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Rescue at Los Baños: The Most Daring Prison Camp Raid of World War II
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sons and Soldiers comes the incredible true story of one of the greatest military rescues of all time, the 1945 World War II prison camp raid at Los Baños in the Philippines—a tale of daring, courage, and heroism that joins the ranks of Ghost Soldiers, Unbroken, and The Boys of Pointe du Hoc.
In February 1945, as the U.S. victory in the Pacific drew nearer, the Japanese army grew desperate, and its soldiers guarding U.S. and Allied POWs more sadistic. Starved, shot and beaten, many of the 2,146 prisoners of the Los Baños prison camp in the Philippines—most of them American men, women and children—would not survive much longer unless rescued soon.
Deeply concerned about the half-starved and ill-treated prisoners, General Douglas MacArthur assigned to the 11th Airborne Division a dangerous rescue mission deep behind enemy lines that became a deadly race against the clock. The Los Baños raid would become one of the greatest triumphs of that war or any war; hailed years later by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin “I doubt that any airborne unit in the world will ever be able to rival the Los Baños prison raid. It is the textbook operation for all ages and all armies.”
Combining personal interviews, diaries, correspondence, memoirs, and archival research, Rescue at Los Baños tells the story of a remarkable group of prisoners—whose courage and fortitude helped them overcome hardship, deprivation, and cruelty—and of the young American soldiers and Filipino guerrillas who risked their lives to save them.
In February 1945, as the U.S. victory in the Pacific drew nearer, the Japanese army grew desperate, and its soldiers guarding U.S. and Allied POWs more sadistic. Starved, shot and beaten, many of the 2,146 prisoners of the Los Baños prison camp in the Philippines—most of them American men, women and children—would not survive much longer unless rescued soon.
Deeply concerned about the half-starved and ill-treated prisoners, General Douglas MacArthur assigned to the 11th Airborne Division a dangerous rescue mission deep behind enemy lines that became a deadly race against the clock. The Los Baños raid would become one of the greatest triumphs of that war or any war; hailed years later by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin “I doubt that any airborne unit in the world will ever be able to rival the Los Baños prison raid. It is the textbook operation for all ages and all armies.”
Combining personal interviews, diaries, correspondence, memoirs, and archival research, Rescue at Los Baños tells the story of a remarkable group of prisoners—whose courage and fortitude helped them overcome hardship, deprivation, and cruelty—and of the young American soldiers and Filipino guerrillas who risked their lives to save them.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2015
302 people are currently reading
1592 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Henderson
20 books193 followersBruce Henderson is the author of more than twenty nonfiction books, including a #1 New York Times that was made into a highly-rated network miniseries. His books have been published in more than two dozen countries. His latest book is Midnight Flyboys: The American Bomber Crews and Allied Secret Agents Who Aided the French Resistance in World War II. He is also the author of Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler, the NYT bestseller about "The Ritchie Boys" being developed for a feature film. He won the coveted 2023 Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize in recognition of the best English language book published in the field of American military history for Bridge to the Sun: The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II. Henderson has taught reporting at USC School of Journalism and nonfiction writing at Stanford University. He lives in Menlo Park, California.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Henderson...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Henderson...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
September 29, 2019
I picked up this book in the hopes it would be a more updated telling of the raid than the previous book I'd read which was written by Edward Flanagan. While the story of the prisoners was expanded upon greatly, the actual raid itself comprises a very small part of the book. However, the book is well-written and an easy read, so even though it didn't have all the military aspects I wanted, it was still very good.
Unfortunately, there were two mistakes the author repeatedly made which I found disappointing: 1) He refers to American air power as belonging to the Army Air Corps, when the proper term is Army Air Force, a designation which had been in effect since early 1942. 2) When discussing the various ailments/diseases of the prisoners, several times he says beriberi is caused by a lack of protein in the diet. It's actually caused by a lack of Vitamin B1 (thiamine), not a lack of protein. While these two errors don't detract from the overall story, they reflect poorly on the author and his research.
Unfortunately, there were two mistakes the author repeatedly made which I found disappointing: 1) He refers to American air power as belonging to the Army Air Corps, when the proper term is Army Air Force, a designation which had been in effect since early 1942. 2) When discussing the various ailments/diseases of the prisoners, several times he says beriberi is caused by a lack of protein in the diet. It's actually caused by a lack of Vitamin B1 (thiamine), not a lack of protein. While these two errors don't detract from the overall story, they reflect poorly on the author and his research.
April 8, 2019
Bought this WW2 book at the low tier Half-Price book store and sure got a bargain at $2. Don't know how Bruce Henderson put all this together but it was one of the most interesting WW2 rescue stories I have read.
Several thousand prisoners were starving to death that were held by the Japanese. They had to be rescued immediately. How it was done was remarkable. A must read.
Ps -- my grammar correction said I should use WAS and not WERE (that were held). I did not change. So was I wrong?
Several thousand prisoners were starving to death that were held by the Japanese. They had to be rescued immediately. How it was done was remarkable. A must read.
Ps -- my grammar correction said I should use WAS and not WERE (that were held). I did not change. So was I wrong?
December 29, 2018
This was such a cool true story about US airborne troops and Filipino guerillas rescuing 2,000+ starving men, women, children, and infants held in an internment camp by the Japanese during WWII.
The author focused on a relatively small group, so that made the story easy to follow, but he selected a variety of people—both rescued and rescuers. As the rescue drew near, I found myself looking for things to do so I could keep listening to the audiobook. I had kind of mixed feelings about the epilogue—part of it was transcripts from the Japanese commander’s war crimes trial. It was kind of dry, but the rest of the epilogue was great. (IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON: Don’t try to mug a former paratrooper, even if he’s been out of the army for decades and needs a cane to help him walk.)
