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American Guerrilla: The Forgotten Heroics of Russell W. Volckmann—the Man Who Escaped from Bataan, Raised a Filipino Army against the Japanese, and Became the True "Father" of Army Special Forces
A main selection of the Military Book Club and a selection of the History Book Club
With his parting words, “I shall return,” General Douglas MacArthur sealed the fate of the last American forces on Bataan. Yet one young Army Captain named Russell Volckmann refused to surrender. He disappeared into the jungles of north Luzon where he raised a Filipino army of more than 22,000 men. For the next three years he led a guerrilla war against the Japanese, killing more than 50,000 enemy soldiers. At the same time he established radio contact with MacArthur’s headquarters in Australia and directed Allied forces to key enemy positions. When General Yamashita finally surrendered, he made his initial overtures not to MacArthur, but to Volckmann.
This book establishes how Volckmann’s leadership was critical to the outcome of the war in the Philippines. His ability to synthesize the realities and potential of guerrilla warfare led to a campaign that rendered Yamashita’s forces incapable of repelling the Allied invasion. Had it not been for Volckmann, the Americans would have gone in “blind” during their counter-invasion, reducing their efforts to a trial-and-error campaign that would undoubtedly have cost more lives, materiel, and potentially stalled the pace of the entire Pacific War.
Second, this book establishes Volckmann as the progenitor of modern counterinsurgency doctrine and the true “Father” of Army Special Forces—a title that history has erroneously awarded to Colonel Aaron Bank of the European Theater of Operations. In 1950, Volckmann wrote two army field manuals: Operations Against Guerrilla Forces and Organization and Conduct of Guerrilla Warfare, though today few realize he was their author. Together, they became the US Army’s first handbooks outlining the precepts for both special warfare and counter-guerrilla operations. Taking his argument directly to the army chief of staff, Volckmann outlined the concept for Army Special Forces. At a time when US military doctrine was conventional in outlook, he marketed the ideas of guerrilla warfare as a critical force multiplier for any future conflict, ultimately securing the establishment of the Army’s first special operations unit—the 10th Special Forces Group.
Volckmann himself remains a shadowy figure in modern military history, his name absent from every major biography on MacArthur, and in much of the Army Special Forces literature. Yet as modest, even secretive, as Volckmann was during his career, it is difficult to imagine a man whose heroic initiative had more impact on World War II. This long overdue book not only chronicles the dramatic military exploits of Russell Volckmann, but analyzes how his leadership paved the way for modern special warfare doctrine.
Mike Guardia, currently an officer in the US 1st Armored Division is also author of Shadow Commander, about the career of Donald Blackburn, and an upcoming biography of Hal Moore.
With his parting words, “I shall return,” General Douglas MacArthur sealed the fate of the last American forces on Bataan. Yet one young Army Captain named Russell Volckmann refused to surrender. He disappeared into the jungles of north Luzon where he raised a Filipino army of more than 22,000 men. For the next three years he led a guerrilla war against the Japanese, killing more than 50,000 enemy soldiers. At the same time he established radio contact with MacArthur’s headquarters in Australia and directed Allied forces to key enemy positions. When General Yamashita finally surrendered, he made his initial overtures not to MacArthur, but to Volckmann.
This book establishes how Volckmann’s leadership was critical to the outcome of the war in the Philippines. His ability to synthesize the realities and potential of guerrilla warfare led to a campaign that rendered Yamashita’s forces incapable of repelling the Allied invasion. Had it not been for Volckmann, the Americans would have gone in “blind” during their counter-invasion, reducing their efforts to a trial-and-error campaign that would undoubtedly have cost more lives, materiel, and potentially stalled the pace of the entire Pacific War.
