6. The Elusive Fox of Saipan
American commanders in Saipan sent out numerous patrols to track down and finish off Sakae Oba’s guerrilla’s, but to no avail. A massive dragnet was organized, with American military personnel lined up across the entire island, separated from each other by only two meters, and sweeping Saipan from end to end. The holdouts still avoided detection, leading to the reassignment of the chagrined officer in charge of the operation. Oba’s elusiveness led the Marines in Saipan to nickname him “The Fox of Saipan”.
Captain Oba continued fighting after the war had ended, dismissing as enemy propaganda the news of Japan’s surrender that were blared via loudspeakers and contained in leaflets airdropped over the jungle. All in all, he held out for 16 months after Saipan had fallen, and for 3 months after the war had ended.