The author focused on a relatively small group, so that made the story easy to follow, but he selected a variety of people—both rescued and rescuers. As the rescue drew near, I found myself looking for things to do so I could keep listening to the audiobook. I had kind of mixed feelings about the epilogue—part of it was transcripts from the Japanese commander’s war crimes trial. It was kind of dry, but the rest of the epilogue was great. (IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON: Don’t try to mug a former paratrooper, even if he’s been out of the army for decades and needs a cane to help him walk.)
February 17, 2016
Very fascinating book. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job.
May 29, 2020
Rescue at Los Banos is another one of those greatest stories that you have never heard of. This time, the US 11th Airborne troops and Filipino guerillas are liberating a civilian internment camp from the Japanese. The Japanese were purposely trying to starve their captives by continuing to cut their rations until finally, the daily ration was reduced to 400 calories. In their final weeks of captivity, the internees were given their 400 calories in the form of unhulled rice. Meanwhile, the surrounding jungle produced bountiful fruit that was rotting on the vine. Civilians were needlessly starving to death in their sleep. The Japanese had killed a number of civilians that had tried to sneak out of the camp to forage for food. Also, the Japanese had recently had the internees dig what looked to be a mass burial site.
The plot of the book is very similar to Hampton Sides’ Ghost Soldiers. I’ve read other books about Japanese run concentration camps such as Unbroken, As Good as Dead, Ship of Ghosts. This one was about as good as any of those. The author, Bruce Henderson, has solved the riddle of how to make history interesting and readable to a broad audience. I only required about fifty pages of reading before I was hooked and then I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in three or four sittings. To me, this is the sign of a good book.
This book is a little different than some of the others. The internees were civilians. I had a little trouble feeling remorse for the internee that was the wife of a man on the Bataan Death March. She dumped her hero husband for another internee and bore his child in camp. I guess that is reality and Bruce Henderson didn't try to sugarcoat it. The book also contains an interesting footnote about Japanese Commandants being given an order to be as cruel as possible. I believe that it is true in this book and others that each succeeding camp commandant always seemed to be crueler than the last. This may explain why. What amazed me is how intricate the rescue plan was and how it worked to perfection with so many elements that could have gone wrong. Even the evacuation of prisoners could have been intercepted by Japanese planes or ships! This occurred after two prior very successful rescue operations. You think they would have been alert for this rescue.
This book has a happy ending in that the commandant, Sadaaki Konishi was caught and hanged as a war criminal after the war. It’s too bad they couldn’t have hanged him twice.
The plot of the book is very similar to Hampton Sides’ Ghost Soldiers. I’ve read other books about Japanese run concentration camps such as Unbroken, As Good as Dead, Ship of Ghosts. This one was about as good as any of those. The author, Bruce Henderson, has solved the riddle of how to make history interesting and readable to a broad audience. I only required about fifty pages of reading before I was hooked and then I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in three or four sittings. To me, this is the sign of a good book.
This book is a little different than some of the others. The internees were civilians. I had a little trouble feeling remorse for the internee that was the wife of a man on the Bataan Death March. She dumped her hero husband for another internee and bore his child in camp. I guess that is reality and Bruce Henderson didn't try to sugarcoat it. The book also contains an interesting footnote about Japanese Commandants being given an order to be as cruel as possible. I believe that it is true in this book and others that each succeeding camp commandant always seemed to be crueler than the last. This may explain why. What amazed me is how intricate the rescue plan was and how it worked to perfection with so many elements that could have gone wrong. Even the evacuation of prisoners could have been intercepted by Japanese planes or ships! This occurred after two prior very successful rescue operations. You think they would have been alert for this rescue.
This book has a happy ending in that the commandant, Sadaaki Konishi was caught and hanged as a war criminal after the war. It’s too bad they couldn’t have hanged him twice.
April 2, 2016
Exciting story of the rescue of the prisoners in the Japanese camp at Los Banos in the Philippines during World War II. The camp was holding American and other Allied civilian prisoners and, as the war continued, they were being starved, beaten, and killed. General Douglas MacArthur gave the assignment to the US 11th Airborne to free the prisoners and bring them back safely to Allied lines. This was during the U.S. campaign in the Philippines, and the operation was aided greatly by the Filipino resistance fighters. Henderson makes the story especially riveting by focusing on various individuals both in the camp and in the military. A story of survival and heroism that shouldn't be forgotten.
February 19, 2016
3.5 stars. I first read about the Los Banos raid earlier this year in We Band of Angels, in which it was just briefly mentioned as part of the larger story of nurses interned in the Philippines. So when I saw there was a new book all about the raid itself, I jumped at it, since the story sounded interesting from the few paragraphs I'd read. For the first half of the book, I found it a little difficult to get into—the writing didn't always flow very well, with occasional distracting convoluted or clumsy sentences. (I also thought the author relied a bit much on the gimmick of single-sentence paragraphs for extra drama.) A lot of characters were introduced without a very clear indication of how they were all going to matter or connect to each other, especially on the Army side.
However, the interest strengthens in the second half of the book, once into the chapters detailing the planning of the raid and the coordination between various U.S. Army units and Filipino guerrillas. (Even here some things seemed to be skimmed lightly—having recently read Walter Lord's Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomons, which detailed the hazards of this type of mission, I thought the journey of a U.S. intelligence officer on foot and by native boat behind enemy lines was treated amazingly matter-of-factly in comparatively few paragraphs.) The chapters dealing with the planning and executing of the raid were definitely the most interesting (though whatever happened with the engine of the C-47 that had landing-gear trouble?). Rather than a story of a battle won in spite of things going disastrously wrong, this is a rare story of an operation where everything went miraculously right. Though it's not quite as engrossing or technically well-executed as the work of other nonfiction authors whose books I've enjoyed, such as Cornelius Ryan or Walter Lord, it's a remarkable piece of history and likely to please anyone interested in WWII in the Philippines or Los Banos in particular.
