a WWII story...

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Here's an interesting bit of history.

My grandfather's 2nd cousin was Juanita Vitousek, who became one of Hawaii's most famous artists.  She had married attorney Roy Vitousek in California, and they moved to Hawaii in the early 1920s.  Roy became Speaker of the House for the Hawaiian Territories, and was also a private pilot.

Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, Roy and his son, Martin, were flying their private plane over the islands and were on their way back to Oahu, when they met the first wave of Japanese planes on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor.  The Japanese pilots began shooting at the Vitousek's plane, then all but one plane veered off to return back on course.  The one plane kept shooting, and getting closer,while Roy landed the bullit-ridden plane.  All of a sudden the attack ceased and the Japanese plane took off towards Pearl Harbor.

It wasn't until 1991, at a joint US-Japanese Pearl Harbor reunion that we found out why the pilot stopped shooting.  He had been under orders to shoot down and destroy any aircraft while on the Pearl Harbor mission.  He had the Vitousek's plane in his sights to finish them off, when he got closer -- and saw Martin (then only about 10 yrs old) in the plane.  The Japanese pilot didn't have it in his heart to kill a child, even at the risk of a court martial and death if his actions had been reported.

[james423]

That's a very good story.  I copied it to post on one of our classroom bulletin boards.