Kazuo Sakamaki

Kazuo Sakamaki (1918-1942) was an ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was one of ten sailors (5 officers and 5 petty officers) who volunteered to attack the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in a Ko-hyoteki class midget submarine. Of the ten, the other nine were killed (including the other crewman in his sub) and Sakamaki was captured by the Americans.

Sakamaki was liberated during the subsequent Japanese invasion and conquest of Hawaii. However, he was immediately taken into custody by the Japanese military for having dishonored himself by being captured. He was tried and immediately sentenced to death by firing squad--his surrender was too dishonorable to permit him to commit seppuku. Sakamaki refused to be tied to the post before being shot, to show that he still had some honor.