However, the interest strengthens in the second half of the book, once into the chapters detailing the planning of the raid and the coordination between various U.S. Army units and Filipino guerrillas. (Even here some things seemed to be skimmed lightly—having recently read Walter Lord's Lonely Vigil: Coastwatchers of the Solomons, which detailed the hazards of this type of mission, I thought the journey of a U.S. intelligence officer on foot and by native boat behind enemy lines was treated amazingly matter-of-factly in comparatively few paragraphs.) The chapters dealing with the planning and executing of the raid were definitely the most interesting (though whatever happened with the engine of the C-47 that had landing-gear trouble?). Rather than a story of a battle won in spite of things going disastrously wrong, this is a rare story of an operation where everything went miraculously right. Though it's not quite as engrossing or technically well-executed as the work of other nonfiction authors whose books I've enjoyed, such as Cornelius Ryan or Walter Lord, it's a remarkable piece of history and likely to please anyone interested in WWII in the Philippines or Los Banos in particular.
August 14, 2019
An exciting read from the start. Not even a prelude, forward or introduction, Chapter 1 - get going !
Author Henderson uses the point of view of several men, women and children who happened to be in the Philippines when the Japanese invade in December, 1941.
Pre-war in the islands is a romanticized, idyllic time, the calm before the storm, good pay, the Pan Am Clippers gliding into the lagoon, exotic locales for the typical American who was sent there for work or the military, away from the economic depression back home.
Initially the civilians of various Allied nationalities and military females, such as nurses, were rounded up and placed in the infamous St Thomas internment camp in Manilla. To relieve overcrowding about 2,000 were sent away to the new, countryside camp in Los Banos, away from the big city restrictions and amidst plentiful farmland, to which was hopefully a better place to stay if you have to be in a camp. But the Japanese weren’t of the type to let them take advantage of all the easily available food sources.
We also see the building dramatic point of view of the military and guerrilla groups as they fight in the Philippines and eventually are assigned the task of planning a trip behind enemy lines for an early rescue of the over 2,000 people at Los Banos.
As there are men and women in the camp, romance does happen. While it is factual, and in no way overly indulged in, you can just feel the author thinking, ahh a war story with love angle in it, this will be good in a movie !
There are a variety of photos and an appendix of the Camp Roster.
I read this in a couple days, quick for me, and by the end I was ready to parachute into enemy territory !
Author Henderson uses the point of view of several men, women and children who happened to be in the Philippines when the Japanese invade in December, 1941.
Pre-war in the islands is a romanticized, idyllic time, the calm before the storm, good pay, the Pan Am Clippers gliding into the lagoon, exotic locales for the typical American who was sent there for work or the military, away from the economic depression back home.
Initially the civilians of various Allied nationalities and military females, such as nurses, were rounded up and placed in the infamous St Thomas internment camp in Manilla. To relieve overcrowding about 2,000 were sent away to the new, countryside camp in Los Banos, away from the big city restrictions and amidst plentiful farmland, to which was hopefully a better place to stay if you have to be in a camp. But the Japanese weren’t of the type to let them take advantage of all the easily available food sources.
We also see the building dramatic point of view of the military and guerrilla groups as they fight in the Philippines and eventually are assigned the task of planning a trip behind enemy lines for an early rescue of the over 2,000 people at Los Banos.
As there are men and women in the camp, romance does happen. While it is factual, and in no way overly indulged in, you can just feel the author thinking, ahh a war story with love angle in it, this will be good in a movie !
There are a variety of photos and an appendix of the Camp Roster.
I read this in a couple days, quick for me, and by the end I was ready to parachute into enemy territory !
February 28, 2015
“The trap door spring open with the sound of a rifle shot.”
And that's what happened to the sadistic Japanese camp commander, Sadaaki Konishi on April 30th, 1949. He was found responsible for a systematic starvation of the internees at Los Banos--a starvation that left some dead, and many near death.
RESCUE AT LOS BANOS was a real education for me. Prior to reading this book, I had no idea there been such a terrific internee camp there; nor had I heard about this well-planned rescue. The author does a good job at telling the story from the vantage point of different people. This included people from all different walks of life who would eventually become internees together at Los Banos.
For the internees, their life at Los Banos didn’t start off that bad. But after a while, a sadistic commander took over the camp, and from there things just got worse and worse. Meager food rations were reduced, even though there was plenty of food available, and the camp itself was located in an area of great agricultural productivity. It was touching to hear how many of the internees helped each other out.
The rescue plan was very complicated, involved in lots of different troops. The planners were especially concerned about a Japanese infantry division that was just a short ways from the camp. Of course the rescue attempt worked marvelously well, and in fact would actually be cited as an example of perfect planning.
As a result of the rescue, over two thousand men women and children were rescued. The rescue occurred with an incredibly low number of allied casualties, and no civilian fatalities. There are wonderful pictures showing the thin internees after their rescue. There is one particularly endearing photo about a woman and her two young sons eating their first meal after being liberated.
After the war, the prison commander would explain that he was simply following orders. When asked about a policy of deliberately starving the internees, the commander said “No, there is no such policy.“ He also explained “that was all determined by order so I myself had nothing to do with it.“ of course, his claims were found to be false; he indeed was responsible for the brutal treatment of several thousands souls.