Second, this book establishes Volckmann as the progenitor of modern counterinsurgency doctrine and the true “Father” of Army Special Forces—a title that history has erroneously awarded to Colonel Aaron Bank of the European Theater of Operations. In 1950, Volckmann wrote two army field manuals: Operations Against Guerrilla Forces and Organization and Conduct of Guerrilla Warfare, though today few realize he was their author. Together, they became the US Army’s first handbooks outlining the precepts for both special warfare and counter-guerrilla operations. Taking his argument directly to the army chief of staff, Volckmann outlined the concept for Army Special Forces. At a time when US military doctrine was conventional in outlook, he marketed the ideas of guerrilla warfare as a critical force multiplier for any future conflict, ultimately securing the establishment of the Army’s first special operations unit—the 10th Special Forces Group.
Volckmann himself remains a shadowy figure in modern military history, his name absent from every major biography on MacArthur, and in much of the Army Special Forces literature. Yet as modest, even secretive, as Volckmann was during his career, it is difficult to imagine a man whose heroic initiative had more impact on World War II. This long overdue book not only chronicles the dramatic military exploits of Russell Volckmann, but analyzes how his leadership paved the way for modern special warfare doctrine.
Mike Guardia, currently an officer in the US 1st Armored Division is also author of Shadow Commander, about the career of Donald Blackburn, and an upcoming biography of Hal Moore.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
417 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Mike Guardia
31 books120 followersMike Guardia is an internationally recognized author and military historian. A veteran of the United States Army, he served six years on active duty as an Armor Officer. He is the author of the widely-acclaimed "Hal Moore: A Soldier Once...and Always," the first-ever biography chronicling the life of LTG Harold G. Moore, whose battlefield leadership was popularized by the film "We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member of the Military Writers Society of America.
As a speaker, he hosts the lecture series "Hal Moore: Lessons in Leadership," which is available for presentation at schools, businesses, and civic organizations worldwide. Mike Guardia has given presentations at the US Special Operations Command and the International Spy Museum. His work has been reviewed in the Washington Times, Armchair General, ARMY Magazine, DefenceWeb South Africa, and Miniature Wargames UK.
He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Texas.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member of the Military Writers Society of America.
As a speaker, he hosts the lecture series "Hal Moore: Lessons in Leadership," which is available for presentation at schools, businesses, and civic organizations worldwide. Mike Guardia has given presentations at the US Special Operations Command and the International Spy Museum. His work has been reviewed in the Washington Times, Armchair General, ARMY Magazine, DefenceWeb South Africa, and Miniature Wargames UK.
He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 4, 2021
A must read for anyone affiliated with Special Forces. Volckman, maybe more so than Aaron Banks, can be considered the doctrinal father of current Special Forces. Along with Never So Few, this book covers the real way a guerilla war is conducted. Highly recommended.
October 17, 2013
Informative, but really dry. History is much more than just a sequence of events, and there isn't much of a human element here. I didn't finish it.
January 13, 2025
This book reads like a history dissertation with the author's clearly-stated hypothesis of Volckmann as the father of the Special Forces. I was impressed with the amount of detail Mr. Guardia was able to provide regarding Volckmann's activities on Luzon during WWII.
November 21, 2018
A little known American who is the actual father of the Special Forces and who help pioneer the guerrilla warfare with two US Army Manuals.
February 28, 2024
While I’d hoped for more details on tactical engagements, this volume filled a niche in describing the formation, decision making and strategic/operational level engagements between guerrilla forces and the Japanese army in the Philippines.
December 3, 2025
Douglas MacArthur was not the hero of the Philippines. This man was.
For most Americans, the enduring image of World War II in the Philippines is the iconic shot of General Douglas MacArthur wading onto the shore of Leyte Island on October 20, 1944. The photo was posed, part of the general’s public relations campaign to grab headlines at home. But MacArthur was anything but the hero of the Philippines.
In fact, he was responsible for the devastating loss of the Far East Air Force on the ground at Clark Air Base. MacArthur had refused to believe reports that Japanese forces would attack so soon. And he had ordered his forces to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. The Japanese easily captured them there and sent them on the infamous Bataan Death March. But one man did make a decisive difference in the Allied victory in the islands. And former Army officer Mike Guardia tells his story in American Guerrilla.
