Immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, Japanese pilot Shigenori Nishikaichi was flying his Mitsubishi Zero over the Pacific when it came under fire from several American planes. After a brief dogfight, his plane was severely damaged.
The Japanese military had outlined plans for emergency landing in advance, recommending pilots touch down on the presumably uninhabited island of Niihau, where they could be rescued by submarine.
Nishikaichi soon discovered the island was not deserted. Approaching the ground, he saw buildings. In fact, he would come into abrupt contact with civilization while making his landing: Nishikaichi’s landing gear collided with a farmer’s fence, sending his plane’s nose into the ground, mangling the propeller and bending the fuselage.
He was initially rescued by two farmers, Ben and Ella Kanahele, but soon realized that he was an enemy and Nishikaichi took them hostage.
Ben charged the pilot despite being shot 3 times. He grabbed him and smashed his body against a wall. His wife joined in and bashed his head with a rock. Ben then managed to stab the pilot in the neck with his hunting knife.
Ben was later awarded the Medal for Merit, the Purple Heart, and a compensation package for the property which was damaged by the crash. Ella received no official recognition for her role in subduing the pilot, but she was a hardfuck nonetheless. #stayzero