The last book I read to date was "Jacob DeShazer: Forgive Your Enemies" by Geoff Benge and Janet Benge.
Jacob DeShazer (1912 - 2008). I borrowed this book from my daughter and have returned it so am relying on memory and taking some things off the internet for details in this writing.
Jacob Deshazer enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp in 1940. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, while on KP duty, he heard the news that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. He became so enraged that he shouted, "The Japs are going to have to pay for this!"
Following the bombing, DeShazer along with other members of the 17th Bomb Group volunteered for a secret mission to attack Japan. This special group of volunteers became know as "Doolittle's Raiders" after their famous commander Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. This mission had an almost zero chance of succeeding. Japan was too far from any air bases friendly to the United States, so they decided to load the aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet, with modified B-25 Mitchell bombers, sail close enough to Japan without getting noticed, and launch the bombers from the carrier. This had never been done before. Even if they were successful with the launch and in the bombing of targets in Japan, they could not land back on the USS Hornet. So they were to try and make it into a friendly part of China. The amount of fuel they carried, which was part of the modifications, made it so that every part of the plan had to work out perfectly for any chance of making it.
On the way to Japan, the fleet was discovered by the Japanese so they had to start the mission early which shortened their fuel supply more; they weren't as close to Japan as their carefully calculated plans said they should be. Their mission was successful but some of the planes ran out of fuel over enemy territory, there were some that did make it into friendly territory, DeShazer's plane was one that ran out of fuel in enemy territory. He and some other Doolittle Raiders became POWs (Prisoners Of War). He was moved from POW camp to POW camp both in Japan and China. Some were more brutal than others. In one of the camps, a Bible was given and shared between DeShazer and several other prisoners, which was a miracle in itself. The prisoners were in separate cells and I believe they agreed to keep the Bible for one week and then pass it to the next one. When Jacob had the Bible, he had a great hunger for what it had to say. I think it was at this one POW camp that Jacob repented, trusted the Lord, and said that if he survived, he would come back to Japan to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
DeShazer's parents were devout Christians but he was an unbeliever They didn't know if there son was alive or dead during this time but they kept praying for him.
Jacob's change of heart made him more loving and compassionate towards his tormentors and this affected the hearts of some of the guards who in turn showed more compassion towards him. The guards who showed any compassion at all to prisoners risked their own lives as this was considered disobeying orders and they were often killed for doing so.
After 40 months as a POW, the war ended, August 20, 1945. When the war ended, it could have been a bad thing for Jacob DeShazer because prisoners were normally executed instead of set free. Some of the Doolittle Raiders were killed but he was not.
Jacob was in very bad health when he returned home. During the time he was recovering, his heart lead him to go into seminary and he learned some Japanese. He fulfilled his promise to God and returned to Japan as a missionary. It was through his work there that many lives were changed, even the life of Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, the commander who lead the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Fuchida became a Christian in 1950. He became an evangelist and also a good friend to DeShazer. They would at times both speak at the same function telling their stories, affecting the lives of many who listened to them.
There were more stories in this book of others who played a part in all that the Lord accomplished through this.
I came across this writing by Mitsuo Fuchida. There are always different perspectives in wars depending on which side you view it from. I am just quoting the part where he repents and Jesus enters his life.
"DeShazer did just that. after some training
at Seattle Pacific College, he returned to Japan as a missionary. And his story, printed in pamphlet form, was something I could not explain.
Neither could I forget it. The peaceful motivation I had read about was exactly what I was seeking. Since the American had found it in the Bible, I decided to purchase one myself, despite my traditionally Buddhist heritage.
In the ensuing weeks, I read this book eagerly. I came to the climactic drama -- the Crucifixion. I read in Luke 23:34 the prayer of Jesus Christ at His death: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." I was impressed that I was certainly one of those for whom He had prayed. The many men I had killed had been slaughtered in the name of patriotism, for I did not understand the love which Christ wishes to implant within every heart.
Right at that moment, I seemed to meet Jesus for the first time. I understood the meaning of His death as a substitute for my wickedness, and so in prayer, I requested Him to forgive my sins and change me from a bitter, disillusioned ex-pilot into a well-balanced Christian with purpose in living.
That date, April 14, 1950 -- became the second "day to remember" of my life. On that day, I became a new person. My complete view on life was changed by the intervention of the Christ I had always hated and ignored before. Soon other friends beyond my close family learned of my decision to be a follower of Christ, and they could hardly understand it."
