I thought it was an Urban Legend. Guess not.
29 years after WWII ended this guy steps out of the jungle and refuses to give up. (Seppuku would keep me in the game). Plucky Bastard held his ground until he got a letter from higher authority,
Died at the age of 91.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/people/AJ201401170048
That is one bad motherberkeleyer.
The story of the guy who found him is also interesting.
Hiroo Onoda spent 29 years fighting a guerilla war against American and Filipino soldiers and police deep in the Jungles of Lubang Island. He was convinced to surrender in 1974 by a young Japanese hippie, Norio Suzuki, who was on an adventure to find "the legendary Lt. Onoda, a Panda and the abominable Snowman, in that order. At his request, the Japanese government located his last Commanding officer and then sent him to the Philippines to personally deliver the order to surrender.-- And thus, the last Imperial Japanese Officer came out of the jungle. His 30 year old Uniform was still in good condition. So were his original type 99 Arisaka Rifle and Katana. He still had 500 rounds of Ammunition.
After his long war, Onoda settled down to become a cattle rancher. He later on started an outdoor Education school for young people. Norio Suzuki died of an accident in 1986. He was hiking through the Himalayas, still looking for the abominable snowman.
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