Homegoing of a Hero

The secular media mostly missed it, and some Christian publications gave it minor mention. The Homegoing of Doolittle Raider Jacob "Jake" DeShazer on March 15th recalled the tragic era of World War II eclipsed by the mighty grace of God through Jesus Christ.

Pearl Harbor was the terrible start of the Pacific theater conflict. In retaliation and seeking a military boost for America morale, General Jimmy Doolittle led sixteen B-25 bombers off the carrier Hornet in a surprise attack on Japan. The crews mostly bailed out at night over occupied China. DeShazer, bombardier of plane #16, landed in a cemetery and was captured by the Japanese. He was imprisoned and tortured for 40 months. Three of his crew were executed.

DeShazer hated his captors, but his life was transformed while reading a Bible given him by this captors. Reviewing the story of redemptive love in Christ, he was marvelously converted vowing to return to Japan as a missionary if he lived to be released. After liberation, theological studies at home, marriage and a newborn son, Jake indeed returned to Japan in 1948 where he established 30 churches.

The Japanese Pearl Harbor attack leader was Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, who alone of the marauding Japanese officers survived the war. Unknown to DeShazer, Fuchida had read his story in a tract distributed by missionaries at a Tokyo rail station. Fuchida obtained a Bible and received Christ as Savior. After a 40-day fast for additional spiritual victory, DeShazer was sought out by Fuchida, and together they evangelized, seeing thousands turn to Christ. Fuchida later toured the States and European countries telling his stunning story of redemption, forgiveness and reconciliation. Through the witness of Gideons, who distribute Bibles, General Jimmy Doolittle received Christ at age 89.

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, they became three Heaven-bound brothers through the cross. Mitsuo Fuchida passed into Heaven on May 30, 1976. Jimmy Doolittle joined him there on September 27, 1993. Jake DeShazer joined them on March 15, 2008, just a week before Easter.

The reunion can only be imagined—bitterest enemies eternally brought together by the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s truth is always stranger that man’s fiction. It’s a miracle of God’s grace, a temporal example of His timeless principle spoken by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

The full story of DeShazer, Fuchida and Doolittle is available in print and on CD from our ministry upon request. Contact us via e-mail or write to us: Dedication Evangelism, PO Box 10, Towaco, NJ 07082. A tax-deductible gift to help with postage and materials is appreciated. You can listen to our April 6 broadcast featuring excerpts of the story at our ministry website or at Oneplace.com.

Dave Virkler