Hiroo Onoda is a former Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer who fought in World War II. On December 26, 1944, he was sent to Lubang Island in the Philippines. He was ordered to do all he could to hamper enemy attacks on the island, including destroying the airstrip and the pier at the harbor.
His orders were, "You are absolutely forbidden to die by your own hand. It may take three years, it may take five, but whatever happens, WE'LL COME BACK FOR YOU. Until then, so long as you have one soldier, you are to continue to lead him. You may have to live on coconuts. If that's the case, live on coconuts! Under no circumstances are you to give up your life voluntarily."
After the Allies invaded and took control of the island Onoda and some of his men fled to the jungle and hills to continue the fight as a guerrilla outfit, like they were ordered. When the war ended a few months later the men found leaflets airdropped in the jungle telling them war was over and orders from General Tomoyuki Yamashita to surrender. The men dimissed it as propaganda.
On February 20, 1974, Norio Suzuki, a college dropout found Onoda after four days of searching. Onoda now the only one in the group who remained alive, still refused to surrender, saying that he was waiting for orders from a superior officer.
The Japanese government located Onoda's commanding officer, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, who had since become a bookseller. He flew to Lubang where on March 9, 1974, he finally met with Onoda and fulfilled the promise made in 1944, "Whatever happens, we'll come back for you".
In March of 1974, some 29 years after the official end of World War II, Hiroo Onoda, walks out of the jungle of Lubang Island in the Philippines. He handed over his sword (hanging from his hip in photo), his rifle, ammunition and several hand grenades and was finally relieved of duty by Major Taniguchi. He never actually surrendered.
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