My parents pointed out all these dead rabbits on the road when I was a kid. I didn’t know that much about the virus, or even how to spell it.

In 1944, Lt. Hiroo Onada, of the Japanese Imperial Army, was sent to the remote Philippine island of Lubang. His mission was to work with a small team of commando forces to destroy the main airfield and then initiate a series of guerrilla attacks on Allied forces holding the island.

Onada’s team was unsuccessful in destroying the main target and retreated inland. There, they regrouped and began to execute on the second part of their mission. They relentlessly attacked the Allies, but also lost men, supplies, and ground with each engagement. After several rounds, Onada and what was left of his group were forced to retreat deep into the uninhabited recesses of Lubang.

Eventually, the team of commandos lost everyone but the lieutenant. He was completely on his own.