Some of you might be surpriZed to learn that some of my military heroes fought on the 'wrong' sides or our many wars. I make no apologies for admiring the exploits of any warrior who does his duty Above and Beyond, regardless which flag he saluted during his lifetime.

One of my heroes died this weekend.

Hiroo Onoda was a young Intelligence Commando Lieutenant in the Japanese Army during WWII. He and 3 enlisted men were sent to the Philippines during WWII with specific orders which involved hiding in the jungle, spying on activities and taking guerrilla action against certain areas. Their mission was secret and very urgent to the Emperor. Their commanding officer was specific in his final orders to them, that they should not abandon their post until properly relieved ~ by him. That was in 1944.

The war ended in 1945, and Emperor Hirohito broadcast orders to all Japanese soldiers throughout the Pacific to surrender their arms and come home. Lt Onoda didn't have a radio and didn't believe the propaganda he read on pamphlets he found in the jungle.

He remained 'on duty' for 30 years, hiding in the jungle, raiding villages, stealing cattle and chickens, and documenting the activities and observations of each day ~ nearly 11,000 of them.

One by one, his soldiers died, deserted or were killed during raids on local farms. Soon enough, Onoda was alone.

In the late 1960s, a college student and adventurer named Norio Suzuki heard a story about a lone uniformed Japanese warrior still fighting WWII in the Philippine jungle. Suzuki went to see for himself and found several camps which Onoda had built. Suzuki left notes, clothes, food, and newspapers in each camp, trying to tell him the war had been over for nearly 25 years.

Over a 5 year span, Onoda and Suzuki (who by that time had graduated) left 'dead drop' communications for each other at Onoda's various jungle camps. In 1973, they met face-to-face for the first time deep in the jungle.

Suzuki tried to convince Lt Onoda to come home ~ the war was over, Japan had lost, and the US now practically 'owned' them. Onoda refused all of this news, and insisted he would only quit his post if his commanding officer (Major Yoshimi Taniguchi) came and personally relieved him of his duties.

Unbelievably, Major Taniguchi had survived the war and still lived in Tokyo. When he, Suzuki and a whole BUNCH of news reporters flew to the jungle, Lt Hiroo Onoda surrendered his sword and rifle and accepted that the war was over. That was in 1974. Onoda had lived in the jungle for more than 30 years, and during most of that, alone. He was 52 years old, and everything he knew about Japan had changed.

Onoda was greeted as a hero in Japan. I was stationed on Japanese soil when Onoda was found, and was in Hawaii when Onoda returned to Japan. News of his return was Page-One info throughout the Pacific.

Altho received as a hero, paid 30 yrs backpay and again paid $6,000 per 30-minute appearance as a guest speaker, Onoda was no longer happy in the 'new' Japan. He bought a ranch in South America and raised cattle for many of his final years.

He developed pneumonia and died in Tokyo on 16Jan14, at age 91.

Having lived in the jungle for 30 days, I can't imagine how any lone individual could survive for 30 YEARS. Jungle living is TOUGH. The loneliness must have been insane.

This is the passing of a truly remarkable man, and one tough soldier.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroo_Onoda


Frank T

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1970 240Z

Very impressive story. Thanks for sharing it Frank.