Russell Volckmann was one of many who set out to resist the Japanese
The long, ungainly subtitle of American Guerrilla tells the story in a nutshell. Russell W. Volckmann (1911-82), a West Point graduate and then a US Army captain, defied orders to surrender at Bataan. Instead, he followed the lead of another officer and escaped into the jungle. There, as he made his way inland, he encountered other American soldiers, expatriates, and much larger numbers of former soldiers of the Philippine army as well as former police officers.
Many of them had mounted guerrilla efforts of their own to resist the Japanese occupation. But Volckmann set out to build a guerrilla force that might make a strategic difference. He headed for the rugged mountains of north Luzon. It took him months to reach the strategically central region, where the nation’s rich mines were located. And Volckmann resolved to recapture those mines from the Japanese—and destroy a Japanese army in the process.
Teaming up with Philippine soldiers, police officers, fierce tribesman, and Communist guerrillas
After months of trekking through the jungle, and near-death experiences with dysentery, beriberi, and malaria, Volckmann reached his destination in the north. There he set out to negotiate with other officers, both American and Philippine, to join him in a concerted effort to prepare the ground for MacArthur’s return to the islands. And, rejecting warnings to avoid contact with the fierce mountain tribes, he enlisted large numbers of them as well as the support of the Hukbalahap Communist guerrillas. It took two years, but eventually Volckmann, now a major, recruited and trained a formidable guerrilla force. They numbered 22,000 at war’s end.
When MacArthur did at length return, as promised, Volckmann orchestrated the effort to dismantle the Japanese 14th Army that occupied northern Luzon. The general, and many other senior officers, credited him with the decisive leadership that enabled an easy landing for the 100,000 troops who returned with MacArthur.
Meanwhile, most of the other Americans engaged in guerrilla efforts in Luzon had done poorly. Most had been captured and executed by the Japanese. The few who persisted in the fight claimed minor victories on the whole—the argumentative books and articles that surface online today notwithstanding. They were brave men, many of them good soldiers. But whatever they accomplished was peripheral to the Allied victory.
Was Russell Volckmann really the “father” of Army Special Forces?
Guardia’s subtitle describes Russell Volckmann as “the True ‘Father’ of Army Special Forces.” The reference is confusing to anyone familiar with the history of the US Army Rangers, who had come into existence in 1942 and played a critical role on D-Day. After all, Rangers are special forces, aren’t they? But it turns out that the Army distinguishes between two categories of special forces. Google’s AI summary offers the best explanation I’ve found:
Army Rangers and Army Special Forces (Green Berets) are distinct elite units within the U.S. Army with different primary missions: Rangers are a high-intensity light infantry force specializing in direct action raids and rapid deployment, while Green Berets are unconventional warfare specialists focused on training indigenous forces, foreign internal defense, and complex, long-duration missions. Rangers provide a fast and decisive “shock troop” capability, while Green Berets offer a more strategic and culturally-oriented approach, often operating behind enemy lines for extended periods.
Both Rangers and Green Berets are housed within the Army’s Special Operations Command (founded 1987), which further confuses the issue. But Guardia’s claim is technically valid. He goes to great lengths to substantiate it in the closing chapters of American Guerrilla. In significant ways, Russell Volckmann’s operations in World War II, and the two official US Army field manuals he wrote after the war, provided the basis for the Green Berets that came into existence in 1952.
A useful source for World War II buffs but poorly written
If you love to read books about World War II and want to dig down among the weeds, then you might enjoy American Guerrilla. But if you’re looking for a book about an American hero, or an introduction into the war in the Philippines, forget it. Guardia’s book is deeply flawed. He commits repeated grammatical errors which any well educated person will likely find intrusive. Often, his word choice is awkward, even embarrassingly so. And he has the boneheaded habit of attempting to disguise his all-too-frequent use of clichés by enclosing them within quotation marks (“to-to-toe,” “ace in the hole,” “eyes on the ground”). If you’re a casual reader, stay away from American Guerrilla.
About the author
Mike Guardia is also the author of the book popularized by the film We Were Soldiers, starring Mel Gibson. He is a veteran of the United States Army who served six years on active duty as an armor officer. According to his bio on Amazon, “He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Book Award and was named Author of the Year in 2021 by the Military Writers Society of America. . . He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Minnesota.”