Jacob DeShazer (1912 - 2008). I borrowed this book from my daughter and have returned it so am relying on memory and taking some things off the internet for details in this writing.
Jacob Deshazer enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp in 1940. On Sunday, December 7, 1941, while on KP duty, he heard the news that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. He became so enraged that he shouted, "The Japs are going to have to pay for this!"
Following the bombing, DeShazer along with other members of the 17th Bomb Group volunteered for a secret mission to attack Japan. This special group of volunteers became know as "Doolittle's Raiders" after their famous commander Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle. This mission had an almost zero chance of succeeding. Japan was too far from any air bases friendly to the United States, so they decided to load the aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet, with modified B-25 Mitchell bombers, sail close enough to Japan without getting noticed, and launch the bombers from the carrier. This had never been done before. Even if they were successful with the launch and in the bombing of targets in Japan, they could not land back on the USS Hornet. So they were to try and make it into a friendly part of China. The amount of fuel they carried, which was part of the modifications, made it so that every part of the plan had to work out perfectly for any chance of making it.
On the way to Japan, the fleet was discovered by the Japanese so they had to start the mission early which shortened their fuel supply more; they weren't as close to Japan as their carefully calculated plans said they should be. Their mission was successful but some of the planes ran out of fuel over enemy territory, there were some that did make it into friendly territory, DeShazer's plane was one that ran out of fuel in enemy territory. He and some other Doolittle Raiders became POWs (Prisoners Of War). He was moved from POW camp to POW camp both in Japan and China. Some were more brutal than others. In one of the camps, a Bible was given and shared between DeShazer and several other prisoners, which was a miracle in itself. The prisoners were in separate cells and I believe they agreed to keep the Bible for one week and then pass it to the next one. When Jacob had the Bible, he had a great hunger for what it had to say. I think it was at this one POW camp that Jacob repented, trusted the Lord, and said that if he survived, he would come back to Japan to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
DeShazer's parents were devout Christians but he was an unbeliever They didn't know if there son was alive or dead during this time but they kept praying for him.
Jacob's change of heart made him more loving and compassionate towards his tormentors and this affected the hearts of some of the guards who in turn showed more compassion towards him. The guards who showed any compassion at all to prisoners risked their own lives as this was considered disobeying orders and they were often killed for doing so.
After 40 months as a POW, the war ended, August 20, 1945. When the war ended, it could have been a bad thing for Jacob DeShazer because prisoners were normally executed instead of set free. Some of the Doolittle Raiders were killed but he was not.
Jacob was in very bad health when he returned home. During the time he was recovering, his heart lead him to go into seminary and he learned some Japanese. He fulfilled his promise to God and returned to Japan as a missionary. It was through his work there that many lives were changed, even the life of Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, the commander who lead the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Fuchida became a Christian in 1950. He became an evangelist and also a good friend to DeShazer. They would at times both speak at the same function telling their stories, affecting the lives of many who listened to them.
There were more stories in this book of others who played a part in all that the Lord accomplished through this.
I came across this writing by Mitsuo Fuchida. There are always different perspectives in wars depending on which side you view it from. I am just quoting the part where he repents and Jesus enters his life.
"DeShazer did just that. after some training
at Seattle Pacific College, he returned to Japan as a missionary. And his story, printed in pamphlet form, was something I could not explain.
Neither could I forget it. The peaceful motivation I had read about was exactly what I was seeking. Since the American had found it in the Bible, I decided to purchase one myself, despite my traditionally Buddhist heritage.
In the ensuing weeks, I read this book eagerly. I came to the climactic drama -- the Crucifixion. I read in Luke 23:34 the prayer of Jesus Christ at His death: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." I was impressed that I was certainly one of those for whom He had prayed. The many men I had killed had been slaughtered in the name of patriotism, for I did not understand the love which Christ wishes to implant within every heart.
Right at that moment, I seemed to meet Jesus for the first time. I understood the meaning of His death as a substitute for my wickedness, and so in prayer, I requested Him to forgive my sins and change me from a bitter, disillusioned ex-pilot into a well-balanced Christian with purpose in living.
That date, April 14, 1950 -- became the second "day to remember" of my life. On that day, I became a new person. My complete view on life was changed by the intervention of the Christ I had always hated and ignored before. Soon other friends beyond my close family learned of my decision to be a follower of Christ, and they could hardly understand it."
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