The unbelievable story of a Japanese soldier who hid in a jungle cave for 27 years until he was found in 1972
Yokoi was treated at a hospital in Guam before heading home to Japan, which he had not seen since 1941.
Japanese government officials flew to the island to help repatriate the soldier, who had not seen his homeland for nearly 30 years.
During his 27 years in isolation, he survived by eating frogs, rats, and eels as well as fruits and nuts, according to his obituary in The New York Times.
He made his own shelter, using bamboo and reeds to cover a cave he dug himself. In his memoirs, he said he buried at least two of his comrades eight years before he was discovered.
Yokoi arrived in Tokyo in February 1972 to a crowd of nearly 5,000 people applauding his return.
Although he was repatriated to Japan almost immediately, he reportedly flew back to Guam several times throughout the remainder of his life, including for his honeymoon.
According to his obituary, Yokoi had a hard time readjusting to life in Japan.
Yokoi covered his cave with bamboo and reeds.
The soldier was a tailor before the war, skills that helped him make his shelter and clothing, according to Stars & Stripes.
The cave has reportedly collapsed, but a diagram at the site shows an idea of what it looked like.
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