Hiroo Onoda

Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda (小野田 寛郎 Onoda Hiroo; March 19, 1922 – January 16, 2014) is a former Japanese army intelligence officer who fought in World War II, and did not surrender until 1974, having spent almost thirty years holding out in the Philippines.

Lieutenant Onoda, Sir, reporting for orders.

Quotes

• Lieutenant Onoda, Sir, reporting for orders.
  • No Surrender: My Thirty-Year War, tr. Charles Sanford Terry (1999), ISBN 1557506639; after meeting his superior, Taniguchi, the first time in 30 years.

• Some dreams are best not to wake up from.
  • Attributed by Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda", The Japan Times, 16 January 2007
• People cannot live completely by themselves.
  • Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda"
• One must always be civic-minded.
  • Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda"
• Without a huge shock, the sleepy-head, ignorant Japanese will never wake up.
  • Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda"
• Women should always do the dirty work

. I never do. I would hate to lose.

• • Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda"
• Never complain.
  • Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda"
• Life is not fair and people are not equal.
  • Judit Kawaguchi, "Words to Live By: Hiroo Onoda"