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As Good As Dead: The Daring Escape of American POWs From a Japanese Death Camp
The heroic story of eleven American POWs who defied certain death in World War II—As Good as Dead is an unforgettable account of the Palawan Massacre survivors and their daring escape.
In late 1944, the Allies invaded the Japanese-held Philippines, and soon the end of the Pacific War was within reach. But for the last 150 American prisoners of war still held on the island of Palawan, there would be no salvation. After years of slave labor, starvation, disease, and torture, their worst fears were about to be realized. On December 14, with machine guns trained on them, they were herded underground into shallow air raid shelters—death pits dug with their own hands.
Japanese soldiers doused the shelters with gasoline and set them on fire. Some thirty prisoners managed to bolt from the fiery carnage, running a lethal gauntlet of machine gun fire and bayonets to jump from the cliffs to the rocky Palawan coast. By the next morning, only eleven men were left alive—but their desperate journey to freedom had just begun.
As Good as Dead is one of the greatest escape stories of World War scrounged for food and water, swam shark-infested bays, and wandered through treacherous jungle terrain, hoping to find friendly Filipino guerrillas. Their endurance, determination, and courage in the face of death make this a gripping and inspiring saga of survival.
In late 1944, the Allies invaded the Japanese-held Philippines, and soon the end of the Pacific War was within reach. But for the last 150 American prisoners of war still held on the island of Palawan, there would be no salvation. After years of slave labor, starvation, disease, and torture, their worst fears were about to be realized. On December 14, with machine guns trained on them, they were herded underground into shallow air raid shelters—death pits dug with their own hands.
Japanese soldiers doused the shelters with gasoline and set them on fire. Some thirty prisoners managed to bolt from the fiery carnage, running a lethal gauntlet of machine gun fire and bayonets to jump from the cliffs to the rocky Palawan coast. By the next morning, only eleven men were left alive—but their desperate journey to freedom had just begun.
As Good as Dead is one of the greatest escape stories of World War scrounged for food and water, swam shark-infested bays, and wandered through treacherous jungle terrain, hoping to find friendly Filipino guerrillas. Their endurance, determination, and courage in the face of death make this a gripping and inspiring saga of survival.
358 pages, Hardcover
First published November 22, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
April 14, 2020
The strength of the human spirit is truly amazing, and this book is filled with it. It follows the story of mainly the 11 survivors of the Palawan Massacre in December 1944. These American servicemen went through unimaginable hardships from their capture at Bataan and Corregidor, just to be burned alive and gunned down by their Japanese captors so close to liberation. The men carried each other through brotherhood and hope through hard times and in the face of sadistic prison guards. A truly moving book and highly recommended to one and all.
April 5, 2020
The Palawan Massacre.......the slaughter of American soldiers in a POW camp in the Philippine in late 1944 when Japan was losing the war. Massacre is the right term to use.....the details are so horrific that you will wonder how human beings can be so evil.....and trust me, the details are all here is this book. Not for the faint hearted.
The thrust of the story is the escape of eleven American POWs under circumstances that defied escape. Japanese soldiers on their trail and using flame throwers, shark infested waters, hunger, thirst, and injury. These men knew that their chances were practically nil but after years of torture and deprivation, what else did they have but certain (and horrible) death. So they took there chances, with several others who did not make it, and ran for their lives. Their survival is absolutely amazing and the chase will keep you on the edge of your seat since the author does not indicate who will live and who will die in the end.
We do not follow one particular person but the group as a whole. These men were part of the American Army which surrendered at Bataan, the largest American surrender in history; they were part of the Bataan Death March; they were part of one of the most amazing escape, and they were part of those who survived against all odds.
Maps and photos are provided. Highly recommended.
The thrust of the story is the escape of eleven American POWs under circumstances that defied escape. Japanese soldiers on their trail and using flame throwers, shark infested waters, hunger, thirst, and injury. These men knew that their chances were practically nil but after years of torture and deprivation, what else did they have but certain (and horrible) death. So they took there chances, with several others who did not make it, and ran for their lives. Their survival is absolutely amazing and the chase will keep you on the edge of your seat since the author does not indicate who will live and who will die in the end.
We do not follow one particular person but the group as a whole. These men were part of the American Army which surrendered at Bataan, the largest American surrender in history; they were part of the Bataan Death March; they were part of one of the most amazing escape, and they were part of those who survived against all odds.
