Guy Gabaldon PFC Guy Louis Gabaldon ( March 22 , 1926 – August 31 , 2006 ) was a United States Marine who , at age 18 , captured ( or persuaded to surrender ) roughly 1 , 500 Japanese soldiers and civilians during the Battle of Saipan ( 1944 ) in World War II . For these actions , Gabaldon was nominated for the Medal of Honor but was instead awarded the Silver Star , which was later upgraded to the Navy Cross Medal . His exploits were the basis for the 1960 Hollywood film " Hell to Eternity " . His friends called him , ' Gabby . ' He was an outspoken member of right - wing political organizations , and wrote a book entitled , " America Betrayed , " which sharply criticizes the Kennedy family . He unsuccessfully ran for Congressman in his Southern California district . Early years . Gabaldon was born in Los Angeles , California . His family was Mexican - American , and he was one of seven children . He was raised in East Los Angeles and , as a ten - year old , he helped his family by shining shoes on Skid Row . Gabaldon was a member of a multi - ethnic gang known as the " Moe Gang , " and he moved out of his house at age 12 to live with the Nakanos , a family of Japanese - American heritage whom he considered his extended family . He attended language school every day with their children and learned to speak Japanese . He also learned about their customs and culture . World War II . At the outbreak of World War II the Nakanos , his " adopted " family , were sent to a relocation camp in Arizona . He went to Alaska to work in a cannery . On March 22 , 1943 , Gabaldon ' s 17th birthday , he joined the United States Marine Corps . After receiving his basic training at Camp Pendleton he was assigned to Headquarters and Service Company , 2nd Marine Regiment , 2nd Marine Division . The Pied Piper of Saipan . The United States considered the possibility of a full scale invasion of the Japanese mainland but later decided that such a feat would be costly , with an estimated one million American casualties . The capture of Saipan was considered essential for the establishment of airfields which would accommodate the B - 29 Superfortress bombers to be used for the planned invasion . On June 15 , 1944 , an armada of 535 ships carrying 127 , 570 U . S . military personnel which included Marines from the 2nd and 4th Divisions began the invasion of Saipan . Japanese soldiers seldom surrendered during World War II and , as the invasion went badly for the Japanese , they were ordered by their superiors on Saipan to kill seven U . S . Marine and Army troops for every man they lost , or commit suicide . Gabaldon began bringing in prisoners the very first day that he arrived on Saipan . According to Gabaldon : " The first night I was on Saipan , I went out on my own . . . I always worked on my own , and brought back two prisoners using my backstreet Japanese . " — Guy Gabaldon Gabaldon was reprimanded by his superior officers , and threatened with a court - martial for leaving his post . However , the next night he went out and did it " again . " He carefully approached a cave , shot the guards outside , moved off to one side of the cave , and yelled in Japanese , " You ' re surrounded and have no choice but to surrender . Come out , and you will not be killed ! I assure you will be well - treated . We do not want to kill you ! " The next morning he returned with 50 Japanese prisoners . As a result , Gabaldon was permitted by his commanding officer to act as a " lone wolf " operator . On July 7 , 1944 , after spending a night near Saipan ' s northern cliffs , Gabaldon heard and listened to thousands of Japanese troops and civilians preparing for a large " banzai charge . " Gabaldon quickly reported this information , which enabled the U . S . troops to prepare an overwhelming defense . The attack was disastrous for the Japanese , and the surviving Japanese returned to their positions . The next day , on July 8 , Gabaldon captured two more guards . He convinced one of them to return to his cave , with an offering of surrender . Shortly thereafter , a Japanese officer showed up . After speaking to Gabaldon , the officer accepted the conditions of surrender - and over eight hundred soldiers and civilians surrendered to Gabaldon , who turned them over to the U . S . military authorities . For his exploits , Gabaldon became known as " The Pied Piper of Saipan . " Gabaldon continued to capture more Japanese soldiers until he was wounded in a machine gun ambush . He was credited with the capture of 1 , 500 enemy personnel and was recommended for the Medal of Honor by his commanding officer , Capt . John Schwabe , who noted that he single - handedly captured more than " ten times " the number of prisoners taken by Medal of Honor