My father told a story all his life, of a Japanese POW on Iwo Jima, who had surrendered, and ended up in Hutch Harnsberger's hands. All his life, Hutch told that he was the code room operator for General Kirobyashi. No one ever beleived the story was true.
Then in 2007, I found another son of an Iwo veteran, Steven Lopardo in San Diego, had been searching for the same POW, over 60 years later. I learned General Fred Haynes was telling this same POW's story to Obama, Clinton and McCain, to illustrate why torture of a POW is completely unnecessary and not acceptable behavior of true American soldier.
Steve Lopardo had photographs of the POW,and he knew his name, Taizo Saikai. And he found Saikai's family in Japan and returned those photographs. In this film, you'll hear that story.
Sakai was a dear friend of Fiorenzo Lopardo, and Hutch Harnsberger, although they had all only met for less than a day. Today, their sons have met to share their story, of the most important prisoner.