Maps and photos are provided. Highly recommended.
October 22, 2022
I started this book over the Memorial Day weekend. That wasn't intentional, this book was simply the next one on my stack of books to be read. The fact that I did read it during the holiday that is dedicated to the men and those like the ones whose story is told in this book made it the weekend more poignant and sad. Poignant because this story heavily underlines the debt we, the living, owe to all those that suffered the trials and ordeals that we cannot imagine on our behalf. Sad, because in the course of reading this book I also read and watched news accounts of we, the living, that lack the intelligence and discipline to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors from a potentially deadly illness by wearing a simple mask and practicing social distancing. The men depicted in this book would probably be ashamed of such selfish behavior by fellow Americans.
What is revealed in this history is definitely not a pleasant read. This is a story about U.S. servicemen that were taken prisoner by the Japanese following the fall of the Philippine Islands at the beginning of WWII. Their treatment by the Japanese is nothing short of sadistic and barbaric. If you are affected by descriptions of brutality inflicted for any reason let alone sport then you should probably avoid this book as the cruelty is disturbing and upsetting. However, if want to read about endurance, perseverance, determination, and loyalty then keep turning the pages. What struck me most about these men while reading their story is how unheroic any of them seemed and how unlikely any of them would likely admit to being a hero. Hero, that label really gets over used today and usually for having done nothing but the job one signed up for. These men were all very young, most at best had a high school diploma but many didn't manage to graduate grammar school because of the Depression and poverty. Many of them had either broken homes or single parent upbringings again because of poverty and the Depression. Most of them joined the service to escape their poverty and maybe learn some sort of skill or trade. None of them ever envisioned a trip to the depths of hell provided by the Japanese Army. Yet these unlikely heroes, these unlikely pillars of fortitude survived one of the most horrendous experiences imaginable based on the grit that a hard life had given them. It doesn't seem enough simply to admire such men; you have to wonder how did they do it? What was it that kept them going? This is a book that will haunt any reader. It isn't a book you can honestly say you enjoyed but it is a book that will make an impact. Read it if you dare.
What is revealed in this history is definitely not a pleasant read. This is a story about U.S. servicemen that were taken prisoner by the Japanese following the fall of the Philippine Islands at the beginning of WWII. Their treatment by the Japanese is nothing short of sadistic and barbaric. If you are affected by descriptions of brutality inflicted for any reason let alone sport then you should probably avoid this book as the cruelty is disturbing and upsetting. However, if want to read about endurance, perseverance, determination, and loyalty then keep turning the pages. What struck me most about these men while reading their story is how unheroic any of them seemed and how unlikely any of them would likely admit to being a hero. Hero, that label really gets over used today and usually for having done nothing but the job one signed up for. These men were all very young, most at best had a high school diploma but many didn't manage to graduate grammar school because of the Depression and poverty. Many of them had either broken homes or single parent upbringings again because of poverty and the Depression. Most of them joined the service to escape their poverty and maybe learn some sort of skill or trade. None of them ever envisioned a trip to the depths of hell provided by the Japanese Army. Yet these unlikely heroes, these unlikely pillars of fortitude survived one of the most horrendous experiences imaginable based on the grit that a hard life had given them. It doesn't seem enough simply to admire such men; you have to wonder how did they do it? What was it that kept them going? This is a book that will haunt any reader. It isn't a book you can honestly say you enjoyed but it is a book that will make an impact. Read it if you dare.
August 17, 2017
As Good As Dead is the story of American POW slave laborers on Palawan in the Philippines that were subjected to one of the most barbarous and cruelest massacres ever imagined. This massacre was the inspiration behind that Cabanatuan raid by the US Rangers (see Hampton Sides' Ghost Soldiers).
I had read Ghost Soldiers and my brother sent me a copy of AS Good As Dead as a gift. Stephen Moore is an incredibly easy read. The book begins with the defense of Bataan and Corregidor and the Bataan Death March. This book is a really nice chronicle of the lives of the POWs on Palawan prior to the barbarous massacre that they were subjected to.
When I started this book I hardly thought that there would be enough of a story to fill 282 pages. Boy was I wrong. It has been a gripping account right up to the time the guards were ordered to barbecue the 150 remaining prisoners by ordering them into one of three air raid shelters and dousing them with aviation fuel before igniting it.