recipient Sgt . Alvin C . York in World War I . Despite this recommendation , Gabaldon was awarded a Silver Star . Post World War II . Gabaldon received an Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps as a result of his combat wounds . The United States Government awarded him a Silver Star Medal and , later , the Navy Cross Medal . Next to the Medal of Honor , this is the Marine Corps ' highest military decoration . After returning to civilian life , he moved to Mexico and ventured into various businesses such as a furniture store , fishing , and the import - export of Mexican goods . When his first marriage to June Gabaldon ended in divorce , he met the woman who became his second wife , Ohana Suzuki , while working in Mexico . Gabaldon ' s World War II exploits became public when in 1957 , he was the invited guest of " This is Your Life " , a popular television program aired by NBC in the 1950s . Hosted by Ralph Edwards , the show presented the life stories of entertainment personalities and " ordinary " people who had contributed in some way to society . The fact that Gabaldon captured at least 1 , 500 Japanese prisoners was verified on the national program by Marines Corps intelligence officers Colonel Walter Layer , Colonel John Schwabe , Major James High and several enlisted men from military intelligence . Hollywood producers became interested in Gabaldon ' s story and in 1960 released the film " Hell to Eternity " where his actions on Saipan were memorialized . He was portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter as an adult and by Richard Eyer as a boy . Gabaldon himself served as an adviser in the filming of the movie . Navy Cross citation . GABALDON , GUY L . Private First Class , U . S . Marine Corps ( Reserve ) Headquarters & Service Company , 2nd Marine Regiment , 2nd Marine Division Date of Action : June 15 - August 1 , 1944 Citation : Later years . Gabaldon ran unsuccessfully for United States Congress in California in 1964 . In 1970 , he moved to Saipan with his wife where he established a seafood business . There he authored and self - published a book ; " Saipan : Suicide Island " , also re - printed as " America Betrayed " . He lived in Saipan for 20 years . Gabaldon returned to California in 1995 and moved to Old Town , Florida in 2003 . On September 2004 he was honored by The Pentagon , in a ceremony which recognized the contributions of Hispanic American World War II veterans . Various organizations have requested the Medal of Honor for Gabaldon , but their requests have been rejected . After lobbying by the Hispanic community , the case is currently under review by the Department of Defense so that Gabaldon ' s Navy Cross Medal be upgraded to the original recommendation , the Medal of Honor . Death . On August 31 , 2006 , Gabaldon died in Old Town , Florida of heart disease . He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery . Gabaldon is survived by his wife , Ohana ; his sons Guy Jr . , Ray , Tony , Yoshio , Jeffrey and Russell ; his daughters Aiko , Hanako and Manya . Two members of his " adopted " family were actor Lane Nakano and his twin Lyle . Awards and recognitions . On November 23 , 1960 , the United States Government upgraded Gabaldon ' s Silver Star Medal to a Navy Cross Medal . Next to the Medal of Honor , this is the Marine Corps ' highest military decoration . During his lifetime , Gabaldon received many awards and recognitions , including resolutions honoring him from the City of Los Angeles , the City of Chicago , and the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas . He was also the recipient of the Chesty Puller Award . On July 7 , 2006 , Gabaldon was honored by the Mayor of Los Angeles , Antonio Villaraigosa and the entire Los Angeles City Council . The Mayor and the City Council sent a resolution to the White House , requesting the Medal of Honor for Gabaldon . That same year the World War II Veteran ’ s Committee in Washington , D . C . , a prominent organization which showcases the veterans of World War II and their history , featured Gabaldon on the cover of their quarterly magazine . Gabaldon was also honored by the National Council of La Raza , a national organization and a leading Latino civil rights advocate , at their annual conference that July . In addition to the Hollywood movie " Hell to Eternity , " which recounted Gabaldon ' s heroism during World War II , Hollywood producer Steve Rubin made a documentary film about Gabaldon titled " East L . A . Marine : the Untold True Story of Guy Gabaldon . " Military artist Henry Godines also unveiled a commissioned portrait , titled " The Pied Piper of Saipan , Guy Gabaldon . " Military decorations . Among PFC Gabaldon ' s military decorations are the following :