Flashermac Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 WW2 soldier Onoda, who hid in jungle until 1974, dies A Japanese soldier who refused to surrender after the end of World War Two and lived in the jungle for 29 years has died in Tokyo, aged 91. Hiroo Onoda 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. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25773606 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Radley Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Comes back to me now. I remember when that story was in the news in 1974. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 I was a PC vol in LOS at the time. It inspired the Japanese government to conduct a search for other holdouts. They didn't find any in Thailand, but they did find two who had chosen not to go home. One was an LT who had been searching for straglers in the Burmese jungle and missed being repatriated after WWII. He figured, "What the hell. May as well stay here." He married and settled in Chiang Mai. Another was a private who decided to stay put, since there wasn't much sense in returning to a defeated Japan. He settled in Nakorn Sawan, married and had a family. The men's families in Japan were amazed to learn they were still alive! Former Free Thai guerrillas also showed the Japanese where they'd buried the bodies of Japanese soldiers they'd killed in a convoy ambush near Tak. The rusting vehicles were still sitting there. The Japanese removed the remains and sent them home for cremation. http://en.wikipedia....apanese_holdout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioman Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 What about the guy who had/has the restaurant in Patpong, does the Sarika steaks from the local grain fed cattle? I'd heard he was a stay behind. Okay, maybe they were just talking about those who walked of the job, perhaps this guy was known. Pretty sure there were more than a few who stayed behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 I remember a very cute freelancer named Sumi when I arrived here in the mid 1970s. Her papa had been a Japanese soldier in WWII. It struck me as a bit bizarre... the daughter of a Japanese WWII soldier and a Thai hooker shagging the sons of WWII Allied soldiers. Amazing Thailand. p.s. A recent Thai film told the "touching story" of a romance between a kindly Japanese soldier and a Thai girl. From what I was told by Thais old enough to remember the war, they were frightened to death of the Japanese and did their best to avoid them as much as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioman Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 From what I was told by Thais old enough to remember the war, they were frightened to death of the Japanese and did their best to avoid them as much as possible. Not something the Baccara girls would easily identify with methinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 I believe the Baccara fascination has something to do with money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plainsdrifter Posted January 18, 2014 Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 BBC World TV's Komla Dumor dies at 41 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huumlaar Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 From Accra, Ghana, just watched him recently, way to young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted January 19, 2014 Report Share Posted January 19, 2014 Sir Chrisopher Chataway. The man who set the pace for Roger Bannister to break the 4 Minute mile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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