Hiroo Onoda
Hiroo Onoda Japanese history and literature are full of heroes who have remained loyal to a cause, even if it is lost or hopeless. Hiroo Onoda was also one of these soldiers who remained loyal to a lost cause, following his orders. Onoda was an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer who fought in Philippines Campaign, World War II. Refusing to believe that World War II was over, he did not surrender in 1945, and remained at his jungle post on the island of Lubang in the Philippines for 29 years, waiting for new orders from their commander Major Yoshimi Taniguchi.
Onoda was born on March 19, 1922, in Kamekawa Village, Kaiso District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. When he was 17 years old, he went to work for the Tajima Yoko trading company in Wuhan, China. When he was 20, he was called up to join the army and enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army. After passing his physical test, Onoda quit his job and returned to his home in Wakayama, Japan in August of 1942 to get into top physical condition. In the Japanese army, Onoda was trained as an officer and was then chosen to be trained at Nakano School, an Imperial Army intelligence school. There, he trained as an intelligence officer in the commando class "Futamata," and was taught how to gather intelligence and how to conduct guerrilla warfare. Two years after his training, he was finally called to serve his country.
On December 17, 1944, Lt. Hiroo Onoda left for the Philippines to join the Sugi Brigade (the Eighth Division from Hirosaki). Here, Onoda was given orders by Major Yoshimi Taniguchi and Major Takahashi to lead the Lubang Garrison in guerrilla warfare. As he and his comrades were getting ready to leave on their separate missions, the division commander ordered:
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
Onoda was born on March 19, 1922, in Kamekawa Village, Kaiso District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. When he was 17 years old, he went to work for the Tajima Yoko trading company in Wuhan, China. When he was 20, he was called up to join the army and enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army. After passing his physical test, Onoda quit his job and returned to his home in Wakayama, Japan in August of 1942 to get into top physical condition. In the Japanese army, Onoda was trained as an officer and was then chosen to be trained at Nakano School, an Imperial Army intelligence school. There, he trained as an intelligence officer in the commando class "Futamata," and was taught how to gather intelligence and how to conduct guerrilla warfare. Two years after his training, he was finally called to serve his country.
On December 17, 1944, Lt. Hiroo Onoda left for the Philippines to join the Sugi Brigade (the Eighth Division from Hirosaki). Here, Onoda was given orders by Major Yoshimi Taniguchi and Major Takahashi to lead the Lubang Garrison in guerrilla warfare. As he and his comrades were getting ready to leave on their separate missions, the division commander ordered:
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
Cited: Associated Press AP January 18. "Hiroo Onoda Dies at 91; Last Japanese Soldier to Surrender after WWII." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Bernstein, Adam. "Hiroo Onoda, Japanese Soldier Who Hid in Philippine Jungle for 29 Years, Dies at 91." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 18 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. "Japan WW2 Holdout Soldier Dies." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. "Japanese Soldier Hiroo Onoda Surrenders 29 Years After End of World War II." About.com 20th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. "Last Man Fighting." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 25 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. Mullen, Jethro, Yoko Wakatsuki Reported from Tokyo, Jethro Mullen Reported, and Wrote from Hong Kong. Junko Ogura. "Hiroo Onoda, Japanese Soldier Who Long Refused to Surrender, Dies at 91." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. Robert. "Hiroo Onoda, Soldier Who Hid in Jungle for Decades, Dies at 91." The New York Times. The New York Times, 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.