For most Americans, the enduring image of World War II in the Philippines is the iconic shot of General Douglas MacArthur wading onto the shore of Leyte Island on October 20, 1944. The photo was posed, part of the general’s public relations campaign to grab headlines at home. But MacArthur was anything but the hero of the Philippines.
In fact, he was responsible for the devastating loss of the Far East Air Force on the ground at Clark Air Base. MacArthur had refused to believe reports that Japanese forces would attack so soon. And he had ordered his forces to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. The Japanese easily captured them there and sent them on the infamous Bataan Death March. But one man did make a decisive difference in the Allied victory in the islands. And former Army officer Mike Guardia tells his story in American Guerrilla.
Russell Volckmann was one of many who set out to resist the Japanese
The long, ungainly subtitle of American Guerrilla tells the story in a nutshell. Russell W. Volckmann (1911-82), a West Point graduate and then a US Army captain, defied orders to surrender at Bataan. Instead, he followed the lead of another officer and escaped into the jungle. There, as he made his way inland, he encountered other American soldiers, expatriates, and much larger numbers of former soldiers of the Philippine army as well as former police officers.
Many of them had mounted guerrilla efforts of their own to resist the Japanese occupation. But Volckmann set out to build a guerrilla force that might make a strategic difference. He headed for the rugged mountains of north Luzon. It took him months to reach the strategically central region, where the nation’s rich mines were located. And Volckmann resolved to recapture those mines from the Japanese—and destroy a Japanese army in the process.
Teaming up with Philippine soldiers, police officers, fierce tribesman, and Communist guerrillas
After months of trekking through the jungle, and near-death experiences with dysentery, beriberi, and malaria, Volckmann reached his destination in the north. There he set out to negotiate with other officers, both American and Philippine, to join him in a concerted effort to prepare the ground for MacArthur’s return to the islands. And, rejecting warnings to avoid contact with the fierce mountain tribes, he enlisted large numbers of them as well as the support of the Hukbalahap Communist guerrillas. It took two years, but eventually Volckmann, now a major, recruited and trained a formidable guerrilla force. They numbered 22,000 at war’s end.
When MacArthur did at length return, as promised, Volckmann orchestrated the effort to dismantle the Japanese 14th Army that occupied northern Luzon. The general, and many other senior officers, credited him with the decisive leadership that enabled an easy landing for the 100,000 troops who returned with MacArthur.
Meanwhile, most of the other Americans engaged in guerrilla efforts in Luzon had done poorly. Most had been captured and executed by the Japanese. The few who persisted in the fight claimed minor victories on the whole—the argumentative books and articles that surface online today notwithstanding. They were brave men, many of them good soldiers. But whatever they accomplished was peripheral to the Allied victory.
Was Russell Volckmann really the “father” of Army Special Forces?
Guardia’s subtitle describes Russell Volckmann as “the True ‘Father’ of Army Special Forces.” The reference is confusing to anyone familiar with the history of the US Army Rangers, who had come into existence in 1942 and played a critical role on D-Day. After all, Rangers are special forces, aren’t they? But it turns out that the Army distinguishes between two categories of special forces. Google’s AI summary offers the best explanation I’ve found:
Army Rangers and Army Special Forces (Green Berets) are distinct elite units within the U.S. Army with different primary missions: Rangers are a high-intensity light infantry force specializing in direct action raids and rapid deployment, while Green Berets are unconventional warfare specialists focused on training indigenous forces, foreign internal defense, and complex, long-duration missions. Rangers provide a fast and decisive “shock troop” capability, while Green Berets offer a more strategic and culturally-oriented approach, often operating behind enemy lines for extended periods.
Both Rangers and Green Berets are housed within the Army’s Special Operations Command (founded 1987), which further confuses the issue. But Guardia’s claim is technically valid. He goes to great lengths to substantiate it in the closing chapters of American Guerrilla. In significant ways, Russell Volckmann’s operations in World War II, and the two official US Army field manuals he wrote after the war, provided the basis for the Green Berets that came into existence in 1952.
