Pacífico

1957 — 8vo., First Edition thus, with 49 plates on 16, several maps and charts in the text and endpaper maps; handsomely bound in full dark green crushed morocco, sides with gilt frame border, back with raised bands, second and fourth compartments lettered and ruled in gilt, all other compartments tooled in gilt, gilt top, hand-made endpapers, ribbon marker, an elegant copy ideal as a gift or for presentation. The standard account from the Japanese perspective and a classic of WWII. One of the foremost figures in the IJNAF, Mitsuo Fuchida was strike force commander at Pearl Harbor. Unable to take part in operations at Midway due to a recent appendix operation he watched the action from the deck of the flagship, taking notes as events unfolded. Subsequently, he was one of the few Japanese naval officers permitted to study the reports of the battle and is therefore uniquely qualified to deliver this account. For the first US edition (published for USNI) the Japanese original was translated into English by Commander Chihaya and edited by Kawakami and Pineau; their text is repeated here. Importantly, the Japanese photographs (although of poorer quality) are retained, and supplemented by a small number of well-chosen USN pictures. SCARCE IN THIS CONDITION. Albion, p.297; Enser, p. 515.