What got to me was how the prison guards laughed and enjoyed it. They would only shoot to wound prisoners or bayonet them in the gut so that they would be disabled enough to burn and torture. How anyone escaped is a miracle. Eleven of the 150 survived and escaped to a Filipino penal colony which was a six hour swim across the bay. Several made the swim across the bay with multiple bullet wounds. One man was bit by a shark half way and he believes he was saved by a school of porpoises. This is incredible. Just incredible!!! Thank God for the Filipino guerillas that were operating in the area that could get the survivors to safety so that they could tell their story.
I was disgusted by the war crimes trials after the war. Not one man directly involved in the massacre or the man that ordered it was sufficiently punished for these war crimes. The commandant of the POW camp was sentenced to be hanged but McArthur commuted his death sentence. These war crimes were disgusting and would of made a Nazi SS guard disposing of Jews at Auschwitz green with envy. The commandant and several others should have been hanged but they were given lenient and puny sentences that did not fit the crime. This was true evil. I was glad to see that at least 11 of the 150 POWs escaped and they were able to kill a half dozen guards or so on the way out. I guess I will just have to settle for this.
This book stands as a tribute to the POWs and the eleven brave men that spoiled the Japanese celebration party that night after the atrocity. I also consider this a testament to how Americans suffer because we were not prepared for war. Let us not allow this to happen again.
I had read Ghost Soldiers and my brother sent me a copy of AS Good As Dead as a gift. Stephen Moore is an incredibly easy read. The book begins with the defense of Bataan and Corregidor and the Bataan Death March. This book is a really nice chronicle of the lives of the POWs on Palawan prior to the barbarous massacre that they were subjected to.
When I started this book I hardly thought that there would be enough of a story to fill 282 pages. Boy was I wrong. It has been a gripping account right up to the time the guards were ordered to barbecue the 150 remaining prisoners by ordering them into one of three air raid shelters and dousing them with aviation fuel before igniting it.
What got to me was how the prison guards laughed and enjoyed it. They would only shoot to wound prisoners or bayonet them in the gut so that they would be disabled enough to burn and torture. How anyone escaped is a miracle. Eleven of the 150 survived and escaped to a Filipino penal colony which was a six hour swim across the bay. Several made the swim across the bay with multiple bullet wounds. One man was bit by a shark half way and he believes he was saved by a school of porpoises. This is incredible. Just incredible!!! Thank God for the Filipino guerillas that were operating in the area that could get the survivors to safety so that they could tell their story.
I was disgusted by the war crimes trials after the war. Not one man directly involved in the massacre or the man that ordered it was sufficiently punished for these war crimes. The commandant of the POW camp was sentenced to be hanged but McArthur commuted his death sentence. These war crimes were disgusting and would of made a Nazi SS guard disposing of Jews at Auschwitz green with envy. The commandant and several others should have been hanged but they were given lenient and puny sentences that did not fit the crime. This was true evil. I was glad to see that at least 11 of the 150 POWs escaped and they were able to kill a half dozen guards or so on the way out. I guess I will just have to settle for this.
This book stands as a tribute to the POWs and the eleven brave men that spoiled the Japanese celebration party that night after the atrocity. I also consider this a testament to how Americans suffer because we were not prepared for war. Let us not allow this to happen again.
November 11, 2016
What a perfect book to read in the week leading up to Veteran’s Day! I must admit, reading books about war is not normally how my taste runs, but after reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, I was willing to try another book along the same lines.
As Good as Dead is a bit different, in that the story follows eleven men who were imprisoned on the Philippine island of Palawan. Because it was not just about one man, it wasn’t as personal, so in the beginning I was not as invested in reading, but once the story progressed, I realized how much more difficult it would be to read if the focus was only on one man. It was a bit confusing to keep all the names straight, but there is a list in the back of the book that could be helpful to readers.
The book follows the experiences of these eleven men from the time that Japanese forces took over the island, up until the men were rescued after escaping certain slaughter by the Japanese soldiers running the prison camp.
