Captain Al
in Vancouver Island, Canada
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 08:24 AM
There was a Japanese soldier found in the '70s who did not know the war was over but he was on Guam. I never heard of any in the Philipines. |
Mort
in Just left of centre
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 08:28 AM
Beg your pardon, you are right El Capitan I think the mighty Beeb might have got it's wires crossed. It sounds as thoughn these two have carried on fighting, but not WW2 on going, instead they seem to have become Muslim rebels. |
Captain Al
in Vancouver Island, Canada
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 10:10 AM
Mart, it looks like we were both right. I did a quick search and found several references to Japanese hiding out long after the war ended. The BBC's account of Lt. Onada is well documented. He gave up in 1974 after being found in the Philipines. My recollection was of Corporal Shoichi Yokoi who hid in the jungles of Guam until 1972.
I find it hard to believe there are any more legitimate soldiers still out there. The ones mentioned in the latest BBC report must know the war is over since, like the news item said, they are in contact with the islanders. In all likelihood they decided to stay where they were because they thought going home alive would be dishonorable. |
Mort
in Just left of centre
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 10:12 AM
Agreed. Aren't they a little old to be waging a rebel war? Actually i don't suppose it really matters. Nice story though. |
Captain Al
in Vancouver Island, Canada
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 10:23 AM
Yes it is an interesting story. One of the references mentioned the Gilligan's Island episode where the castaways discover a Japanese soldier hiding on their island. At the risk of dating myself, I remember that episode. That was in 1965. We all thought it was funny but the truth is Onada and Yokoi actually were still hiding out at the time! |
Mort
in Just left of centre
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 10:38 AM
Wow, could Gilligans island have Predicted the future? I wonder if any other "future events" occured in the series before they occured in reality? |
Chadds Ford Prefect
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 02:42 PM
i think we all could have predicted the spin off series would fail (not the 2005 one). I wish I could remember the title, but Gilligan and the Skipper were stranded on a planet.
I could be wrong; after checking a site for spinoffs, I don't see it - only the cartoons and TV movies. |
Charybdis
in Hell
Member
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 02:51 PM
Are you sure you're not thinking about The Far Out Space Nuts which had Bob Denver and some other guy (too lazy to bother looking it up) that showed on Kroft Superstars or whatever they called the show that week? |
Hairy Houdini
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Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 | 03:04 PM
The other guy was Chuck McCann, if my Satan influenced memory stll serves me... |
Chadds Ford Prefect
Member
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 | 04:42 PM
It's now coming out that they weren't even Japanese. More should follow - |
Chadds Ford Prefect
Member
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Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 | 04:45 PM
Charybdis said, "Are you sure you're not thinking about The Far Out Space Nuts..."
I could be. Thank you Charybdis and Hairy.
(The above post was on the original topic) |
Mort
in Just left of centre
Member
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Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 | 02:46 AM
They aren't Japanese? Have you heard any more on that Chadds? I would like to know, ta. |
Nick
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Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 | 04:59 AM
It's a hoax.
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/05/31/japan.soldiers.ap/index.html |
Mort
in Just left of centre
Member
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Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 | 03:59 AM
I see. Thanks for clearing that up Nick, much appreciated. On an update of the original BBC story they ran a picture of one of the alleged soldiers. If this was a hoax i feel sorry for the family of this man as he obviously won't be coming home now. |