A useful source for World War II buffs but poorly written
If you love to read books about World War II and want to dig down among the weeds, then you might enjoy American Guerrilla. But if you’re looking for a book about an American hero, or an introduction into the war in the Philippines, forget it. Guardia’s book is deeply flawed. He commits repeated grammatical errors which any well educated person will likely find intrusive. Often, his word choice is awkward, even embarrassingly so. And he has the boneheaded habit of attempting to disguise his all-too-frequent use of clichés by enclosing them within quotation marks (“to-to-toe,” “ace in the hole,” “eyes on the ground”). If you’re a casual reader, stay away from American Guerrilla.
About the author
Mike Guardia is also the author of the book popularized by the film We Were Soldiers, starring Mel Gibson. He is a veteran of the United States Army who served six years on active duty as an armor officer. According to his bio on Amazon, “He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Book Award and was named Author of the Year in 2021 by the Military Writers Society of America. . . He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Minnesota.”
January 1, 2021
Guardia makes a great case for the importance of Volckmann - partly for his role as a guerilla leader in the Philippines during WW2 and for partly for his role in shaping and developing US Special Forces.
Guardia provides us with an overview of Volckmann's life and walks us through his pre-WW2 military career, his time with MacArthur's army battling against the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, Volckmann's decision to flee rather than surrender at Bataan, his escape, his guerilla leadership, and critically - Volckmann's role in shaping US Special Forces doctrine and tactics post-WW2.
There are some draw backs to this book. In any book, the author serves as our guide, and I think Guardia's retelling of events is not always the most clear and easy to follow. Volckmann's time as a guerilla leader is one of the most important parts of the book, and I think one thing that would help is a description of some of the guerilla actions. I recognize that a retelling of the guerilla campaign would represent another book, but having a few descriptions of guerilla actions would enliven the book - it often feels (at least to me) like Guardia's description made it sound like Volckmann set up an org chart and a communications network, but there is so much more to this story.
I'm glad I had this chance to learn more about Volckmann, and it left me looking to learn more.
Guardia provides us with an overview of Volckmann's life and walks us through his pre-WW2 military career, his time with MacArthur's army battling against the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, Volckmann's decision to flee rather than surrender at Bataan, his escape, his guerilla leadership, and critically - Volckmann's role in shaping US Special Forces doctrine and tactics post-WW2.
There are some draw backs to this book. In any book, the author serves as our guide, and I think Guardia's retelling of events is not always the most clear and easy to follow. Volckmann's time as a guerilla leader is one of the most important parts of the book, and I think one thing that would help is a description of some of the guerilla actions. I recognize that a retelling of the guerilla campaign would represent another book, but having a few descriptions of guerilla actions would enliven the book - it often feels (at least to me) like Guardia's description made it sound like Volckmann set up an org chart and a communications network, but there is so much more to this story.
I'm glad I had this chance to learn more about Volckmann, and it left me looking to learn more.
June 9, 2025
Volckmann’s leadership was critical to the outcome of the war in the Philippines. His ability to see the realities and potential of guerrilla warfare led to a campaign that rendered Yamashita’s forces incapable of repelling the Allied invasion. When General Yamashita finally surrendered, he made his initial overtures not to MacArthur, but to Volckmann.
This book establishes Volckmann as the originator of modern counterinsurgency doctrine and the true “Father” of Army Special Forces.
Volckmann wrote two Army field manuals: Operations Against Guerrilla Forces and Organization and Conduct of Guerrilla Warfare, though today few realize he was their author. Together, they became the Army’s first handbooks outlining the precepts for both special warfare and counter-guerrilla operations.
This book establishes Volckmann as the originator of modern counterinsurgency doctrine and the true “Father” of Army Special Forces.
Volckmann wrote two Army field manuals: Operations Against Guerrilla Forces and Organization and Conduct of Guerrilla Warfare, though today few realize he was their author. Together, they became the Army’s first handbooks outlining the precepts for both special warfare and counter-guerrilla operations.
