Japan's last WWII straggler dies at 91

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: SFGate

Hiroo Onoda, the last Japanese imperial soldier to emerge from hiding in a jungle in the Philippines and surrender, 29 years after the end of World War II, has died. He was 91.

Onoda died Thursday at a Tokyo hospital after a brief stay there. Chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga on Friday expressed his condolences, praising Onoda for his strong will to live and indomitable spirit.

"After World War II, Mr. Onoda lived in the jungle for many years and when he returned to Japan, I felt that finally, the war was finished. That's how I felt," Suga said.

Onoda was an intelligence officer who came out of hiding, erect but emaciated, in fatigues patched many times over, on Lubang island in the Philippines in March 1974, on his 52nd birthday. He surrendered only when his former commander flew there to reverse his 1945 orders to stay behind and spy on American troops.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/Japan-s-last-WWII-straggler-dies-at-91-5151443.php

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[Xyzse]

1. When I first heard of his story when I was young I was shocked and impressed.

He became a national hero after that.

I am glad he lived that long.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. This type of fanaticism is scary

He is the type of soldier every military wishes it could produce.

[Half-Century Man]

3. Only one word

Samurai

[rdharma]

28. Two words.......

Wasted life!

[Half-Century Man]

31. I don't see it that way.

I can't say what Onoda thought. I do respect the commitment.

[rdharma]

32. He was "committed" to Japanese imperialism.

He deserved his self-imposed solitary confinement.

[Half-Century Man]

34. Perhaps.

He was a product of his culture as we all are.

[rdharma]

35. Then I probably shouldn't be so hard on southern racists......

.... after all, they are just products of their culture.

[Half-Century Man]

4. Sayonara Onoda Sempai.

Oyasumi nasai

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Five words

You lost! Get over it!

[left on green only]

6. The Thing I Don't Understand Is.......

....The photo shows him at the event of his return to civilization, but yet he appears to have just been to the barber. Even his "stash" is looking trimmed. I shave with a straight razor, and I know that it takes shaving soap to get a shave that is that smooth. Do you suppose he had a 30 years supply of shaving soap stashed away in the Philippine jungle? And the hair on his head looks like it has just been buzz cut evenly (no nicks) with a number two clipper, and then shaved around the ears.

Granted, I'm no Vincent van Gogh, but I would be loth to try and shave around my ears with a straight razor, even standing in front of the best mirror with the best light (which I don't imagine was available to him).

[Jesus Malverde]

7. I suspect they cleaned him up a bit for the exit, it was a several month process...nt

[Enrique]

8. we still have Civil War holdouts

in the jungles of South Carolina, etc.

[Jesus Malverde]

9. interesting observation..thanks..nt

[underpants]

11. LMAO DUzy - BTW today is Lee-Jackson Day here in Va

It's a state holiday so state employees get a 4 day weekend. See it was Lee-Jackson-King day (notice the order ) when Va finally passed MLK Day but everyone realized how odd that was so they split them.

Jackson was born in what is now West Virginia..... But no matter he is still VERY popular around here.

[Enrique]

12. yee ha!

is everyone shooting off their muskets in celebration? I mean more than normal?

[underpants]

13. Why kind sir can you tell me how many Virginians it takes to change a lightbulb ?

3

One to change it and two ya remumbuh how good the oooooold one was

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. We also have Benghazi hold outs.

Darryl Issa will have be dragged out of the Pomona alfalfa fields kicking and screaming 30 years from now.

[okaawhatever]

25. OMG, ROFLMAO. So true, so very true. nt

[okaawhatever]

26. ROFLMAO. No kidding.......... nt

[Rozlee]

10. And here I thought he was a Hollywood invention.

I remember seeing a Japanese holdout soldier on Gilligan's Island and in some comic book. I also seem to remember a character showing a soldier some kind of modern gadget to let him know it really wasn't the 1940's. It seemed to be a popular theme. Dayum. It really happened.

[left on green only]

14. And Here I Thought It Was Part On An Ad Campaign For Datsun

[Archae]

22. There was a Japanese holdout soldier on "The Six Million Dollar Man."

On one episode.

Played by "Mako."

