A little late,eh?

[ATI_7500]

April 5th, 1947

A group of japanese soldiers surrenders on the island Peleliu. They didn't hear a word about Japan's capitulation.

[Hagar]

This reminds me of some isolated Japanese soldiers who still thought the war was going on long after that, something like 20 or even 30 years afterwards. I vaguely remember reading about it in the papers when one was eventually persuaded it was safe to go home. This was a long time ago now & I don't remember the details.

[ozzy72]

I can remember this one Doug, as it appeared in the original Book of Heroic Failures, I found a link for you
http://home.xnet.com/~warinner/surrender.html

Mark

[Hagar]

Thanks Mark. 1974, almost 30 years after the war ended. The old memory isn't playing tricks after all.

[Saitek]

Thats incredible. He must have been slightly crazy to think that. Perhaps he'd suffered shell shock!
So he was ready to fight the Americans for 30 years!?!?!?!?!
lol

Ben

[Hagar]

Unfortunately the links on Mark's webpage seem to be dead. Try this. It's a fascinating story. http://history1900s.about.com/library/weekly/aa120700a.htm

[Scorpiоn]

First thing that comes to my mind is their dedication.

[Hagar]

[quote]First thing that comes to my mind is their dedication.

[Scorpiоn]

Yes, but I imagine it was a bit less intense, than, say, Okinawa.

[Professor Brensec]

I remember hearing or reading about this when it happened ('74). I also recall reports of Japanese on a 'remote Philipino Island' still waging war against the locals. But they couldn't find them.  :o

I've always intended to buy Onoda's book but have never seen it on a shelf (if I had, I would certainly have bought it).  

This bloke must have got some pile of back-pay!!!! I suppose that's what he 'bought the farm' with (not colloquially...... ).

In fact, there were many, many incidents for the first few years after the war, where Japanese in remote areas had to be 'coaxed' out and told that the war had been over for 'so many' years. But the stories and accounts died off around 1950, when the vast majority had been found or surrendered for one reason or other. This one is most certainly a 'stunning' exception.

[Woodlouse2002]

Makes you wonder though at how many were never found and told. This incident seems to have happened on a fairly well populated island and it was still 30 years before they surrendered. Think of all those on less inhabited islands.

[Professor Brensec]

Makes you wonder though at how many were never found and told. This incident seems to have happened on a fairly well populated island and it was still 30 years before they surrendered. Think of all those on less inhabited islands.

When you consider that they were responsible for the deaths and wounding of so man locals, it gives you an idea of how active (although it was 30 years) they were.

They would have been consumate experts at camouflage and evading capture and hiding etc. It's no wonder it took so long to find him.

I would like to know if the ammo that he had was still 'safe' to use. Up till recently, I had need of a handgun and was required to get rid of my ammo (either use it or trade it at the armoury) after it reached 2 years old!!!! Is 30 year old ammo reliable and further more, liable to backfire etc?