The WWII hero who hid in the jungle for 30 YEARS rather than surrender: Curious story of Japanese soldier who lived on a Philippines island eating dried banana skins and stealing rice from locals is told in a new film

Daily Mail ^ | 04/26/2022 | Harriet Johnston

[Bonemaker]

A new film is highlighting the story of a controversial Japanese soldier who refused to surrender after the Second World War ended and spent 29 years hiding in the jungle.

Hiroo Onoda, who died in 2014 at the age of 91, was stationed on the island in the Philippines in 1944 but remained until 1974 because he did not believe the war was over.

He survived by eating dried banana skins, coconuts and stolen rice, believing he was in a guerilla war for 30 years.

Onoda became the last Japanese soldier to surrender – but only after his former commander, who in 1945 had told him to stay behind and spy on American troops, was flown from Japan to order him to give up.

A new three-hour film, Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle, has now been released, in order to shine a new light on his story for audiences across the UK.

[Bonemaker]

Let him keep his katana to maintain dignity in surrender. A wicked, wicked weapon.

[x]

Ken and Eva had more fun.

[KobraKai]

The unnamed Island in the article has a name. That name is Gilligans Island. This guy appeared on a few episodes of the show.

[Michael.SF.]

LOL. GMTA

[SamAdams76]

Dedicated soldier.

I hope Japan at least gave him a military pension when he was returned.

Thirty years in a tropical paradise. Will be interesting to see how he lived all those years.

[Yo-Yo]

The Japanese in Gilligan's Island was a Sailor, not a soldier.

[Tell It Right]

I bet the film mentions the atom bomb more than his life in exile. Just about every documentary on Japan in World War II is about the atom bomb and the poor civilian Japanese deaths --- never the many more civilians killed by Japanese soldiers.

If China had any dignity they would have annually invited American Pacific theater vets to a banquet in their honor for freeing China from being Japan's wench.

[doorgunner69]

What makes him a “hero”??

Revisionist English reporting?

[sevlex]

Just an aside here....

The British band, Camel, dedicated a concept album to Onoda. They titled it “Nude” (pron: “nuday”) as a play on his last name.

It a good listen if you like a Pink Floyd-like sound.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_(Camel_album)

[DIRTYSECRET]

The guy knew the was was over as I have read. Continued on killing 30 Philippineos. Don’t know if it’s him but one guy’s wife married someone else thinking he was dead. When he came back the 2nd husband more than offered her back.

[Roccus]

Although they hadn’t held out as long as Onoda, I remember reports at the time of Japanese soldiers that finally surrendered during the 60s.
I wondered how many eventually died not knowing the war was over.

[gr8eman]

The Chinee hate the round eyes as much as the little nippers!

[Jumpmaster]

‘If China had any dignity they would have annually invited American Pacific theater vets to a banquet in their honor for freeing China from being Japan's wench. “

Did some duty in Japan. The wenches were only interested in GI dollars.

[Bonemaker]

Scattered Apache depredations reputedly lasted until 1924 in the southwesf and 1933 in Mexico. I wouldn’t fully trust some of those areas to this day.

[fidelis]

He held out two years longer than Sgt. Soichi Yokoi who hid out in a cave in Guam until he was captured by villagers in 1972. Sgt. Yokoi’s Cave is a popular tourist attraction there to this day.

[Daffynition]

Robert Ballard recounted in a lecture about encounters with Jap soldiers and natives still living in the hills near the “The Slot,” where the boat was found.

Personally, it has taken me a lifetime to stop hating the Japs. They killed my uncle Mike [US Army], whom I never had the chance to know, DOW - Died of Wounds on Luzon.

It’s life.

[rktman]

There was one on Guam as well. Lucky it didn’t tip over.

[SamAdams76]

"The Slot" - that was the Battle of Guadalcanal correct?

That was the first major WW2 Pacific battle the U.S. was involved in and it was a nasty one. I recently read a book on it.

[major_gaff]

Thirty years in a tropical paradise.

That's only half right as it is indeed tropical, but far from a paradise. Having
endured two weeks of Jungle survival training at Cubi Point in the PI, I
can't imagine doing that for 30 years...