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Men at War #4
The Fighting Agents
The Philippines, 1943: As the ragged remnants of the American forces stand against the might of the Imperial Japanese Army, a determined cadre of OSS agents becomes their only contact with the outside world-and their only hope for survival.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 26, 2000
213 people are currently reading
868 people want to read
About the author
W.E.B. Griffin
351 books1,301 followersW.E.B. Griffin was one of several pseudonyms for William E. Butterworth III.
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
From the Authors Website:
W.E.B. Griffin was the #1 best-selling author of more than fifty epic novels in seven series, all of which have made The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and other best-seller lists. More than fifty million of the books are in print in more than ten languages, including Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Hungarian.
Mr. Griffin grew up in the suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1946. After basic training, he received counterintelligence training at Fort Holabird, Maryland. He was assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, and ultimately to the staff of then-Major General I.D. White, commander of the U.S. Constabulary.
In 1951, Mr. Griffin was recalled to active duty for the Korean War, interrupting his education at Phillips University, Marburg an der Lahn, Germany. In Korea he earned the Combat Infantry Badge as a combat correspondent and later served as acting X Corps (Group) information officer under Lieutenant General White.
On his release from active duty in 1953, Mr. Griffin was appointed Chief of the Publications Division of the U.S. Army Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
Mr. Griffin was a member of the Special Operations Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Army Aviation Association, the Armor Association, and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society.
He was the 1991 recipient of the Brigadier General Robert L. Dening Memorial Distinguished Service Award of the U.S. Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, and the August 1999 recipient of the Veterans of Foreign Wars News Media Award, presented at the 100th National Convention in Kansas City.
He has been vested into the Order of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and the Order of St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and been awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by Norwich University, the nation’s first and oldest private military college, and by Troy State University (Ala.). He was the graduation dinner speaker for the class of 1988 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He has been awarded honorary membership in the Special Forces Association, the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association, the Marine Raiders Association, and the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association. In January 2003, he was made a life member of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and the State of Delaware.
He was the co-founder, with historian Colonel Carlo D’Este, of the William E. Colby Seminar on Intelligence, Military, and Diplomatic Affairs. (Details here and here)
He was a Life Member of the National Rifle Association. And he belongs to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pensacola, Florida, chapters of the Flat Earth Society.
Mr. Griffin’s novels, known for their historical accuracy, have been praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for their “fierce, stop-for-nothing scenes.”
“Nothing honors me more than a serviceman, veteran, or cop telling me he enjoys reading my books,” Mr. Griffin says.
Mr. Griffin divides his time between the Gulf Coast and Buenos Aires.
Notes:
Other Pseudonyms
* Alex Baldwin
* Webb Beech
* Walker E. Blake
* W.E. Butterworth
* James McM. Douglas
* Eden Hughes
* Edmund O. Scholefield
* Patrick J. Williams
* W. E. Butterworth
* John Kevin Dugan
* Jac
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 28, 2012
Rating: 3.5 afternoon-passing stars of five
The Book Report: Fourth in the series Men at War, this novel takes the factual creation of the Office of Strategic Services by the administration of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt another step on the road towards becoming the American spy service we know and love as the CIA.
My Review: Set laregly in the Phillippine Islands in 1943, this is one of the best military thrillers I've read. Griffin's grasp of WWII history seems to me, admittedly not a professional historian, particularly sharp--he seems to be able to stitch a story to every real event that happened anywhere in the world during his story's extent.
As is usual with Griffin's books, several storylines that don't seem related are made into a tight braid by the end of the book, and characters whose purpose was obscure are suddenly revealed to be central to the *actual* story that these perspectives unite to tell. What in tarnation could a loser in Cairo recruited by the CIA's precursor and a crack agent in Budapest, whose job is to prevent Nazi interrogators from torturing information out of prisoners he knows even if it means killing them himself, have to do with a -- well, unconventional, let's say -- guerrilla commander in the Phillippines?
Telling would be spoilering. Read it and find out. Griffin, a talented writer of some eighty summers (b. 1929), is still writing! Give his stuff a try. Even the military-fiction-phobic could find a thriller or two to enjoy.
The Book Report: Fourth in the series Men at War, this novel takes the factual creation of the Office of Strategic Services by the administration of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt another step on the road towards becoming the American spy service we know and love as the CIA.
My Review: Set laregly in the Phillippine Islands in 1943, this is one of the best military thrillers I've read. Griffin's grasp of WWII history seems to me, admittedly not a professional historian, particularly sharp--he seems to be able to stitch a story to every real event that happened anywhere in the world during his story's extent.
As is usual with Griffin's books, several storylines that don't seem related are made into a tight braid by the end of the book, and characters whose purpose was obscure are suddenly revealed to be central to the *actual* story that these perspectives unite to tell. What in tarnation could a loser in Cairo recruited by the CIA's precursor and a crack agent in Budapest, whose job is to prevent Nazi interrogators from torturing information out of prisoners he knows even if it means killing them himself, have to do with a -- well, unconventional, let's say -- guerrilla commander in the Phillippines?
