Sabe Legatos was born on May 8, 1922, to Gerasimos Legatos and Vera Marketos, whose heritage traced back to the island of Kefalonia. The couple had six children—three born in Greece (Nick, Fred, and Jessie) and three in the United States (Teresha, Sabe, and Georgia). As a young man, Sabe was well-liked among his friends, an exceptional athlete, and fluent in English while also speaking Greek and conversational Spanish. With the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) while attending Teachers College. However, his passion for flying led him to volunteer for the Royal Air Force (RAF), only to have his application denied. Determined to take to the skies, he applied to the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF), encouraged by his brother-in-law, Clair Loren Taylor, who had already enlisted. For reasons unknown, he also submitted an application to the U.S. Navy, which accepted him for flight training. There, he earned his Wings of Gold. Sabe was assigned to Composite Squadron 68 (VC-68), where he flew the advanced FM-2 Wildcat. His squadron embarked on the escort carrier USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70), providing convoy air cover between Pearl Harbor and the Marshall Islands from April to May 1944. His next deployment came during the Marianas Campaign, where he saw intense combat. His reputation as a skilled pilot was solidified during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, where he shot down two enemy aircraft and inflicted damage on enemy fleet vessels with his guns. For his gallantry in action, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). The fierce battle fought by Task Force 74.3’s carriers earned the Fanshaw Bay and its air group the Presidential Unit Citation. However, Sabe’s fighting spirit remained restless. Seeking further action, he requested a transfer to a fleet carrier squadron. His wish was granted, and he soon joined Fighter Squadron 12 (VF-12), which was preparing for deployment aboard the USS Randolph (CV-15) for operations against the Japanese mainland. Highly respected by both his commanding officer and squadronmates, he was one of the most experienced pilots in the unit. Now, he would fly the F6F Hellcat, the U.S. Navy’s premier fighter, renowned as the “Ace Maker.” Sabe seemed destined to become an ace, but fate had other plans. On February 16, 1945, during Carrier Air Wing 12’s first mission, he took off from USS Randolph in F6F-5 Hellcat BuNo. 71794, leading a strike on Mawatari and Mito South airfields. During his attack, he successfully destroyed one aircraft on the ground with rockets and damaged two more. However, as he maneuvered to evade enemy fire, two Ki-43 Oscars took off to intercept the American raiders. Engaging in aerial combat, Sabe fired at wingman Kingi Yokojama, shooting him down with a well-placed burst. However, his leader, Yoshinori Matsunaga, swiftly turned his agile fighter and engaged Sabe in a head-on attack. Both pilots fired at full throttle. In a tragic moment of mutual destruction, both were mortally wounded, and their aircraft crashed to the ground. Sabe Legatos’ journey toward becoming an ace ended at four confirmed aerial kills and one ground victory, marking the loss of a courageous and skilled pilot. For his heroic final flight, he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.

In 2018, a joint effort by the Greeks in Foreign Cockpits team, Japanese researcher Kenji Sudo, and the U.S. Government set out to locate and repatriate the remains of the brave Greek American pilot. In 2024, Sabe’s medals, logbook, flight suit, and other personal artifacts were entrusted to the team by his niece, Barbara Taylor. May the memory of Sabe Legatos and the brave Japanese pilot who fell with him remain eternal, serving as a lasting reminder of sacrifice and the hope that such dark times never return.

For further details, refer to Volume C of the “GREEKS IN FOREIGN COCKPITS” series.