Births on March 19

Hiroo Onoda, Japanese lieutenant (d. 2014)

Hiroo Onoda (小野田 寛郎, Onoda Hiroo; March 19, 1922 – January 16, 2014) is a name that resonates deeply in the annals of military history, representing an extraordinary tale of loyalty, unwavering duty, and an incredible will to survive. As an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer during World War II, his story became a stark, poignant symbol of the prolonged human impact of conflict, stretching far beyond the official end of hostilities.

Early Life and Wartime Deployment

Born in Kainan, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, in 1922, Hiroo Onoda's early life eventually led him to the rigorous training grounds of the Futamata Branch of Nakano Army School. Here, he specialized in intelligence gathering and guerrilla warfare tactics, absorbing a strict code that emphasized no surrender and no self-inflicted death. This deep-seated philosophy would fundamentally shape the next three decades of his existence.

In December 1944, as the tide of World War II began to turn, Onoda, then a newly commissioned Second Lieutenant, was deployed to Lubang Island in the Philippines. His mission was critical: conduct reconnaissance, engage in guerrilla operations against the advancing Allied forces, and under no circumstances surrender or take his own life. He was explicitly told to remain steadfast until reinforcements arrived, orders he took with the utmost seriousness.

The Long War: 29 Years as a Japanese Holdout

When Japan formally surrendered in August 1945, bringing World War II to an official close, the world rejoiced. However, for Hiroo Onoda and a small band of fellow soldiers isolated on Lubang Island, the war was far from over. They viewed the leaflets dropped by Allied forces, announcing Japan's defeat, as cunning enemy propaganda designed to trick them into giving up. Their training had instilled a profound distrust of such tactics, reinforcing their belief that the war continued.

What followed was an almost unimaginable ordeal: Hiroo Onoda spent an astonishing 29 years in hiding within the dense, unforgiving tropical jungles of the Philippines. For nearly three decades, he and his comrades, whose numbers dwindled over time due to skirmishes and illness, continued to carry out their perceived military duties. They conducted intelligence, ambushed local villagers they mistook for enemy combatants, and fiercely resisted any attempts at discovery or capture. Their lives were a constant battle against the elements, hunger, and overwhelming isolation, all while meticulously maintaining their military discipline and a steadfast, if tragically mistaken, belief that Japan was still fighting. This protracted period solidified his legend as the quintessential "Japanese holdout," a soldier who refused to accept the war had ended.

The Emperor's Order: An Extraordinary Surrender

Despite numerous attempts by search parties, including family members broadcasting appeals and the dropping of more definitive proof of Japan's surrender like old newspapers, Onoda remained convinced it was an elaborate deception. His unwavering resolve finally met its match not on the battlefield, but through an extraordinary and unprecedented diplomatic effort. In 1974, a Japanese student and adventurer named Norio Suzuki specifically set out to find Onoda and, against all odds, succeeded in locating him in the deep jungles of Lubang.

Suzuki befriended Onoda, but the former officer still refused to surrender, explaining that he would only lay down his arms if given a direct order by a superior officer. This remarkable condition prompted a unique mission: the Japanese government located Onoda's former commanding officer, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, who had long since left the military and was working in a bookstore. Taniguchi traveled to Lubang Island in March 1974. In a moment of profound historical significance, Major Taniguchi formally relieved Second Lieutenant Onoda of his duty, reading aloud the Emperor Shōwa's order of surrender. Only then, after 29 years, did Onoda, still in his tattered Imperial Japanese Army uniform, with his rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition, finally surrender. This event made him the penultimate Japanese soldier to do so, with Teruo Nakamura, another holdout, surrendering later that same year.

Life After Lubang and Lasting Legacy

Upon his return to Japan, Onoda was met with a complicated mixture of public fascination and a hero's welcome, though his story also brought complex emotions regarding the war. He faced the immense challenge of adapting to a modernized Japan that was vastly different from the country he had left in 1944. He documented his incredible experiences in a memoir, "No Surrender: My Thirty-Year War." Later, Onoda sought a new kind of wilderness, moving to Brazil to become a cattle rancher, before eventually returning to Japan to establish a nature camp for children, sharing his survival skills and profound respect for nature.

Hiroo Onoda's remarkable saga offers a unique and compelling lens through which to examine the end of World War II and the deep psychological impact of such a protracted conflict. His unyielding adherence to duty, even in extreme isolation, stands as a powerful, albeit often debated, symbol of the Imperial Japanese soldier's code. His eventual, honorable surrender brought a definitive, if belated, close to a chapter of history that, for him, had lingered for decades.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiroo Onoda

Who was Hiroo Onoda?

Hiroo Onoda was an Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer who famously spent 29 years hiding in the jungles of the Philippines after the official end of World War II, steadfastly refusing to believe the war was over.

When did Hiroo Onoda surrender?

He officially surrendered in March 1974, making him one of the last "Japanese holdouts" from World War II. His surrender was accepted by his former commanding officer, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, who traveled to Lubang Island to formally relieve him of duty by order of Emperor Shōwa.

How long was Hiroo Onoda in hiding?

He remained hidden in the jungles of Lubang Island in the Philippines for an astonishing 29 years, from the end of World War II in August 1945 until March 1974.

What was Hiroo Onoda's rank?

At the time of his surrender in 1974, Hiroo Onoda held the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army.

Why did Hiroo Onoda not surrender earlier?

Onoda and his fellow soldiers believed all announcements of Japan's surrender were enemy propaganda. He had strict orders not to surrender or take his own life, and he would only lay down his arms on the direct command of a superior officer, a condition that was finally met in 1974.