Rubberduck
Recruit
- 1
- Jun 26, 2012
Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the actual dog fight between Sakai and the Hudson before he shot it down????
James "Pug" Southerland vs Saburo Sakai
- Thread starter Hunter368
- Start date
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Chip Southerland
Recruit
- 1
- Apr 15, 2017
I am sorry to have found this website so long after the thread was begun. I very much appreciate the discussion here. Lt. Cmdr. James Julien "Pug" Southerland was my Uncle and I have some rather interesting insights to offer on this subject from letters he wrote to my Grandmother, Ida Elizabeth (Fickling) Southerland, found by my Father, Charles C. Southerland Sr. upon the disposition of my Grandmother's estate.
As Uncle Pug related the story, he was leading a group of Wildcats as wing commander and encountered the Japanese Betty Bombers. His wing shot down several of the bombers and expended much of their US wing ammunition doing so. Pugs own guns jammed, probably as a result of a Betty Tail gunner's round striking one of the feed belts on his own .50 caliber gun system. The U.S. pilots were very much aware of the limitations of the Wildcat against the Japanese Zero during those early days of the war (later, the Hellcats would make up for that). My uncle felt a deep responsibility as wing commander for his flight wing and so he ordered his flight back to the Aircraft Carrier they were assigned to (I think it was the USS Ranger. I know he was assigned to the Ranger, but it may have been later in the war), believing it was his responsibility to stop the zeros from pursuing his flight wing elements and shooting them down. Uncle Pug was an extraordinary pilot. According to Saburo Sakai's account, Pug made the Wildcat do things that Sakai thought impossible for the Wildcat to perform. While engaging with the two original Japanese Zeros, Pug actually managed to get them to fire at each other in their haste to shoot him down. That is why Sakai waved them off and decided to take Pug out on a one to one duel. Uncle Pug pulled the classic "Top Gun movie" maneuver of bringing the enemy on his tail in close, then putting on the brakes, causing the enemy to fly by and come under Pugs own guns. I can only imagine how frustrated my Uncle must have been to have the star ace of the Japanese Air Force under his guns and unable to fire. Sakai asserts that he had so much respect for the American Pilot, that he decided as a matter of chivalry to shoot out the engine of the plane instead of the pilot.
None of the air tactics were discussed in any of my Grandmother's correspondence. He wrote to her about how he had a hole in his foot that he could see through as he hung in his parachute and that there was a wound in his thigh that he stuck his fist in to to staunch the bleeding. I think he mentioned that he lost his pistol in the bail out. He went on to offer details about how he made it to the coast line and watched the battle of Guadalcanal in part from the beach, eventually making his way to some friendly natives who tended his wounds and evacuated him via dugout to a Catholic Chapel (a merciful assistance for which the natives suffered terribly at the hands of the Japanese later on). Pug spent the night hidden in that Chapel fearful that the Japanese would find him as it was apparent they were searching for a downed American Pilot. The next day, he was ferried down a river to a forward Marine outpost and from there, escorted back to the fleet and to the U.S. where he recovered from his wounds in a Naval Hospital.
After recovering from his wounds, he returned to the fleet and I believe he later flew a Hellcat, successfully shooting down enough planes (I believe there were 7 total) to become an Ace. After the war, he became a flight instructor and one night off Pensacola, he was leading in a group of student pilots, teaching them nighttime carrier landings. It was my understanding that a student pilot missed a wave off and came in behind Pug, striking his plant and knocking it over the side of the Aircraft carrier. Crew members aboard the carrier saw him struggling to open the canopy of his plane as it went under and that was the last observance of him. I was told by a cousin who visited with him in Florida a few days prior to the accident, while he was leading a cross country training flight, that he had complained about his canopy sticking in its slide and was having it serviced.
Beyond the service history, my Uncle Pug seems to have been remembered by all who knew him is just an overall great guy. He did get his nickname while earning Golden Gloves on the Naval boxing team at Annapolis. My father, Pug's younger brother, loved him dearly. It was a terrible tragedy for the entire family that after surviving some of the greatest perils of WW II, he would be killed in a training accident. Uncle Pug's wonderful wife only shared his company a relatively short time from the time they were married after graduating from Annapolis, due to his overseas assignments. That was enough to have two children, a boy, James Julien Junior, and a Girl, Sally. James Julien Junior followed in his father's footsteps by attending Annapolis and served with distinction during the Vietnam war.
