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American guerrilla in the Philippines
The story of an American officer who stayed behind after Bataan fell. While massive battles were being fought, he quietly organized Filipino resistance. With nothing but nerve, with primitive weapons and home-made equipment, he put together an army. He stuck it out, with all odds against him, until MacArthur returned.
- GenresBiographyWorld War IIWar
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1945
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 12, 2016
The real life adventure of a US Navy officer's contribution to guerrilla war on the Japanese.
US Navy Lieutenant Richardson is in charge of a PT boat when he barely survives a devasting air attack by the Imperial Japanese air force. With some of his shipmates dead and his PT boat badly damaged Lieutenant Richardson joins the guerrilla movement on the central Philippine island of Leyte. Over the next three years, Richardson encounters typhoons, Japanese surprise attacks, Filipino traitors and falls in love with a beautiful local girl until the triumphant American invasion of 1944.
We really need to keep alive true stories like this. I find Lieutenant Richardon's story captivating because it is a first person account of how to fight against a large, professional military with minimal resources and the respect of the local people. It is a little "crudely" written because the book is told through the perspective of an American man from the 1940's. Therefore some of the slang and cultural attitudes may leave the reader confused on how to relate to the narrator. In my opinion this is a minor point and should not prevent most people from enjoying the true story of a forgotten American hero and the courageous Filipino people who supported him.
Pros:
+An unacademic point of view Second World War as it happened in Leyte and Samar
+Keen insight into naval technology and tactics of the 1940's
+The author's detailed and highly respectful memories of the Filipino people
+A rare insight into the many roles that a guerrilla assumed while fighting the Japanese
Cons:
-Some of the American slang terms are outdated
-Spelling of certain names or places might not fit with what you see on a map today
-The author sometimes talks too much about the logistics of supporting a guerrilla operation
US Navy Lieutenant Richardson is in charge of a PT boat when he barely survives a devasting air attack by the Imperial Japanese air force. With some of his shipmates dead and his PT boat badly damaged Lieutenant Richardson joins the guerrilla movement on the central Philippine island of Leyte. Over the next three years, Richardson encounters typhoons, Japanese surprise attacks, Filipino traitors and falls in love with a beautiful local girl until the triumphant American invasion of 1944.
We really need to keep alive true stories like this. I find Lieutenant Richardon's story captivating because it is a first person account of how to fight against a large, professional military with minimal resources and the respect of the local people. It is a little "crudely" written because the book is told through the perspective of an American man from the 1940's. Therefore some of the slang and cultural attitudes may leave the reader confused on how to relate to the narrator. In my opinion this is a minor point and should not prevent most people from enjoying the true story of a forgotten American hero and the courageous Filipino people who supported him.
Pros:
+An unacademic point of view Second World War as it happened in Leyte and Samar
+Keen insight into naval technology and tactics of the 1940's
+The author's detailed and highly respectful memories of the Filipino people
+A rare insight into the many roles that a guerrilla assumed while fighting the Japanese
Cons:
-Some of the American slang terms are outdated
-Spelling of certain names or places might not fit with what you see on a map today
-The author sometimes talks too much about the logistics of supporting a guerrilla operation
April 8, 2018
A genuinely entertaining slab of propaganda.
December 27, 2012
I refuse to try to read this after only 75 pages. It is so poorly written, terrible. terrible
April 7, 2015
Super interesting, but pretty crude.
March 30, 2022
Unfortunately, my copy was missing too many pages (after page 192) so I was unable to finish. However, it gave me a good look into this period of the Philippines history. I hope to find a complete copy one day so I can finish the story!
June 17, 2023
Though poorly written, the story was interesting. I knew nothing about the American/Filipino guerrilla movement during WWII, so it was fun to learn more about the challenges and logistics involved in fighting the Japanese without American support.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews