World War II Database

When the Pacific War ended in 1945, Hiroo Onoda, Yuichi Akatsu, and Shoichi Shimada were on Lubang Island in the Philippines with orders to sabotage Allied war efforts, and that they were forbidden to surrender nor commit suicide. They disregarded all news of the Allied victory as propaganda for some time, and carried out their missions. In 1949, Akatsu lost his will and surrendered. Shimada was killed by gunfire in an engagement with local fisherman in 1953. Onoda, alone, continued his war until 1974, surrendering his sword only when his former commanding officer Yoshimi Taniguchi came to the Lubang jungles to relieve Onoda of his duties.

Hiroo Onoda passed away in Tokyo, Japan on 17 Jan 2014. Celebrated as a war hero ever since his homecoming, Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga again praised Onoda's spirit after his death. In a 1995 interview with the Associated Press, Onoda said, "I don't consider those 30 years a waste of time. Without that experience, I wouldn't have my life today."

For more information:
NBC World News: Japanese WWII soldier who refused to surrender for 29 years dies
Wikipedia: Hiroo Onoda

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2.  Alan Chanter says:
19 Jan 2014 12:56:51 AM

Japanese seaman Noboru Kinoshita's ship sank off the Philippines in 1944. He lived for eleven years on lizards, fruit and monkeys in the jungles of Luzon before his capture in 1955. He hanged himself rather than return to Japan "in defeat".

3.  Alan Chanter says:
20 Jan 2014 04:12:58 AM

Private Bunzo Minagawa held out in Guam's jungles from 1943 until 1960 with Sergeant Masashi Ito, while fellow Japanese sergeant Shoichi Yokoi lived in a cave on Guam for 28 years. Home after his capture in 1972, he announced: "It is with much embarrassment, but I have returned".

4.  Alan Chanter says:
22 Jan 2014 12:26:51 AM

Private Teruo Nakamura fought on with fellow Japanese stragglers in Indonesia until 1956, then alone until a pilot saw his hut in 1974.