All in all, RESCUE AT LOS BANOS is a tragic story, but one worth reading. I learned a lot about the brave men and women who served our country at such a great cost. I enjoyed hearing the accounts of what the survivors of the camp are doing these days; I believe there are just a few still alive.
The book includes an extensive list of reference sources, as well as an appendix showing the internees at the camp. There is also an extensive bibliography and index. Finally, also included is a bizarre tale of what actually happened to the sadistic Japanese commander. Earlier reports of his death had not been accurate, but the authors recount here his actual execution.
Advanced reading copy for review courtesy of Edelweiss.
March 9, 2015
Henderson tells the story of the civilians held in a Japanese prison camp on the island of Luzon during WWII, and of the soldiers who risked their lives on an incredible mission to rescue them. The raid is still considered an unrivaled operation today, and this account of its unfolding is both informative and full of great tension that keeps the narrative exciting. The complex operation involved coordination between intelligence, paratroopers, guerrillas, and the prisoners themselves – it’s a big story, well-researched and well-told. (I read an advance copy; publication date is March 31, 2015)
March 2, 2021
I cannot recommend this book enough. This is about the perfectly executed raid in Los Banos, Philippines by US soldiers and Filipino guerrillas in WW2 to rescue over 2,000 civilians imprisoned by the Japanese.
It mentioned so many familiar places that didn’t mean anything to me growing up there. Now, I know and my response are only goosebumps, tears and a grateful heart! What bravery and sacrifice!
My late grandfather was among the Filipinos who fought alongside the Americans during WW2. He had so much to tell. I wish I can still ask him questions about his experience during the war.
#forevergrateful
It mentioned so many familiar places that didn’t mean anything to me growing up there. Now, I know and my response are only goosebumps, tears and a grateful heart! What bravery and sacrifice!
My late grandfather was among the Filipinos who fought alongside the Americans during WW2. He had so much to tell. I wish I can still ask him questions about his experience during the war.
#forevergrateful
July 17, 2020
A very well written recount of a WWII prison camp, Los Banos, run by the Japanese in the Philippines. The prisoners, the captors and the conditions are all laid out with realism and detail. Put into a storyline that gives depth to the people and maintains a timeline that sets up an understanding of how events came about, this book is a must read for students of WWII.
Though never graphic in language or description, the content does cover killings and human cruelty. As such, this is suitable for older teens and adults in my opinion.
Though never graphic in language or description, the content does cover killings and human cruelty. As such, this is suitable for older teens and adults in my opinion.
May 15, 2015
Not just another retelling of the near-perfect rescue of over 2,100 civilian internees who were right on the cusp of being executed en masse or dying a not so slow death from starvation and disease.
I have read a few other books about this raid over the years so I was unprepared to discover characters that either were missing from previous books or just given a cursory description. Henderson added more of the human element to the fantastic success of the Los Banos raid. The only area that could have been a little more detailed was that of some of the guerrilla forces and Filipinos who sacrificed and suffered so much during the brutal Japanese occupation of the island nation.
It is hard to imagine a raid/prisoner rescue of this scale happening again with so much going right and so little going wrong.
There was even an element of suspense in the end to find out if one of the more more inhumane jailers escaped the hangman's noose.
AATW
I have read a few other books about this raid over the years so I was unprepared to discover characters that either were missing from previous books or just given a cursory description. Henderson added more of the human element to the fantastic success of the Los Banos raid. The only area that could have been a little more detailed was that of some of the guerrilla forces and Filipinos who sacrificed and suffered so much during the brutal Japanese occupation of the island nation.
It is hard to imagine a raid/prisoner rescue of this scale happening again with so much going right and so little going wrong.
There was even an element of suspense in the end to find out if one of the more more inhumane jailers escaped the hangman's noose.
AATW
December 19, 2016
fascinating read but man it is so strange to read about atrocities that took place in a place you're familiar with. loved the perspectives henderson went with as i don't find a lot of ww2 books that focus on the military operation as well as the experience of the civilian prisoners of war. the build-up was simply fantastic though the pacing was uneven at times. great account of a successful military operation (zero civilian casualty! during the liberation of 1500+ internees!) that has largely remained a footnote in history.
okay, it's more of a 4.5 because the pacing really threw me off at times but what the hell, i'm homesick and i get to go back to my hometown 15 miles away from los banos as soon as i finish a paper on this book, so
okay, it's more of a 4.5 because the pacing really threw me off at times but what the hell, i'm homesick and i get to go back to my hometown 15 miles away from los banos as soon as i finish a paper on this book, so
March 18, 2016
During World War II the Japanese set up an internment camp for American civilians at Los Banos. Henderson tells the story of several of the survivors and details the trials and tribulations they endured. He also tells of men of 511th Airborne Division which liberated them. This is an interesting addition to the Philippines campaign with information about the civilians.
January 28, 2025
What an amazing story! There are so many aspects of WWII that aren't always highly publicized. This story of an internment camp in the Phillipines, run by Japanese soldiers, and most of the internees were civilians, with some military sprinkled in as well. They endured 3 years of imprisonment and toward the end were being slowly starved. Just awful!
Was also amazing the complex rescue plan that was implemented to help them escape! Very well written!
Was also amazing the complex rescue plan that was implemented to help them escape! Very well written!
October 18, 2022
A truly inspiring story yet so hard to read... I found myself bogged down whenever the story switched to the American rescue efforts. The stories of the internees were powerful but often too horrible to read. This is a story that should not be left behind. We need to know what the world is capable of. This might have gotten a 5-star rating if I hadn't already read "Ghost Soldiers" by Hampton Sides which is about the first daring rescue of prisoners of war at a different camp not far from Los Banos.
July 9, 2017
Highly researched
So much attention is given to the European war theatre that we forget how brutal the Pacific war was. My father served in the navy on an aircraft carrier so I was fascinated with this book.
So much attention is given to the European war theatre that we forget how brutal the Pacific war was. My father served in the navy on an aircraft carrier so I was fascinated with this book.
Want to read
May 6, 20174⭐️s from my DH. An amazing story about the rescue of civilians in a POW Camp outside of Manila, pulled off by the American military. Some 2500 men, women and children who were being starved to death by their Japanese captors were rescued in a daring operation. There are so many incidents like this one that make WWII so endlessly fascinating to historians and their readers who seek the humanity obscured by the big picture.
February 20, 2024
I am humbled every time I read about something from this era. I had just finished MacArthur bio so this was a nice extra dive into end of war Pacific.
July 19, 2015
Listened to on cd.
Really loved this story of a rescue of civilians at a Japanese pow camp in the phillipines during WWII.
Really loved this story of a rescue of civilians at a Japanese pow camp in the phillipines during WWII.
October 25, 2015
Well detailed
Perhaps a more appropriate title would be " Planning and preparing to rescue at Los Banks". Nonetheless, it's very interesting
Perhaps a more appropriate title would be " Planning and preparing to rescue at Los Banks". Nonetheless, it's very interesting
July 22, 2020
Early in 1945, as the Nazi regime began to crumble and American soldiers, marines, and sailors relentlessly pushed ever closer toward the Japanese home islands, two thousand civilian prisoners of war, mostly Americans, suffered indescribable deprivation at the hands of a sadistic prison camp commander, deep in a Philippine jungle. Their story—and that of their liberators—is brilliantly told in Bruce Henderson‘s Rescue at Los Baños. It’s a tale of courage and resourcefulness that illuminates one of the most revealing chapters in the history of World War II.
A disturbing account of an episode in a war so many ignore
As best I can tell, the overwhelming majority of books in English about World War II center on the conflict in Europe. This seems to be the case even though the war in the Pacific was more protracted—starting in 1937 rather than 1939—and was arguably more consequential geopolitically than the European war. The map in Asia was massively changed, with three of the world’s most populous countries—China, India, and Indonesia—gaining their independence from European colonialists in the war’s aftermath.
Of course, it’s true that casualties were far lighter in the Pacific, perhaps totaling twenty to twenty-five million on all sides compared to as many as one hundred million or more in Europe. But there’s no denying the ferocity of the fighting between the Japanese and the Allies. Nor did Imperial Japan take a back seat to Nazi Germany in the fanaticism and cruelty of its fighting men. And that cruelty is reflected in high relief in Bruce Henderson’s terrific account of “the most daring prison camp raid of World War II.”
A military enterprise of staggering complexity
I’m not aware that any film has been produced about the Los Baños prison camp rescue. If so, it must have proven to be a monumental challenge to the producers and scriptwriters. Henderson’s story of the raid reveals it in all its staggering complexity, highlighting the role played by its planners in US Army intelligence. Still, Rescue at Los Baños reads much like a novel, featuring the experiences of a dozen key figures in the raid, including Army soldiers and paratroopers, prisoners, and Philippine guerrillas. This is a story of ordinary people rising to extraordinary heights of performance.
I have no idea whether the raid on Los Baños was indeed the most daring of World War II. But it was surely the most spectacular, involving near-simultaneous attacks by at least half a dozen different units coming at the camp from every conceivable angle. And it was spectacularly successful. Just three US combatants and two Philippine guerrillas died in the operation. The Japanese lost hundreds of soldiers to death or capture. There were “no civilian fatalities.”
The raid was spectacular. So, why wasn’t it famous?
Those Army intelligence planners couldn’t possibly have come up with a better subject for a book. It should not be surprising that, as the author discloses in the book’s appendix that lists the Dramatis Personae, “the Los Baños rescue mission became a legendary benchmark for military intelligence, planning, and execution of a raid behind enemy lines, and has been studied at military staff and command schools in the United States and elsewhere.”
So, why did the Los Baños prison camp rescue receive so little attention at the time? Henderson explains that it “was not a case of wartime censorship. For on February 23, 1945, the same day as the raid, a combat photographer named Joe Rosenthal snapped an image of five soon-to-be-famous U. S. Marines raising the Stars and Stripes atop Mount Suribachi at a place called Iwo Jima.”
A disturbing account of an episode in a war so many ignore
As best I can tell, the overwhelming majority of books in English about World War II center on the conflict in Europe. This seems to be the case even though the war in the Pacific was more protracted—starting in 1937 rather than 1939—and was arguably more consequential geopolitically than the European war. The map in Asia was massively changed, with three of the world’s most populous countries—China, India, and Indonesia—gaining their independence from European colonialists in the war’s aftermath.
Of course, it’s true that casualties were far lighter in the Pacific, perhaps totaling twenty to twenty-five million on all sides compared to as many as one hundred million or more in Europe. But there’s no denying the ferocity of the fighting between the Japanese and the Allies. Nor did Imperial Japan take a back seat to Nazi Germany in the fanaticism and cruelty of its fighting men. And that cruelty is reflected in high relief in Bruce Henderson’s terrific account of “the most daring prison camp raid of World War II.”
A military enterprise of staggering complexity
I’m not aware that any film has been produced about the Los Baños prison camp rescue. If so, it must have proven to be a monumental challenge to the producers and scriptwriters. Henderson’s story of the raid reveals it in all its staggering complexity, highlighting the role played by its planners in US Army intelligence. Still, Rescue at Los Baños reads much like a novel, featuring the experiences of a dozen key figures in the raid, including Army soldiers and paratroopers, prisoners, and Philippine guerrillas. This is a story of ordinary people rising to extraordinary heights of performance.