In my own family of 5, our third child , Julien (Pug), is also named after his famous great uncle. Although I was not born until 2 years after Uncle Pug's death, I grew up with tales of a beloved Uncle from my own father, my Grandmother and other members of the family who knew him well. He was a true American Hero.
As Uncle Pug related the story, he was leading a group of Wildcats as wing commander and encountered the Japanese Betty Bombers. His wing shot down several of the bombers and expended much of their US wing ammunition doing so. Pugs own guns jammed, probably as a result of a Betty Tail gunner's round striking one of the feed belts on his own .50 caliber gun system. The U.S. pilots were very much aware of the limitations of the Wildcat against the Japanese Zero during those early days of the war (later, the Hellcats would make up for that). My uncle felt a deep responsibility as wing commander for his flight wing and so he ordered his flight back to the Aircraft Carrier they were assigned to (I think it was the USS Ranger. I know he was assigned to the Ranger, but it may have been later in the war), believing it was his responsibility to stop the zeros from pursuing his flight wing elements and shooting them down. Uncle Pug was an extraordinary pilot. According to Saburo Sakai's account, Pug made the Wildcat do things that Sakai thought impossible for the Wildcat to perform. While engaging with the two original Japanese Zeros, Pug actually managed to get them to fire at each other in their haste to shoot him down. That is why Sakai waved them off and decided to take Pug out on a one to one duel. Uncle Pug pulled the classic "Top Gun movie" maneuver of bringing the enemy on his tail in close, then putting on the brakes, causing the enemy to fly by and come under Pugs own guns. I can only imagine how frustrated my Uncle must have been to have the star ace of the Japanese Air Force under his guns and unable to fire. Sakai asserts that he had so much respect for the American Pilot, that he decided as a matter of chivalry to shoot out the engine of the plane instead of the pilot.
None of the air tactics were discussed in any of my Grandmother's correspondence. He wrote to her about how he had a hole in his foot that he could see through as he hung in his parachute and that there was a wound in his thigh that he stuck his fist in to to staunch the bleeding. I think he mentioned that he lost his pistol in the bail out. He went on to offer details about how he made it to the coast line and watched the battle of Guadalcanal in part from the beach, eventually making his way to some friendly natives who tended his wounds and evacuated him via dugout to a Catholic Chapel (a merciful assistance for which the natives suffered terribly at the hands of the Japanese later on). Pug spent the night hidden in that Chapel fearful that the Japanese would find him as it was apparent they were searching for a downed American Pilot. The next day, he was ferried down a river to a forward Marine outpost and from there, escorted back to the fleet and to the U.S. where he recovered from his wounds in a Naval Hospital.
After recovering from his wounds, he returned to the fleet and I believe he later flew a Hellcat, successfully shooting down enough planes (I believe there were 7 total) to become an Ace. After the war, he became a flight instructor and one night off Pensacola, he was leading in a group of student pilots, teaching them nighttime carrier landings. It was my understanding that a student pilot missed a wave off and came in behind Pug, striking his plant and knocking it over the side of the Aircraft carrier. Crew members aboard the carrier saw him struggling to open the canopy of his plane as it went under and that was the last observance of him. I was told by a cousin who visited with him in Florida a few days prior to the accident, while he was leading a cross country training flight, that he had complained about his canopy sticking in its slide and was having it serviced.
Beyond the service history, my Uncle Pug seems to have been remembered by all who knew him is just an overall great guy. He did get his nickname while earning Golden Gloves on the Naval boxing team at Annapolis. My father, Pug's younger brother, loved him dearly. It was a terrible tragedy for the entire family that after surviving some of the greatest perils of WW II, he would be killed in a training accident. Uncle Pug's wonderful wife only shared his company a relatively short time from the time they were married after graduating from Annapolis, due to his overseas assignments. That was enough to have two children, a boy, James Julien Junior, and a Girl, Sally. James Julien Junior followed in his father's footsteps by attending Annapolis and served with distinction during the Vietnam war.
In my own family of 5, our third child , Julien (Pug), is also named after his famous great uncle. Although I was not born until 2 years after Uncle Pug's death, I grew up with tales of a beloved Uncle from my own father, my Grandmother and other members of the family who knew him well. He was a true American Hero.
Old Wizard
2nd Lieutenant
fubar57
General
Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
Airman
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.