Telling would be spoilering. Read it and find out. Griffin, a talented writer of some eighty summers (b. 1929), is still writing! Give his stuff a try. Even the military-fiction-phobic could find a thriller or two to enjoy.
March 12, 2022
The Fighting Agents by W.E.B. Griffin is another great fun book to read. I have read everything by this author several times over and will continue doing so as long as I can read. This is the fourth of so far seven books in this series and later this year there will be a brand new one in stores. That is the reason for me rereading Men at War this time, apart from them being great. The fun fact about this book is that Griffin actaully knew Fertig and he also knew but didn't know the person who went ashore to supply him. When he found out the book was already written and that person no longer alive.
October 27, 2013
Over the years I have read most of W.E.B. Griffin’s books. Now they are coming out in audio form I have gone back and checked my records for the ones I had missed reading. This book is one of them. Unlike some of the other series this one is about spies primarily the OSS. It is best to read the series in order; this is the fourth in the series. This book has two main plots going on, one with James Whittaker who is being sent to the Philippines to meet with General Wendell Fertig. He is a Lt Colonel that promoted himself to General to unite all the wandering U.S. and Philippino Army members that had fled into the jungle from the Japanese. He managed to gather 30,000 + men to fight as a guerrilla army against the Japanese. General MacArthur refused to recognize him so Donovan’s OSS went in to help supply him.
The other plot was with Canidy and his group bringing nuclear scientist out of Germany. In this particular case they were coming out via Hungry but Eric Fulmar and his scientist were caught for being Black marketers and sentenced to 90 days hard work in a coal mine. Canidy set up a rescue before the SS discovered who they were. The book has lots of action, suspense, some humor. Scott Brick was great narrating the book. If you are into military historical fiction you will enjoy this book. I was particularly interested in the author’s comments at the end of the book. Will not tell you, you must read the book to find out.
The other plot was with Canidy and his group bringing nuclear scientist out of Germany. In this particular case they were coming out via Hungry but Eric Fulmar and his scientist were caught for being Black marketers and sentenced to 90 days hard work in a coal mine. Canidy set up a rescue before the SS discovered who they were. The book has lots of action, suspense, some humor. Scott Brick was great narrating the book. If you are into military historical fiction you will enjoy this book. I was particularly interested in the author’s comments at the end of the book. Will not tell you, you must read the book to find out.
August 30, 2020
Well, it turns out that there are five books in this series, and I'm already off on the fifth. If you like military fiction this is the absolute best there is. Griffin's writing is so detailed and so accurate, his characterizations so full and resonant, that, for a time, you feel like you're living their lives. They lead very exciting lives. I have never read anything by WEB Griffin that did not receive my highest recommendation. Pick up the first book in this, or any other of his series, and don't plan on doing much else until you finish the last.
April 8, 2018
Just okay.
January 3, 2018
Griffin mines valuable veins of World War II history to produce some of the most interesting and exciting stories of that era. "Fighting Agents" is the fourth title in his Men of War Series. The series is set in the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor of the CIA.
Each of his series follows a growing cast of characters through and often beyond WWII while tracing the development of the actual history of the war. This volume follows form, using two themes: the development of the atomic bomb, and the creation of a guerilla fighting force in the Philippines after the surrender of the bulk of American forces there in 1942. Both stories are captivating page turners as we follow the extraction of a German scientist and his daughter across occupied Eastern Europe and the effort to supply General Fertig's American remnants and local fighters with arms, ammunition, secure communications, medicine and money in Japanese occupied Mindan0 Island.
We are made privy to ongoing actions in OSS Washington, DC headquarters and covert facilities, as well as in OSS overseas offices in London and Cairo. FDR, Donovan, MacArthur, Fertig and other names from history play roles in these stories just as they did in reality.
Griffin maintains testosterone fueled action in the field and in the bedroom (or other convenient trysting place), a hallmark of his writing. This is my favorite book in this series, as the fullness and complexity of the various plot lines grow.
Each of his series follows a growing cast of characters through and often beyond WWII while tracing the development of the actual history of the war. This volume follows form, using two themes: the development of the atomic bomb, and the creation of a guerilla fighting force in the Philippines after the surrender of the bulk of American forces there in 1942. Both stories are captivating page turners as we follow the extraction of a German scientist and his daughter across occupied Eastern Europe and the effort to supply General Fertig's American remnants and local fighters with arms, ammunition, secure communications, medicine and money in Japanese occupied Mindan0 Island.
We are made privy to ongoing actions in OSS Washington, DC headquarters and covert facilities, as well as in OSS overseas offices in London and Cairo. FDR, Donovan, MacArthur, Fertig and other names from history play roles in these stories just as they did in reality.
Griffin maintains testosterone fueled action in the field and in the bedroom (or other convenient trysting place), a hallmark of his writing. This is my favorite book in this series, as the fullness and complexity of the various plot lines grow.