I have no idea whether the raid on Los Baños was indeed the most daring of World War II. But it was surely the most spectacular, involving near-simultaneous attacks by at least half a dozen different units coming at the camp from every conceivable angle. And it was spectacularly successful. Just three US combatants and two Philippine guerrillas died in the operation. The Japanese lost hundreds of soldiers to death or capture. There were “no civilian fatalities.”
The raid was spectacular. So, why wasn’t it famous?
Those Army intelligence planners couldn’t possibly have come up with a better subject for a book. It should not be surprising that, as the author discloses in the book’s appendix that lists the Dramatis Personae, “the Los Baños rescue mission became a legendary benchmark for military intelligence, planning, and execution of a raid behind enemy lines, and has been studied at military staff and command schools in the United States and elsewhere.”
So, why did the Los Baños prison camp rescue receive so little attention at the time? Henderson explains that it “was not a case of wartime censorship. For on February 23, 1945, the same day as the raid, a combat photographer named Joe Rosenthal snapped an image of five soon-to-be-famous U. S. Marines raising the Stars and Stripes atop Mount Suribachi at a place called Iwo Jima.”
September 11, 2023
In the fall of 1967 as a sophomore at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota I was privileged to participate in the Term in Thailand with 25 other students. We studied at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok - Buddhism, Southeast Asian history, art, literature, and political science. On the way to Bangkok we visited Japan and Hong Kong. Coming home included stops in Penang, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Guam. We were the only undergraduate study group in Southeast Asia - the closest program was in Japan. It was also during the height of the Vietnam war, so it was an amazing time to be in Southeast Asia. I have been an avid reader of World War II history and literature for many years. My father and most of my uncles served in the war in many roles - as a tank driver in Patton's army, a tail gunner who was killed over Germany, and a medic in the Pacific Theatre. My reading, however, had largely been within the European Theatre of operations. About a year ago I had a "DUH" moment. Why was I not reading about the Pacific War when I had visited so many important sites in that history. I am trying to make up for my lack of knowledge........................ Earlier this year I read "Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila" James M. Scott and highly recommend this book if you are interested in the American battles to reclaim the Philippines. In 1968 I walked through Fort Santiago which was a prison / torture center and the last site in Manila to be freed by American forces. More information about the fort is found in "Rampage", but the infamous site is also mentioned in this book. Via the same book I was also aware of the civilian internment camp at Santo Tomas, but did not know that some prisoners were moved from there to Los Baños to ease overcrowding. This very compelling book has two story lines. The first describes the horrible conditions in the prison camp and follows the historries of some individuals, while the second narrates the history of the 11th Airborne who were assigned the task of rescuing the over 2,000 prisoners by General McArthur. The brave men of the 11th were parachuting into Japanese held territory from 400 feet to make themselves targets in the air for as short a time as possible. One of the subterfuges used was, I thought, quite clever. Vehicles proceeded down roads dragging trees behind them to kick up clouds of dust that could be seen at the Japanese headquarters in the area. They were trying to freeze the Japanese in place by pretending that a huge land army was invading. I highly recommend this book and "Rampage" if you are interested in the recapture of the Philippines!!! Kristi & Abby Tabby
December 1, 2024
The secrecy ended on February 22 when John Ringler addressed his men. By then, they were used to Ringler's speeches of twenty-five words or less, and he didn't disappoint with extra verbiage now. He told them they were going to save the lives of more than two thousand civilian internees who had been prisoners of the Japanese for more than three years.
"We're going to do the most important thing we've ever done," he said, "and maybe we'll ever do."
~~Mention the Philippines during WWII, and most people with an average grasp of history will think of the brutal Bataan death march. Less known, but no less chilling was the Los Banos internment camp for non-combat allies living in the Philippines during Japan's occupation--mostly Americans, but a smattering of British and Australians as well. Over 2000 men, women, and children (including infants) were subjected to ever more strict starvation rations. Anyone who tried to leave camp and return with food was shot if caught. Bruce Henderson details the daring and innovative prison raid carried out by the military to rescue the civilians before it was too late. I especially loved the prison doctor and nurses giving excellent care despite the horrible circumstances.
Given 4 stars or a rating of "excellent."
Other favorite quotes: "Jap tanks!" he hollered. "Bazookas forward!"
Ringler looked at him like he had lost his marbles.
"They don't have tanks, and we don't have bazookas."
~~High on one desolate mountaintop pass a long line of bearded, filthy paratroopers who couldn't remember their last hot meal plodded through ankle-deep mud toward the coast ten miles away. A whisper passed from one to another down the line of weary soldiers who had lived for thirty-one days straight with the violence and anguish of combat.
"It's Christmas."
Hey, buddy, it's Christmas.
Pass the word. Christmas. [...]
A lone monotone voice somewhere up in front started to sing. Soon everyone was joining in to sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" as they led the walking wounded and carried the litters with the non-ambulatory injured. Some of the men looked back through the foggy mist at a row of American graves with handmade crosses. Others did not.
~~When Vanderpool and his exhausted party marched into the Hunters ROTC camp, the guerrillas were stunned to see that he had made the long trek through enemy lines in his complete U.S. Army uniform.
"We're going to do the most important thing we've ever done," he said, "and maybe we'll ever do."
