War in the Pacific NHP: Liberation (2024)

The soldier who did not surrender
Compiled by PAUL J. BORJA AND JOSEPH SANTO TOMAS

In February 1943, Shoichi Yokoi arrived on Guam fromManchuria, a 28-year-old sergeant assigned to the Japanese navalgarrison defending the island.

In February 1972, Yokoi departed from Guam, 56 yearsold and in all likelihood the Emperor's last soldier of World WarII.

After U.S. forces liberated the island in July 1944,Yokoi lived the next 28 years as a straggler and recluse. Hiding in theisland jungles, first evading American Marines and soldiers and then theChamorros serving in the Combat Patrol, Yokoi systematically and calmlyre-established his life.

A native of Aichi prefecture, in Nagoya, Japan, Yokoibecame an unregistered resident of Talofofo, living for 25years in the hills and recesses of the Talofofo Riverbasin. Apparently the first three years of his life as a straggler werespent on the run, his hideout at different locations around theisland.

Yokoi was not the first straggler from Guam to befound in the island's jungles. Two other men, Minagawa and Ito, wererepatriated to Japan in 1960. Bunzo Minegawa was found by two local menharvesting breadfruit and captured; a few days later, the Japanese manwould help officials persuade Ito to come out of hiding. The twostragglers lived in the Talofofo area as did Yokoi, but apparently hadno knowledge of him.

When Yokoi was "captured" in late January 1972, hiscaptors weren't soldiers or Marines on patrol - they were villagers fromTalofofo hunting in the area near Yokoi's hideout, a cave he had dugnear a creek's banks. Apprehending Yokoi, and instantly making him alegend in Guam and Japan, were Jesus M. Duenas and Manuel D. Garcia.

The men initially thought that the thin man they sawby the creek's banks was a boy that often strayed from the village.Yokoi was along the creek's edge, checking a fish trap that he had madefrom bamboo. After seeing the villagers, Yokoi dropped the trap and thenrushed them in attack, Duenas told the press later.

The men overpowered the slight man, his hair long andmatted and with a scraggly beard. They then took him to Agana to policeheadquarters.

Yokoi's habitat was inspected thoroughly, itscontents both shocking and intriguing. Initial investigations were puton hold to safely move a bomb found in the back of the cave. Later,authorities found ingeniously made shrimp traps, simple handmade toolsand weapons from the war that were rusted beyond use.

In a January 1972 press conferencehosted by then Guam Gov. Carlos Camacho, at left, World War II soldierShoichi Yokoi talks about his experiences as a straggler. He spentnearly 28 years in Guam jungles.

A tailor in Japan before the war, Yokoi had notrouble clothing himself. He wove a simple, yet quality wardrobe fromold burlap sacks, coconut and pago fibers and other materials gatheredfrom the jungle. His needles were handmade; his buttons for his suitsmade from discarded plastic and the various utensils used for his dailylife as a hermit were handmade as well.

He made fire by rubbing sticks between callousedhands, and kept himself clean by bathing in the Talofofo River to avoidinfections and sicknesses.

Yokoi's capture captivated people all over the world,particularly in Japan, where his loyalty to the Emperor was lauded. Asimple man was thrust into the spotlight after 28 years of solitude.

Not used to the attention, he later said through aninterpreter, "You know, I wish I didn't cause so much trouble toeveryone. I should have just stayed in my cave until I died."

In meetings with the press, he noted that he knewthat the war was over but was afraid that he would be killed byChamorros or the military if he surrendered.

One of Yokoi's desires after his capture was to payrespects to the families of two men, also stragglers, who had died inGuam. Shichi Mikio, a soldier, and Nakabata Satow, a civilian worker fora labor battalion, apparently died of poisoning after eating federiconuts and toads. Both are poisonous if improperly cooked and prepared,and food was apparently scarce at the time because of the devastation ofGuam by Typhoon Karen in November 1962.

Having never traveled aboard aircraft, Yokoi wasastounded and unbelieving when he was told that he could travel fromGuam to Japan in three hours. In a touching moment before the media,Yokoi cried when he heard the tape-recorded voices of relatives fromJapan. Not at all familiar with the technology, he conversed with hisrelatives, asking them questions.

Commending his treatment by Guam officials and thenGovernor Carlos G. Camacho, Yokoi returned to Japan on Feb. 2, 1972, asa hero and symbol of enduring loyalty.

On March 30, 1972, in a celebration noted by all inJapan, Yokoi celebrated his 57th birthday.