I won’t go into the specifics of the Palawan Massacre, but I will say the fact that any man was able to escape and make it to safety is a miracle and a testament to the strong will to live these men exhibited. I was riveted to the accounts of how each man managed to get away--all wounded in the process--and against all odds, keep going until they made it to safety. They were starved and underweight to begin with, but once they escaped, they experienced illness, more starvation and dehydration, in addition to the wounds they received as they escaped.
If not for the Filipino guerrillas who helped them, I don’t think any of them would have made it to safety. The guerrillas were also important to the United States in more ways than just saving these men. They infiltrated the Japanese prison camp to gather information for the Allies that was helpful in taking the island from Japanese control and ending the war in the Pacific.
The book includes maps and photographs and gives a brief account of each survivor’s life after the war. There are also several pages of footnotes at the end of the book.
I appreciate Penguin First to Read for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
As Good as Dead is a bit different, in that the story follows eleven men who were imprisoned on the Philippine island of Palawan. Because it was not just about one man, it wasn’t as personal, so in the beginning I was not as invested in reading, but once the story progressed, I realized how much more difficult it would be to read if the focus was only on one man. It was a bit confusing to keep all the names straight, but there is a list in the back of the book that could be helpful to readers.
The book follows the experiences of these eleven men from the time that Japanese forces took over the island, up until the men were rescued after escaping certain slaughter by the Japanese soldiers running the prison camp.
I won’t go into the specifics of the Palawan Massacre, but I will say the fact that any man was able to escape and make it to safety is a miracle and a testament to the strong will to live these men exhibited. I was riveted to the accounts of how each man managed to get away--all wounded in the process--and against all odds, keep going until they made it to safety. They were starved and underweight to begin with, but once they escaped, they experienced illness, more starvation and dehydration, in addition to the wounds they received as they escaped.
If not for the Filipino guerrillas who helped them, I don’t think any of them would have made it to safety. The guerrillas were also important to the United States in more ways than just saving these men. They infiltrated the Japanese prison camp to gather information for the Allies that was helpful in taking the island from Japanese control and ending the war in the Pacific.
The book includes maps and photographs and gives a brief account of each survivor’s life after the war. There are also several pages of footnotes at the end of the book.
I appreciate Penguin First to Read for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2021
This is a very sad but an amazing book that at times I found was not easy to read. Page after page Stephen Moore describes the worst atrocities inflicted on American POW'S by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII. He wants the reader to know everything that these POW's endured during their incarceration and he has done an excellent job of writing about it. Moore begins the reader off by talking about the capture of the Philippines by Japan, the Bataan death march but its the imprisonment of the Americans that will capture you're attention. This is certainly a graphic story of sheer horror. Yet, it also is a demonstration of the determination, and spirit and will of the eleven who escaped to tell the world. I cannot image how these men endured the treatment the Japanese put them through. Its a tribute to the American spirit and the freedoms we cherish. Its important book that should be read by all.
September 30, 2017
This is an excellent book but very, very difficult to read at times. I cried a lot of tears while reading it. So much fortitude and bravery!! It amazes me what those men went through. It makes me sick to know there are such cruel people in the world, then and now. The Japanese guards tortured and murdered our guys without mercy. They laughed as these men were burning , begging for mercy. And then as they were burning the Japs poked their bayonets in them, for fun, and laughed. Thankfully 11 of the prisoners made it out alive, against all odds so the truth could be told. In doing so they were instrumental in saving POW's from other prison camps. It is my belief that everyone should read this book. We must never, never let these stories be lost.
November 17, 2016
Received through FirstReads...
Many history books, and I find that this is particularly so with military history books, can be dry and lifeless. Not so here, as the author has managed to bring this terrible part of history, and the individuals that were there, to life. It's a page turner, which is not usually true with nonfiction. I appreciate the fact that the author did not try and pad the book by listing every statistic possible, as I really don't need to know the exact measurement of every single thing mentioned (pet peeve). Hard to read at times, as the subject matter is so awful, but well worth it.
Many history books, and I find that this is particularly so with military history books, can be dry and lifeless. Not so here, as the author has managed to bring this terrible part of history, and the individuals that were there, to life. It's a page turner, which is not usually true with nonfiction. I appreciate the fact that the author did not try and pad the book by listing every statistic possible, as I really don't need to know the exact measurement of every single thing mentioned (pet peeve). Hard to read at times, as the subject matter is so awful, but well worth it.