~~Mention the Philippines during WWII, and most people with an average grasp of history will think of the brutal Bataan death march. Less known, but no less chilling was the Los Banos internment camp for non-combat allies living in the Philippines during Japan's occupation--mostly Americans, but a smattering of British and Australians as well. Over 2000 men, women, and children (including infants) were subjected to ever more strict starvation rations. Anyone who tried to leave camp and return with food was shot if caught. Bruce Henderson details the daring and innovative prison raid carried out by the military to rescue the civilians before it was too late. I especially loved the prison doctor and nurses giving excellent care despite the horrible circumstances.
Given 4 stars or a rating of "excellent."
Other favorite quotes: "Jap tanks!" he hollered. "Bazookas forward!"
Ringler looked at him like he had lost his marbles.
"They don't have tanks, and we don't have bazookas."
~~High on one desolate mountaintop pass a long line of bearded, filthy paratroopers who couldn't remember their last hot meal plodded through ankle-deep mud toward the coast ten miles away. A whisper passed from one to another down the line of weary soldiers who had lived for thirty-one days straight with the violence and anguish of combat.
"It's Christmas."
Hey, buddy, it's Christmas.
Pass the word. Christmas. [...]
A lone monotone voice somewhere up in front started to sing. Soon everyone was joining in to sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" as they led the walking wounded and carried the litters with the non-ambulatory injured. Some of the men looked back through the foggy mist at a row of American graves with handmade crosses. Others did not.
~~When Vanderpool and his exhausted party marched into the Hunters ROTC camp, the guerrillas were stunned to see that he had made the long trek through enemy lines in his complete U.S. Army uniform.
April 22, 2018
This was a very interesting book describing the confinement of civilians and the subsequent rescue of a prison camp at Los Banos.
During World War II, the Japanese took control of the Philippines and rounded up local people, some military but mostly civilians. They kept them in a camp, and while it could not be considered "fun" or "easy", they had a committee set up that allowed them to speak with the commander of the camp about issues concerning the prisoners. That began to change when the US military turned the tide of the war. As they drew closer and closer to the Philippines, the sadistic camp administration, essentially led by Sadaaki Konishi started to starve, beat, and shoot the prisoners.
The 11th Airborne division was given the mission of rescuing these people. With the help of a few escapees from the camp, along with Philippine guerrillas, they started to plan the raid. One of the concerns were how to best launch the attack without the Japanese in the camp turning and killing the prisoners in response. A key piece of planning information came from one of the camp escapees: the Japanese always put aside their weapons and with the exception of a couple of guards, had an all hands calisthenic routine. It was determined that this would be the time that they would coordinate the raid on Los Banos, as it would be safer for both the 11th Airborne division as well as the camp prisoners.
This was a book about a prison camp where atrocities occurred that were almost as bad as the ones in German prison camps. The book interweaves the personal stories of various camp internees with the how members of the US military planned, (sometimes secretly) and eventually fought their way back to the Philippines. Though it is a non-fiction book, it is not dry reading as the author fleshes out the real life characters involved with this lesser known chapter of World War II. I would recommend this book to people who love history, especially World War II, as well as those who are keen on what can be appropriately described as a human interest story.
During World War II, the Japanese took control of the Philippines and rounded up local people, some military but mostly civilians. They kept them in a camp, and while it could not be considered "fun" or "easy", they had a committee set up that allowed them to speak with the commander of the camp about issues concerning the prisoners. That began to change when the US military turned the tide of the war. As they drew closer and closer to the Philippines, the sadistic camp administration, essentially led by Sadaaki Konishi started to starve, beat, and shoot the prisoners.
The 11th Airborne division was given the mission of rescuing these people. With the help of a few escapees from the camp, along with Philippine guerrillas, they started to plan the raid. One of the concerns were how to best launch the attack without the Japanese in the camp turning and killing the prisoners in response. A key piece of planning information came from one of the camp escapees: the Japanese always put aside their weapons and with the exception of a couple of guards, had an all hands calisthenic routine. It was determined that this would be the time that they would coordinate the raid on Los Banos, as it would be safer for both the 11th Airborne division as well as the camp prisoners.
This was a book about a prison camp where atrocities occurred that were almost as bad as the ones in German prison camps. The book interweaves the personal stories of various camp internees with the how members of the US military planned, (sometimes secretly) and eventually fought their way back to the Philippines. Though it is a non-fiction book, it is not dry reading as the author fleshes out the real life characters involved with this lesser known chapter of World War II. I would recommend this book to people who love history, especially World War II, as well as those who are keen on what can be appropriately described as a human interest story.
August 17, 2017
So far in 2017, I’ve read over 15 non-fiction and fiction books. I haven’t given out too many FIVE STARS, but Rescue at Los Baños: The Most Daring Prison Camp Raid of World War II by Bruce Henderson is very worthy of FIVE STARS.
From the opening page to end, Rescue at Los Baños: The Most Daring Prison Camp Raid of World War II had me enthralled. It was so well written and researched. At first, I thought it would only be about the actual rescue, but instead the book gives readers the individual stories before, during, and after the war of the POWs / internees, the military men who conducted the rescue, and the Filipino guerrillas. It also gives a good, but limited insight, into the preparation and the actual land battles to liberate the Philippines. It does, however, give a very good insight into the preparation and the rescue at Los Banos.
In addition to revealing what happened to the “good guys” after the war, Bruce Henderson also revealed what happened to the Japanese military officers who guarded the POWs / internees. I thought that this was interesting since my dad was captured on Wake Island and held by the Japanese in prison camps in China and Japan. My dad never talked about his POW experience to anyone. After he died in the 1980’s, the internet allowed me to learn more about his experience. The one constant between what happened at Los Banos and my dad’s POW experience is that the prison camps were run by cruel sadist. In my dad’s experience, the Japanese prison camp commandant committed suicide and his successor, a Sgt. Major, was arrested for war crimes by the Japanese Military Police and turned over to US forces. One wonders if being a cruel sadist was a requirement to be given a duty assignment to a POW camp,
From the opening page to end, Rescue at Los Baños: The Most Daring Prison Camp Raid of World War II had me enthralled. It was so well written and researched. At first, I thought it would only be about the actual rescue, but instead the book gives readers the individual stories before, during, and after the war of the POWs / internees, the military men who conducted the rescue, and the Filipino guerrillas. It also gives a good, but limited insight, into the preparation and the actual land battles to liberate the Philippines. It does, however, give a very good insight into the preparation and the rescue at Los Banos.
In addition to revealing what happened to the “good guys” after the war, Bruce Henderson also revealed what happened to the Japanese military officers who guarded the POWs / internees. I thought that this was interesting since my dad was captured on Wake Island and held by the Japanese in prison camps in China and Japan. My dad never talked about his POW experience to anyone. After he died in the 1980’s, the internet allowed me to learn more about his experience. The one constant between what happened at Los Banos and my dad’s POW experience is that the prison camps were run by cruel sadist. In my dad’s experience, the Japanese prison camp commandant committed suicide and his successor, a Sgt. Major, was arrested for war crimes by the Japanese Military Police and turned over to US forces. One wonders if being a cruel sadist was a requirement to be given a duty assignment to a POW camp,
November 26, 2019
In the space of just under a month, military forces under the command of Douglas MacArthur executed 4 prison raids to free prisoners held by the Japanese in the Philippines. Cabanatuan (about 500 POWs), Santo Tomas (3,785 mostly civilian prisoners), Bilibid Prison (700 POWs and 500 civilian prisoners) and Los Banos (2,147 mostly civilian prisoners). This book is about the last of the four, Los Banos, executed by the 11th Airborne Division, an Amtrack unit and Filipino guerrilla units.
A complicated rescue combining a stealthy assault by the 11th Airborne's recon platoon and Filipino guerrillas, a parachute drop at 400 feet by B company of the 1/511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, a night amtrack movement by the 672d Amphibian Tractor Battalion carrying two more companies of the 1/511 and a blocking mission by the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment with C/637th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 472d and 675th FA Battalions, all timed to strike at precisely 7am on 23 February, 1945.
This was a complicated and daring plan which required everything to go perfectly and as planned. And, for the most part, it did.
This book does a great job of laying the background, telling the stories of a few of the prisoners (including three that sneaked out of the camp to assist in the planning and execution of that plan), the key military figures and the actual execution of the mission. It is a very readable book and the research is solid. Recommended.
A complicated rescue combining a stealthy assault by the 11th Airborne's recon platoon and Filipino guerrillas, a parachute drop at 400 feet by B company of the 1/511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, a night amtrack movement by the 672d Amphibian Tractor Battalion carrying two more companies of the 1/511 and a blocking mission by the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment with C/637th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 472d and 675th FA Battalions, all timed to strike at precisely 7am on 23 February, 1945.
This was a complicated and daring plan which required everything to go perfectly and as planned. And, for the most part, it did.
This book does a great job of laying the background, telling the stories of a few of the prisoners (including three that sneaked out of the camp to assist in the planning and execution of that plan), the key military figures and the actual execution of the mission. It is a very readable book and the research is solid. Recommended.
June 15, 2018
A Story that needed telling!
For the most of the content well written and very descriptive. Almost every chapter holds ones attention. Well researched and having had friends and relatives who fought in the Pacific and in the Philippines the content of the story related many of the incidents described.
I felt that there were some material which was written as background in some instances a bit too detailed. I also think the author portrayed General Swing’s personality as a perfectionist. I felt he was an egocentric I glory seeking know it all do it my way because I’m write person. It’s his type that sent soldiers into combat with their only thought being to succeed irregardless of the cost in lives.
I also felt that the values Ms. Schreck and Jerry were selfish and insensitive for other internees; they had very little regard for anyone other the themselves: their accommodations in Manila, their balcony housing/ food, and made very little effort to keep their actions to themselves late in her pregnancy. In addition her selfish motives and disregard for her husband.
Overall well written and well documented making it a good book.
For the most of the content well written and very descriptive. Almost every chapter holds ones attention. Well researched and having had friends and relatives who fought in the Pacific and in the Philippines the content of the story related many of the incidents described.
I felt that there were some material which was written as background in some instances a bit too detailed. I also think the author portrayed General Swing’s personality as a perfectionist. I felt he was an egocentric I glory seeking know it all do it my way because I’m write person. It’s his type that sent soldiers into combat with their only thought being to succeed irregardless of the cost in lives.
I also felt that the values Ms. Schreck and Jerry were selfish and insensitive for other internees; they had very little regard for anyone other the themselves: their accommodations in Manila, their balcony housing/ food, and made very little effort to keep their actions to themselves late in her pregnancy. In addition her selfish motives and disregard for her husband.
Overall well written and well documented making it a good book.
January 6, 2024
I've read or listened to several books about what people went through as prisoners of war by the Japanese. This book concerns civilians who were held in the Los Banos prisoner of war camp. There were men, women and children held there from not long after the Japanese took the Phillipines. Most of them were first confined to another camp and sent to Los Banos after that camp became too full. At first life in the camp wasn't too bad. Then the commandant allowed a new member of his guards to take control and the lives of the prisoners became miserable. He very deliberately put them on starvation rations in spite of food readily available nearby.
The story of how they were rescued is really inspiring as the Filipino guerillas and American servicemen pooled their assets and knowledge to rescue the prisoners.
The story of how they were rescued is really inspiring as the Filipino guerillas and American servicemen pooled their assets and knowledge to rescue the prisoners.
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