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Post by xray on Jan 18, 2014 5:06:25 GMT 8
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. Onoda and another World War II holdout, Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi, who emerged from the jungle in 1972, received massive heroes' welcomes upon returning home. www.cbsnews.com/news/wwii-soldier-who-hid-in-jungle-for-29-years-dies-at-91/
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Post by okla on Jan 18, 2014 7:53:33 GMT 8
I hate to say it, but these two guys showed a devotion to duty that any country should be proud of. There were numerous accounts of scattered Japanese troops coming out of hiding several months and even a few years after the actual Surrender. But these instances can be understood. These holdouts had such faith that their nation would rally and go over to the offensive and return to rescue their abandoned comrades, just as MacArthur did, indeed, return to liberate the Philippines. But to hide out for decades boggles the mind.
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Post by rik on Jan 18, 2014 18:17:02 GMT 8
Carlos Reyes (tour guide) tells the story of this guy to his Corregidor tour groups and he does it in a somewhat humorous way - he says that when he returned to Japan he received several marriage proposals. Why? Because he was also awarded 29 years of back pay, making him a rich man, lol. Carlos is the best.
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Post by joeconnor53 on Jan 18, 2014 22:06:37 GMT 8
The other remarkable things are that he was in amazingly good health and, judging from the pictures, had all his teeth. Well, so much for yearly physicals and twice-a-year dental examinations!
Joe Connor
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Post by okla on Jan 18, 2014 23:21:25 GMT 8
Hey Joe....I betcha he, at least, had an enlarged prostrate. Some offerings of the "Golden Years" cannot be avoided. Cheers.
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Post by xray on Jan 19, 2014 1:05:21 GMT 8
I agree Okla, devotion to duty like this can only be imagined and their motives should be respected. He did kill during his years as a guerrilla, but he was pardoned by Marcos and if thats good enough for Filipinos, thats good enough for me. In March of 1974, some 29 years after the official end of World War II, Hiroo Onoda, a former Japanese Army intelligence officer, walks out of the jungle of Lubang Island in the Philippines, where he was finally relieved of duty. He handed over his sword (hanging from his hip in photo), his rifle, ammunition and several hand grenades. Onoda had been sent to Lubang Island in December of 1944 to join an existing group of soldiers and hamper any enemy attacks. Allied forces overtook the island just a few months later, capturing or killing all but Onoda and three other Japanese soldiers. The four ran into the hills and began a decades-long insurgency extending well past the end of the war. Several times they found or were handed leaflets notifying them that the war had ended, but they refused to believe it. In 1950, one of the soldiers turned himself in to Philippine authorities. By 1972, Onoda's two other compatriots were dead, killed during guerrilla activities, leaving Onoda alone. In 1974, Onoda met a Japanese college dropout, Norio Suzuki, who was traveling the world, and through their friendship, Onoda's former commanding officer was located and flew to Lubang Island to formally relieve Onoda of duty, and bring him home to Japan. Over the years, the small group had killed some 30 Filipinos in various attacks, but Onoda ended up going free, after he received a pardon from President Ferdinand Marcos.
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Post by darthdract on Jan 21, 2014 21:08:34 GMT 8
I am really intrigue by Onoda's story too bad he did not want to talk about his time in Lubang what I want to know is what he felt when he arrived in Manila in 1974 and realized that Japan and the Philippines is in good terms again and during that time Japanese cars are starting to become popular here.
I don't like the idea that he killed more than a dozen poor farmers, but what is amazing is he still insisted to surrender ceremoniously by handing out his sword and riffle he does not even need to do that but he insisted.
I would say he is an unfortunate victim of WWII cruelty he was told by his officers that he is not allowed to commit suicide either.
------------------- Some what a bit off topic.
You can in the last photo posted by xray you can see a man on PAF uniform but only partially but you can still make out the name tag its Gen.Rancudo 12th Commanding General of the Philippine Airforce , PAF (15 January 1972- 27 March 1976),
He is also a WWII Vet and guerrilla, he was imprisoned in tarlac during the japanese occupation and was killed in 1987 by communist insurgents.
An Airfield in the Spratly island chain is named after him Rancudo air field
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