now this is dedication

I read briefly about this some years ago, but was reminded of it via a great book I just finished (the book is called Flyboys)...

Hiroo Onoda was a Japanese Lieutenant stationed in the Philippines during World War II. When the Allies took the island in early-1945, Onoda and several other soldiers hid in the jungle, ordered by their commander to essentially stay alive and await reinforcements. Initially, Onoda and three other comrades lived in the mountains together. One eventually surrendered to opposition forces, while another was killed in a gun battle with local authorities in 1954. That's right, 1954, nine years after World War II ended.

For his part, Onoda was declared legally dead in Japan in 1959. Onoda was alive though, still hiding in the jungles and mountains of Lubang Island with another soldier. Miraculously, he stayed in hiding for another 20 years, still believing that the war waged on.

Amazingly, during his stay on the island, Japanese officials repeatedly tried to get Onoda and company to come out. They dropped leaflets, yelled via bullhorns, etc., but each and every time Onoda assumed that it was an enemy trap and stayed put.

In 1974, a year after his only companion was killed in another gunfight, Onoda was found by a Japanese student who informed him that the war had ended long ago. Onoda didn't believe him though and only refused to surrender if given orders from his superior officer. Unable to comply, the student left the island and Onoda returned to the jungle. After hearing of Onoda's plight, the Japanese government dispatched Onoda's superior officer, Major Taniguchi, to Lubang, where he ordered Onoda to lay down his arms. So, 29 years after World War II ended, Hiroo Onoda put down his weapons and emerged from hiding.

Onoda was eventually pardoned by then Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos and ultimately moved to Brazil, where he apparently still lives today. He ended up writing a book, which I've not read, but would like to.

Considering I can't walk through the mall for two hours without losing my mind, the fact that this guy lived in the jungle for almost 30 years is beyond comprehension to me.

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