March 30, 2017
This was such an amazing (and true) story. The things these men endured are things no one should ever have to go through. These men are true heros. I loved the story and all the details. The maps helped a lot with the locations, it sometimes got confusing. I think the most confusing part was how many names were tossed around. It took a while to recognize the names and who the men were because there were just so many. But this was a great read. So happy I won this book in a Firstreads giveaway.
January 14, 2017
Terrible conditions and then massacre of the POWs on Island of Palawan, Philippines as WW2 was coming toward a close. Orders to Japanese prison commanders to kill all POWs, by shooting, bayonets and burning alive. Out of 300, eleven escaped and were helped by natives and coast watchers to get off the island of Palawan. Not bedtime reading.
June 16, 2017
Another World War 2 book worth reading, the author does a wonderful job in describing the horrors at one of the prison camps that survivors of the infamous Bataan Death March eventually ended up at. It was quite amazing what the escapees of the prison camp endured in their quest to live and tell about it.
December 3, 2017
I'm a sucker for WWII escape novels. This was one was difficult to get into as I had a hard time keeping track of all the different POWs at the beginning of the story. it began with the capture, Bataan Death March, imprisonment over 2 years of 100's of men. Only in the 2nd half of the book, after the massacre and escape of a few was I able to keep track of names. These men were so brave and courageous, but the story was told very factually. I would have liked more personal information and details. Also, the author hopped around a lot between the different survivors, so at times I didn't know who he was referring to. I feel a different author may have told their amazing story better.
August 1, 2023
This was one of the best PTO books I've read. I've read a ton of WWII books about POW camps, Holocaust, etc, but this is the first one that made me have to put the book down for a few moments. It was pretty intense and some of the things those poor POWs suffered through... just wow.
The book was fast-paced and the story was really well thought out. The survivors of the massacre are heroes and withstood so much physical and mental injury as a result. Such an incredible story.
The book was fast-paced and the story was really well thought out. The survivors of the massacre are heroes and withstood so much physical and mental injury as a result. Such an incredible story.
June 2, 2025
Not particularly well-written but certainly worth it. We focus on the Holocaust and often forget the horrors perpetrated in the Japanese POW camps. Young men who fought for great patriotic reasons were brutalized as captives while Japanese prisoners were treated humanely and not mistreated. Books like this should be required reading in high school history classes. I’m impressed by the bravery of these boys who would even try to swim to safety. I wish our current generation would be so brave.
November 4, 2016
Published: 11/22/2016
Offered: 9/22/2016
Selected
As Good As Dead
Stephen L. Moore
I received Stephen Moore's As Good as Dead from Penguin's First to Read giveaway in exchange for my review. Everyone with an interest in WW2 history in the south pacific knows of the Bataan Death March. Few have heard of the Palawan Massacre in the Philippines. Mr. Moore changes that with eloquence. Well-written, researched and annotated, it is obvious that this book was a labor of love. It is of scholarly quality, and as such, suffered from a lack of individual character development in the first half of the book. There were many POWs introduced with stark and sparse facts, but not enough background information was given about most of them for the reader to develop a bond or make an emotional investment in them. Once the remaining POWs escaped Japanese imprisonment, each of the escapees began to be fleshed out a bit more. I found myself caring deeply about each of those marines, and investing in their struggle. It became a page-turner that I could not put down. The atrocities, that are common to all war, are graphic in description, and as such, difficult and painful to read. The adversity that the marines faced and conquered left me humbled and grateful for the courage and sacrifice of those remarkable men, and for all of the other young men who did not survive. The end of the book wrapped up nicely with information on what each of the survivors went on to accomplish in their already remarkable lives. A terrific read.
Offered: 9/22/2016
Selected
As Good As Dead
Stephen L. Moore
I received Stephen Moore's As Good as Dead from Penguin's First to Read giveaway in exchange for my review. Everyone with an interest in WW2 history in the south pacific knows of the Bataan Death March. Few have heard of the Palawan Massacre in the Philippines. Mr. Moore changes that with eloquence. Well-written, researched and annotated, it is obvious that this book was a labor of love. It is of scholarly quality, and as such, suffered from a lack of individual character development in the first half of the book. There were many POWs introduced with stark and sparse facts, but not enough background information was given about most of them for the reader to develop a bond or make an emotional investment in them. Once the remaining POWs escaped Japanese imprisonment, each of the escapees began to be fleshed out a bit more. I found myself caring deeply about each of those marines, and investing in their struggle. It became a page-turner that I could not put down. The atrocities, that are common to all war, are graphic in description, and as such, difficult and painful to read. The adversity that the marines faced and conquered left me humbled and grateful for the courage and sacrifice of those remarkable men, and for all of the other young men who did not survive. The end of the book wrapped up nicely with information on what each of the survivors went on to accomplish in their already remarkable lives. A terrific read.
