s ways? An American airman is taken prisoner, is converted, and his testimony leads his captors’ ace pilot to Christ. Over a thirty-year span, Captain Fuchida and Sergeant DeShazer traveled together throughout Japan. Together and separately, they saw tens of thousands of Japanese converted.

Learning to love our enemies is so important, something every Christian must strive for. But when we’re fighting deadly enemies, as our nation is today at war, doing so is a miracle — a miracle of restoration and healing that can come only through faith in Christ.

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Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

Kath, great post!!

You may have seen the following in the Wednesday edition of The Citizen, but is reiterated below. Had the opportunity to visit Chick Fil A at Banks Crossing on 7 December while WWII Veterans were signing up for a FREE flight to Washington to see their memorial. WHAT A SIGHT!! They were just as determined and loyal to their Country today as they were in the 40's!

Thank you for your post!!

Free flights offered to WWII vets in Fayette
Tue, 12/04/2007 - 4:54pm
By: John Munford

A volunteer group in Fayette County is hoping to re-enlist local World War II veterans.

This time, instead of going off to war, those veterans will be going on a free day-long trip to visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.

Honor Flight Fayette is planning to fly the veterans on a day-long trip to the Capitol to visit the memorial. This Friday from 4-8 p.m., volunteers will be on hand at all Chick-fil-A locations in Fayette County to sign up local WWII veterans for the trip. Interested veterans are asked to bring a photo ID and a list of the medications they’re taking.

The veterans will be paired with family members who can assist them during the trip, organizers said. Those “escorts” will have to pay their own way at a cost of $300.

Plans are to have a doctor and EMT also on board the flight should any of the veterans experience a medical emergency, organizers said.

The Fayette branch is coming together largely through the efforts of organizers Gail Sparrow and Mark Buckner.

Sparrow, a recently retired history teacher, said she simply wants to give something back to the people who helped protect America’s freedom from both Nazi Germany and Japan during the war.

“It’s my time to say thank you for what they’ve done,” Sparrow said.

Although Sparrow’s father served during WWII in the Navy, he passed away years before the memorial was even planned, she said. Though he’d talk about his service when asked, it didn’t come up often, and he, like many veterans, was humble about his service.

“I think they kind of feel it was just their duty,” Sparrow said, noting that when these men put their lives on the line they were mere teenagers in many cases.

Now, those teenagers are well up in their twilight years, creating some of the urgency to honor them before they pass away. Organizers are unsure how many World War II veterans live in Fayette County and the surrounding area.

Sparrow said Honor Flight Fayette will not accept any money from the veterans for the program. Fund-raising in the community will cover the costs, and Sparrow said she feels confident Fayette is a very giving community and will help with the project.

The main goal right now is to get veterans signed up for the initial flight, Sparrow said.

Costs are not set in stone yet, as it is not clear if the group will charter a special plane or instead buy a large block of seats on a commercial flight, Sparrow said.

Sparrow is hoping the efforts will branch out and get attention in the entire metro Atlanta area to serve as many WWII veterans as possible.

Ever the history teacher, Sparrow, who taught at Flat Rock Middle School, is also hoping to recruit some of the veterans to volunteer to meet with students or make presentations to local schools.

The World War II veterans “protected my freedom and my way of life,” Sparrow said.

For more information on the program, visit www.honorflightfayette.org and stay tuned to www.TheCitizen.com.

saved the world.
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