US ‘Pied Piper of Saipan’ dies at 80

US WAR hero Guy Gabaldon, who as an 18-year-old private in the US Marines persuaded up to 1,000 Japanese soldiers to surrender in the Second World War battle for Saipan, has died.

Mr Gabaldon, 80, died of a heart attack at his home in Old Town, Florida, his son Jeffrey said.

Using an elementary knowledge of Japanese, bribes of cigarettes and sweets, and trickery with tales of encampments surrounded by American troops, the diminutive Mr Gabaldon was able to persuade soldiers to abandon their posts and surrender.