[tom_kelly]

15. Back pay? n/t

[GP6971]

27. Read somewhere

That he received equivalent of USD $160,000, but I don't remember if they referred to it as back pay

[revolutionbrees]

16. This man was the same age as my father who fought in WW II

My father was on an escort ship in the south Pacific theatre. Dad did his 6 years in the Navy and got out and moved on with his life, but was scarred by his service and never really talked about it. For this man to stay at his battle station for thirty years is astounding, but to take away such a positive experience which he shared is amazing.

[dipsydoodle]

30. Mine too and he wouldn't talk about the war either

other than to occasionally illustrate certain points like why I should wear a tie and to not complain about digging potato drills because digging tunnels under enemy lines was considerably harder - he was Royal Engineers.

After he died my mother said it was to do with him losing so many pals when the ship they were on crossing from North Africa to Sicily was blown out of the water. My father was on the ship behind theirs.

As an aside my grandfather who was also RE put the original water supply into Basra early '20's. I don't think he'd have been impressed with that getting completely fucked up some years later

[Kaleva]

17. Info on Japanese holdouts

http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/list.html

[neverforget]

19. Truly fascinating!

Thanks for the link.

[Kaleva]

20. Yes. I didn't know that there was still some fighting going on months and even years after the war.

[neverforget]

21. same here and I like to read about WW2 history specifically the

Pacific Theater.

[GP6971]

29. Thanks for the link. n/t

[Jesus Malverde]

36. Great stuff

from your link

http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/history.html

[Theyletmeeatcake2]

23. Good to hear he still had a libido after over 30 years in the jungle....

Sorry i couldn't resist!!!!!

[Orsino]

24. War steals and ruins lives.

So do certain notions of duty and honor.

[petronius]

33. On the surface this sounds like such a romantic adventurous story, but

it seems that these guys were still attacking people, killing, stealing, and destroying property all along. One wouldn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the war was over - and this guy was clearly not an idiot - so I'm really not seeing anything noble or respectable in the choice he made...

[Jesus Malverde]

37. Holdout Fame

Holdout Fame
What happened to the Holdouts after they went home to Japan? This is an untold part of the story. Over the decades, the reaction of the Japanese public was very different. Initially, it seems the Japanese public was unprepared about how to present or deal with holdouts, at first they were oddities. Later, they became famous and regarded as heroes.

Initial Reactions
At first, holdouts were regarded as oddities or freaks, producing headlines like: ""Tarzan lifestyle in the jungle: five years on mice and potatoes." [ 1949 Newspaper Headline, related to New Guinea Holdouts ]. Socially, the reason why holdouts were not highly regarded was because most adult men in Japan were ex-military, and were struggling in the immediate post-war years. There are countless stories of former soldiers who used their army boots well into the 1940's due to the depressed economic conditions and hardship in the bombed out and destroyed Japanese home islands. In immediate post war Japan, 'holdouts' were just another bunch of former soldiers.

Later Reactions
During the 1960's and 1970's holdouts got very different reactions. Maybe enough time had passed since the war to allow holdouts to be regarded more as heroes, and Japan was socially and economically prospering. Also, their discoveries were heavily reported around the world with substantial press coverage, interviews and interest. It seemed everyone was interested in how a soldier could live for decades in the jungle, and even more intriguing, why did they keep fighting, or believing Japan was still at war?

In Japan, some were applauded for making statements, such as Shoichi Yokoi's [ Guam 1972 ] intention to return his rusted rifle to the emperor, and declaration when captured: "I am sorry I did not serve his majesty to my satisfaction...We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive." Or, Hiroo Onoda [ Philippines 1974 ] who wept openly when he accepted the fact that the war was over.

Later holdouts went on to write books, lecture, and even return to the places they fought. Some even went onto political careers, or meet famous people like the leaders of the countries where they had previously fought!

The Most Famous Holdout
Of all the holdouts, Hiroo Onoda is the most well know and 'famous', largely due to the amazing features of his story, and that he wrote a popular book, "No Surrender: My Thirty Year War" an autobiography of his 30 year war. This book was translated to english and largely available outside Japan. Onoda remained in the headlines, by moving to Brazil to raise cattle, and then returning to Japan to run a nature camp for children. Also, in 1996 for returning to Lubang Island, where he was a holdout for 30 years, and making a large donation to the island's educaton system.

http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/history.html