The last hold out passes on.
 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/wo...t-91.html?_r=0

"Hiroo Onoda, an Imperial Japanese Army officer who remained at his jungle post on an island in the Philippines for 29 years, refusing to believe that World War II was over, and returned to a hero’s welcome in the all but unrecognizable Japan of 1974, died on Thursday in Tokyo. He was 91."

Thanks Dana, his loyalty to his mother country is certainly commendable but a life wasted none the less.

Lon

There are lots of ways to waste a life, and his seems less wasted than many others.
dju

The only think I can say is that I had four 1st cousins, once removed, who were in the Pacific during WWII. Plus there was a local doctor who was on the march.

The ultimate survivalist.

I read his book a long time ago.
Kind of a pitful dupe, kind of a nutjob.
He was a REMF intel officer and ordered to take to the hills and observe the enemy when the main Japanese force left. They would return and take his report.
He had a number of men, up to a hundred as I recall.

They stayed a few years but gradually all but 2 turned themselves in.
Onoda and his 2 guys had a miserable life-eating bugs and garbage, moving about from spot to spot and trying to draw as little attention as possible.

Both other guys died and he maintained vigilance. A kid from Japan heard rumours about him and set out to find him.
Onoda-from his book-"Observed him and determined to capture and interrogate him,"
Long story short, they found his former CO, and at a prearranged ceremony he stood and ordered Lt Onoda to cease hostilities and surrender.

He was made a very big deal in Japan, having saved national face, but he had a hard time with society-ya think?

I have some respect as a soldier, but mostly dismay that folks couild be so brainwashed and victimised.
RIP