June 6, 2017
This was a hard one to read, as the author spared no details on the gruesome war crimes committed against American POWs. He followed so many different men that it was hard to keep track of all the names, but it was obviously well-researched and written in a compelling way that made it difficult to put down. It was also special to read about places in the Philippines (Manila, Corregidor, etc.) that I had visited and read about the unsung heroes among the wonderful Filipino people who helped save the POWs who escaped the massacre, so the "personal connection" and being able to see some of the places in my memory made this even more interesting. Excellently done.
October 28, 2016
I was fortunate to receive Stephen Moore's As Good as Dead from Penguin's First to Read giveaway in exchange for my honest review. This was certainly an emotional, historical account of the POW'S in Japanese occupied Philippines. As well as a good read, this book was also a learning experience. As I began the book, I knew little of the Philippines, Palawan, the other islands in the area and their involvement in WWII. I looked up the islands on maps and was immediately intrigued. I recently read Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. This was somewhat similar, but was very interested regardless. These military men are resilient and are mentally strong, standing up to forces unimaginable to the lay man. I only knew what textbooks taught about WWII and Japanese occupied territories and our POW's, but this book puts names and events into context. The author did such a great job in getting the reader to know and feel for these military men. He added to the respect I already have for them. Throughout my read, I was rooting for our men! Moore wrote a book showing the determination, the strength, the courage the American POW's had to survive. Even faced with the cruelest and most despicable of conditions, these men fought the good fight! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys historical reads!
June 21, 2020
The Philippines At War
I so titled my review, because previously my understanding of the Philippines as a theatre of war was very limited. Also, I had never been aware of the part of the Filipino population and their role. So, the book certainly broadened my understanding! On the other hand, the Japanese are well known for their war crimes, breaking of the Prisoner of War conventions and savagery. What still baffles me, is why they got off so lightly, yet the Germans were made to pay dearly for both individual and group leadership failings. There trials continued for years.
This writer is intent on detail, which sometimes made the story hard-going. If you are interested in weaponry and artillery, almost every last detail is there. I think for the ease of reading, some of that detail could have been in the appendix. Similarly, the individuals details might have been handled. Most, once introduced to us, could have been nick- named eg, Charlie n Bluey and their details printed in full at the end. Again this would have made for faster reading, but also made them more familiar and personable to us.
However, I chalk it up as a worthwhile read, as it's really a part of the war that many of us know little about - certainly not as familiar as Rommel, El Alamein, Auscwitz, Treblinka, Montgomery, Upham, the French Resistance......
I so titled my review, because previously my understanding of the Philippines as a theatre of war was very limited. Also, I had never been aware of the part of the Filipino population and their role. So, the book certainly broadened my understanding! On the other hand, the Japanese are well known for their war crimes, breaking of the Prisoner of War conventions and savagery. What still baffles me, is why they got off so lightly, yet the Germans were made to pay dearly for both individual and group leadership failings. There trials continued for years.
This writer is intent on detail, which sometimes made the story hard-going. If you are interested in weaponry and artillery, almost every last detail is there. I think for the ease of reading, some of that detail could have been in the appendix. Similarly, the individuals details might have been handled. Most, once introduced to us, could have been nick- named eg, Charlie n Bluey and their details printed in full at the end. Again this would have made for faster reading, but also made them more familiar and personable to us.
However, I chalk it up as a worthwhile read, as it's really a part of the war that many of us know little about - certainly not as familiar as Rommel, El Alamein, Auscwitz, Treblinka, Montgomery, Upham, the French Resistance......