November 9, 2017
Another highly readable book from W.E.B. Griffin, this one in an early series of his (originally written under a pseudonym) about the OSS in WWII. These wartime series of Griffin combine historical accuracy, interesting characters and a lot of action, making them a great pleasure to read. This one involves activities in the Philippines and on the other side of the world in Hungary. Watching the characters work their way through the difficulties encountered along the way is always worthwhile. These series should be read in order, since the characters are continued throughout each series. It won't be long before I tackle the next in the series.
October 9, 2022
W.E.B. Griffin is an authoritarian of War time tactics, procedures and military history. With all respect to his knowledge, I couldn't stay involved in THE FIGHTING AGENTS. The duel plotted fact based story from WWII, seemed fragmented at times, bouncing from one to the next using military terms I respect but am not familiar with. A big fan of military history, I'll have to give Griffin another opportunity in the future.
January 5, 2025
The next book in the series was a good one. As I pointed out from book 3, there was a duplication of chapters that I can't help but wonder if I would have caught had I not been reading the series from start to finish.
The characters keep growing and getting more relatable, which is great.
I'm not going to say a lot because I love this series and am enjoying going through it one after the after.
Recommended leisure reading that really calls to my retired military heart.
The characters keep growing and getting more relatable, which is great.
I'm not going to say a lot because I love this series and am enjoying going through it one after the after.
Recommended leisure reading that really calls to my retired military heart.
July 13, 2021
Griffin writes a strong tale, with characters you like and care about--lots of them. This book has two basic plot lines, each on a different part of the globe. Author brings both home in the end. While the reader must pay attention to which plot line, the stories are believable and fun. I keep wondering when Joe Kennedy is to be killed off???
June 13, 2020
I liked this book a lot. Book was about WW2 and it read of places all over the world and many people. In fact it had too many people and was hard to keep that many straight and they were in many places.
December 7, 2022
The story just keeps getting better and better.
For one who is fond of a good story steeped in WWII history, this is a great series. Exciting, historically accurate, and with just enough sauciness to keep it interesting. Join the "Men at War" series at book one and come along for the ride.
For one who is fond of a good story steeped in WWII history, this is a great series. Exciting, historically accurate, and with just enough sauciness to keep it interesting. Join the "Men at War" series at book one and come along for the ride.
December 28, 2025
Secret squirrel spy action from WWII. So - near the end of WWII, secret US agents go on secret missions in both Europe and Asia. It's almost exciting. It's a little intriguing. It's kind of cool reading about WWII fiction action military. Think of it as a change up; a pallet cleanser if you will.
August 29, 2018
Another great WEB book. Lots of multiple stories going on with all the favorite characters. Well done
November 2, 2018
Very entertaining!
October 19, 2019
As always a page turner
W.E.B. Griffin never disappoints. The characters are highly developed and the history is accurate with a great story for support.
W.E.B. Griffin never disappoints. The characters are highly developed and the history is accurate with a great story for support.
May 21, 2020
An awful lot of characters introduced, but a really good read just the same.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
August 7, 2020
I greatly enjoy this series, as I have all of this author’s books.
October 2, 2020
I always love these books. I love the way Griffin weaves his story lines together and can keep two separate stories going. All the characters work so well together.
August 30, 2021
War stories told with facts.
Griffin is able to tell war stories with facts that will bear out and make it like a history lesson of WW11 battles.
Griffin is able to tell war stories with facts that will bear out and make it like a history lesson of WW11 battles.
Read
February 15, 2022For some reason I did not find this book as good as the W.E.B. Griffin books that I have read.
October 1, 2022
Loved it
May 15, 2023
Good to read another Griffin book.
July 27, 2023
Great Yarn
The Dick Cannidy series tell the story of the OSS and the unknown people that helped win WWII. Check it out.
The Dick Cannidy series tell the story of the OSS and the unknown people that helped win WWII. Check it out.
January 6, 2026
The closing chapters had me engaged but I found the first half or more to laborious reading. There were several central characters and OSS missions to follow. The afterword was interesting.
October 3, 2020
This applies to ALL W.E.B. Griffin's (at al.) books in this series. Griffin write a strong tale, with the most important element in a good story: characters you like and care about. Of course, that doesn't minimize the importance of a plausible story, particularly when dealing with fiction in historical events. Griffin is a past master at this, and his books never disappoint! I particularly enjoy snippets of apparently un-well known historical surmises/guesses/facts that are included to give his books a very nice flavor!
September 20, 2022
I always find it interesting and fascinating how Mr. Griffin takes these missions and has them barely squeak by on a razor thin margin of luck, initiative and last minute cobbled together plans. It always leaves you wanting more. While much of the Fertig / Philippines story is a repeat from another novel, Mr. Griffin gives a concise explanation of why he chose to do that with an author's note at the end of this novel.
October 30, 2011
This deserves three and a half stars. It was, plotwise, a vast improvement over the first couple books. As one would expect, there is espionage and things don't always go smoothly, which makes for a much more interesting read. Another pleasant break from schoolwork. Sooner or later I'll get around to tracking down book 5 and continue on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews