Japan WWII soldier who refused to surrender, dies

[Ohio Joe]

A Japanese soldier who refused to surrender for 29 years after the end of World War Two has died.

Hiroo Onoda, who was 91, remained on duty on Lubang Island near Luzon in the Philippines until 1974, because he did not believe that the war had ended.

Still wearing his uniform, Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda was eventually persuaded to leave the Philippines by his former commanding officer.

He was welcomed back to Japan as a hero, as Rupert Wingfield-Hayes reports.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-25782214

RIP

[GP6971]

1. And he had problems adjusting to the new Japan

He moved from Japan to Brazil and then finally back to Japan. It took his old commanding officer to convince him to surrender. He offered his sword to Ferdinand (sp) Marcos who returned it to him and pardoned him for the crimes he committed during his hiding.

Sorry, don't have link, but the New York Times had an excellent article about it today

[brooklynite]

2. I was living in the Philippines when they pulled him out...

That kind of dedication to a cause is scary...sort of like religious belief.

[Art_from_Ark]

3. That reminds me of that old Bugs Bunny cartoon with Yosemite Sam

[Demo_Chris]

4. It was a religious belief. nt