September 12, 2022
I honestly did not mean to finish this book in 8 hours. I picked up this book and planned to just read a few lines to see if I would like it. The last WWII I got was a total dud. I picked the book up at around 5pm and read until almost midnight. Not my intention at all, but honestly it was such a gripping read I could not stop reading about the American service men and their plight as POWs to the Japanese. Thanks to the book Unbroken we all know about the Hell our men faced at the hands of our foes, but this books sheds so much more and follows more than just one man, plus it touches on the Filipino resistance that helped saved the precious lives of the few men that managed to escape the Japan work/death camp. But the end of the book the men in the book are not just subjects to read about, thanks to the wonderful guidance and narration of writer Stephen Moore, the men are your comrades. I am so happy I found this book and was sad when I was done reading it. Highly recommended, at times hard to read, but its history and if these men took the time to bravely share the horror, they lived thru we are duty bound to read it.
December 18, 2017
An excellent history of the eleven prisoners of war who - against tremendous odds - survived the massacre by the Japanese who tried to annihilate the entire camp as the Americans closed in on Palawan Island at the close of World War II. Because these few did escape, hundreds of other POWs were rescued by the Allies before those prisoners could be killed. Stephen Moore's book is well researched and documented with extensive footnotes. We meet these men first as they are part of the Bataan march after the fall of the Philippines, then get to know them as they endure years of depredation and cruelty at the hands of the Japanese. As their fellow prisoners are being torched in bomb shelter trenches, a small number manage to leap off a cliff onto the rocks of the beach below. The story of how these men attempt to evade the Japanese who are trying to finish them off is gripping. With the help of the Filipino guerrillas in the jungle, a few are able to eventually return home. These men deserve to be remembered.
August 12, 2022
A pretty light read (in terms of difficulty more than content mind) that I certainly don't regret reading but am also probably not going to recommend to others unless they have specific interest. I think there's some issue with pacing and format as, especially early on, the stories weave in and out so that it can be hard to keep characters and the events they go through straight. This is never fully solved but as the PoW's left at the camp dwindled (or decreased dramatically at points). I did really enjoy the way other elements outside the prisoners and guards are explained and covered such as the coast watchers, submarines, locals, and Philippine resistance fighters as they all play important roles and are covered in a way to understand them and said role.
Overall I did enjoy my time with it but, once again, in many ways I don't consider it remarkable and would only recommend someone read it with some very specific interests.
Overall I did enjoy my time with it but, once again, in many ways I don't consider it remarkable and would only recommend someone read it with some very specific interests.
January 22, 2025
I rarely give a book a five-star rating, but As Good As Dead most surely merits one. The account of the suffering endured by American POWs on the Japanese-occupied Philippine island of Palawan during WWII is interesting, but what elevates the book to the riveting is the chronicle of the 11 dogged escapees from the Dante's Inferno-like internment camp. For all you Great Escape aficionados who read this review, I tell you the stories of their (do or die) flights are every bit as gripping as those of the escapees from Stalag Luft III—you'll be hard-pressed to stop reading the second half of the book. Be prepared to stay up all night if you tackle that section before you go to bed.
A final thought: While the book earns my highest praise, it pales compared to the unbounded admiration I have for the 150 soldiers, sailors and Marines held captive at Palawan, those noble men who fought for our country and never gave up under the most barbaric of conditions. For them, there aren't enough stars in the galaxy I could give.
A final thought: While the book earns my highest praise, it pales compared to the unbounded admiration I have for the 150 soldiers, sailors and Marines held captive at Palawan, those noble men who fought for our country and never gave up under the most barbaric of conditions. For them, there aren't enough stars in the galaxy I could give.
May 10, 2023
Wonderful, harrowing, well-researched memoir of Japanese POWs in the Philippines and the harrowing escape many of them made after a slaughter that left many for dead.
A lot is written about Europe during WW2, so it was a refreshing change to get to hear about the perspective of those who were held by the Japanese instead of the Germans. Their treatment was just as horrific (if not more so) than those in concentration camps, but the same indomitable will to survive continued to buoy the human spirit. The book begins shortly after the initial surrender of the Philippines and goes through their time in captivity, different escape attempts, and finally follows a few brave men who were supposed to be murdered after the Allies began taking back the Pacific.
The narrative is told clearly and quickly and is easy to follow and I appreciated the epilogue at the end where updates were given on each of the men.
