Face-to-Face with the Enemy 50 Years after Pearl Harbor

Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 was the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.

Hard to believe that for us, it was 30 years ago and many of the "players" of this event are now gone.

However, this is how one story unfolded on the 50th anniversary of that date, 1991, as it was told to us...

Lin and I were having supper with Richard Fiske at the Chart House, Honolulu, Hawaii, as we had done on many occasions. But this time, it was a few days before the 50th anniversary of the, not to be opprobrious, "Japanese" attack on Pearl Harbor.

Richard was rather silent this time, very unusual for this jovial man. He was a tour guide on the USS Arizona and a survivor of the attack at Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Fiske was on board the USS West Virginia on Dec. 7, 1941.

Richard asked if we were going to attend the ceremonies at Pearl.

We acknowledged that we would be there.

Richard had a very unsettling aura about him, that day, very odd, indeed. We asked if there was something wrong. Richard said that "He will be there, this time!" He said that the pilot who sunk his ship, the West Virginia, was coming to Pearl Harbor for the 50th Anniversary. "I have hated that man for 50 years and now I will finally see him, again."

Richard was very upset and hardly ate his supper. He shook his head, Lin, hugged him goodnight, and Bugler Richard Fiske walked off to his apartment.

Richard was on deck of the West Virginia that Sunday morning when he saw the unbelievable 2nd wave of Japanese planes coming up the slot heading towards Battleship Row.

The first wave hit the USS Arizona. As the planes reeked havoc amongst the other ships, one plane in particular came at the West Virginia and Richard was on the quarter deck of the Battleship and he told us that he actually saw the face of the pilot, Zengi Abe and watched as he unleashed its deadly cargo!

His bomb hit the West Virginia, and with a tremendous explosion, Richard ran taking cover with the rest of his men when the order came to abandon ship.

He had to jump over board into the acrid water that was covered in fuel and flames and the horrible cries of his injured shipmates.

He would tear up, understandably, at that horrible memory.

He stated that he was a bit dazed, but when he was able to gather his senses he swam to Ford Island where he laid unable to join the battle against the incoming wave of planes that were soon to become the enemy of the United States!

He told us how he saw that "face" so many nights waking up in cold sweats for 50 years.

Now, in a few days, he would be back at Pearl Harbor, but NOT as a tour guide and playing taps at the waning daylight as the sun sets into the sea, but as a survivor, who was reluctant to meet the Japanese pilot whose bomb sunk the West Virginia.

We arrived at Pearl Harbor and saw Richard, but to us it was not a photo opportunity, but as a friend to offer support. Tourists and the news media were milling about not really understanding what this meeting might produce.

Richard was not in the least bit nervous now, but stood amongst other survivors of that day when it became utterly silent.

I was talking to a Navajo Code Talker when suddenly he looked up. At the other end of the aisle was a now, older Japanese man dressed in business clothes, but Richard was in uniform wearing his garrison hat adorned with his medals.

Zengi Abe nodded and bowed his head in honor and began to slowly walk toward us, Richard acknowledged and slowly walked toward Mr. Abe.

It was eerily silent as the two approached each other.

When they were about two feet apart Richard's face became so peaceful looking and he reached for Zengi and they embraced each other and held on with tears streaming down both their faces.

Well, that opened up the flood gates for all of us bystanders, and we all cried.

No applause was heard amongst the several hundred people of both survivors and family members.

Just respectful silence.

Lin, our daughter Cody and I gathered as many autographs as we could. Everyone who was asked were surprised at their all of a sudden notoriety, but signed our book.

For Richard Fiske and Zengi Abe, it was official, the war was over for them.