On May 12-13, 1945, near Taungdaw, Burma, Havildar Lachhiman Gurung single-handedly defended his forward post against 200 Japanese soldiers. When the first wave attacked, Gurung lost his right hand to a grenade. He threw back two more grenades, the second exploding in his hand and blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and wounding his face and body.

Despite these catastrophic wounds, Gurung continued to fight alone for four hours. He loaded and fired his rifle one-handed, killing 31 Japanese soldiers and preventing the enemy from overwhelming his section's position. His actions allowed his unit to withdraw and reorganize.

Gurung was found alive among 31 enemy dead, his rifle stock broken, and his hand still clutching the bolt. His blood loss was so severe that doctors initially gave him no chance of survival.

He survived, was awarded the Victoria Cross, and lived to age 92, becoming the longest-lived Victoria Cross recipient. Yet his story remains virtually unknown outside military history circles, overshadowed by European theater heroes.