A lot is written about Europe during WW2, so it was a refreshing change to get to hear about the perspective of those who were held by the Japanese instead of the Germans. Their treatment was just as horrific (if not more so) than those in concentration camps, but the same indomitable will to survive continued to buoy the human spirit. The book begins shortly after the initial surrender of the Philippines and goes through their time in captivity, different escape attempts, and finally follows a few brave men who were supposed to be murdered after the Allies began taking back the Pacific.
The narrative is told clearly and quickly and is easy to follow and I appreciated the epilogue at the end where updates were given on each of the men.
June 23, 2017
Excellent nonfiction. This book is definitely hard to read. What the Japanese did to our soldiers in the Philippines is totally disgusting. If you think they followed the Geneva convention, think again. I knew that the death camps were horrible BUT just how horrible.....I had no idea! The treatment of the USA prisoners will repulse you. Stephen Moore has also included a few pictures which really hone home the atrocities suffered.
Yes, the book tells the story of the 11 POW's who escaped but I think it more importantly emphasizes the torture that was perpetrated by the Japanese. An Important story that must never be forgotten!
Yes, the book tells the story of the 11 POW's who escaped but I think it more importantly emphasizes the torture that was perpetrated by the Japanese. An Important story that must never be forgotten!
December 23, 2019
I am retired military. I served in Vietnam in the US Marines. I served in Desert Storm in the US Army. In both of these deployments my greatest fear was of being captured. I promised my self that I would never be taken alive. Although it was against the regulations, I carried a personal weapon with which to kill myself if capture was eminent.
The horrors that these men suffered at the hands of the Japanese is despicable. Through out the Japanese conquest of S E Asia they murdered, tortured. and raped without remorse.
This book should be required reading in every college level history class that is taught in the USA and in England.
The horrors that these men suffered at the hands of the Japanese is despicable. Through out the Japanese conquest of S E Asia they murdered, tortured. and raped without remorse.
This book should be required reading in every college level history class that is taught in the USA and in England.
February 2, 2019
The book is about the Palawan Massacre and the eleven POWs who managed to escaped it. It starts with their capture on Bataan and Corregidor. It then records their brutal treatment by the Japanese guards and covers the few who escaped amid the massacre of 139 fellow prisoners. Those eleven go on to be rescued by Philippine guerillas before being liberated. It is unbelievable the conditions they lived under and the injuries they endured to finally reach freedom. There is a nice follow up on each of the survivors to say how their lives played out after the war.
November 17, 2021
Absolutely great book about a group of US Prisoners, held as slave laborers by the Japanese on the Philippine Island of Palawan. It doesn't flinch away from showing the utter brutality of the Japanese soldiers (but do criminals like this deserve the title of soldier?) the bravery of the Filipino's who assisted and aided the Americans in their escapes, at the risk of terrible reprisals. At times uplifting, at times horrifying, nearly always brutal, the ending with the trials of the Japanese responsible angered me. But it is a great book and well worth reading.
June 14, 2023
Terrific account of a terrible massacre and what the prisoners and escapees endured
Little couple of small errors in the books and I got to think that was because of editing but nothing that a normal person would typically catch. It doesn't matter anyway; the book was excellent and I still cannot fathom how these pows were able to survive the early battle, the abuse, the march to the prison camps, starvation and diseases, and then slave labor. It's a testament to they're human strength that as many survived as they did.
Little couple of small errors in the books and I got to think that was because of editing but nothing that a normal person would typically catch. It doesn't matter anyway; the book was excellent and I still cannot fathom how these pows were able to survive the early battle, the abuse, the march to the prison camps, starvation and diseases, and then slave labor. It's a testament to they're human strength that as many survived as they did.
January 3, 2018
Stephen Moore does incredible research for his books. From 'Spadefish' to the film adapted 'Texas Rising', to 'Good as Dead'. It is often hard to read terrible things people will to do to people. It is always inspiring what people will do for people. Moore deftly mixes the terrible with the inspiring in a way that you always remember the heroic; but never forget the horrible things that made heroism necessary.
October 20, 2017
American POW were massacered on Palawan Island by the Japs who had them build their own graves which were shallow bomb shelters. Once in, the Japs doused the shelters with gasoline and set them on fire. As many tried to get out they were shot and bayoneted to death. Some thirty got out and jumped from the cliffs. 11 survived ...... This is their story. I never realized how cruel and inhumane the Japanese were. They make the Muslim extremists of today look good.
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