October 14, 2021
Good read but over simplified
Worth reading and very much a page turner but after Volckmann's switch to guerrilla fighter I felt that the descriptions of his exploits were presented as being accomplished much easier than what it must have taken in reality. Maybe limited by the desired length of the book, it would have been nice from my perspective to get an even more clear understanding of how Volckmann felt, what he thought, just how concerned or afraid he was or was not when making the decisions that he did. I enjoyed the book very much but would have enjoyed it more if I felt like I was just a little bit more inside Volckmann's head.
Worth reading and very much a page turner but after Volckmann's switch to guerrilla fighter I felt that the descriptions of his exploits were presented as being accomplished much easier than what it must have taken in reality. Maybe limited by the desired length of the book, it would have been nice from my perspective to get an even more clear understanding of how Volckmann felt, what he thought, just how concerned or afraid he was or was not when making the decisions that he did. I enjoyed the book very much but would have enjoyed it more if I felt like I was just a little bit more inside Volckmann's head.
June 18, 2024
historical account of the man who became the father of special forces
Interesting book about a time when America was drawn into a pacific war, for which we were not prepared to fight. Russell Volckmann , a true American hero escaped the Japanese invasion of Bataan and went on to raise a guerrilla force in the mountains of Luzon. This book shows the tragic side of war, be it the occupation by the Japanese and their atrocities or the summarily execution of suspected spies or collaborators. I highly recommend this book.
Interesting book about a time when America was drawn into a pacific war, for which we were not prepared to fight. Russell Volckmann , a true American hero escaped the Japanese invasion of Bataan and went on to raise a guerrilla force in the mountains of Luzon. This book shows the tragic side of war, be it the occupation by the Japanese and their atrocities or the summarily execution of suspected spies or collaborators. I highly recommend this book.
August 4, 2017
Good overview
Excellent overview of Volkmann's resistance in the Philippines and his importance to US Army Unconventional warfare and the begging of US Special Forces. I wished for more details but writing a story from notes and military logs leaves a lot to be desired when writing such a book. Still this book gives insight into the strategies used and the difficulties faced during such an endeavor. Hard times make great people.
Excellent overview of Volkmann's resistance in the Philippines and his importance to US Army Unconventional warfare and the begging of US Special Forces. I wished for more details but writing a story from notes and military logs leaves a lot to be desired when writing such a book. Still this book gives insight into the strategies used and the difficulties faced during such an endeavor. Hard times make great people.
October 19, 2019
What a fantastic book!!! I've been in Special Forces since 1979 and wanted to be in it since 1968 when I was in grade school. This man was basically unknown to me yet should have been because of the influence he had in creating the modern era of Special Forces. The book and the man are incredible and far exceeded all possible expectations. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
November 22, 2021
American Guerrilla The forgotten heroics of Russell W. Volckmann
This is a historical account of a West Point graduate that changes the course of World War II and saved the Philippines from Japanese domination and Communist rule. The book describes how one man with vision and for thought gave birth to the Army Special Forces. An excellent book to read!
This is a historical account of a West Point graduate that changes the course of World War II and saved the Philippines from Japanese domination and Communist rule. The book describes how one man with vision and for thought gave birth to the Army Special Forces. An excellent book to read!
October 11, 2020
Insightful read
Integral to understanding the efforts that were undertaken in the irregular efforts in the Philippines, this creates a unique look at what was required for a successful operation.
Integral to understanding the efforts that were undertaken in the irregular efforts in the Philippines, this creates a unique look at what was required for a successful operation.
October 24, 2020
Not a tremendously long book, this book does do an excellent job of covering the actions of Captain (and eventually General) Russell W. Volkmann in waging guerrilla warfare against the Japanese in Northern Luzon and his role in the eventual establishment of the US Army Special Forces. Well done.
September 10, 2021
Incredible
History repeats itself. “Savages” have been using guerrilla tactics since the first two fell brawling from a tree. Volckmann reinvents the wheel and has to practically bludgeon the establishment into recognizing what is patently obvious.
History repeats itself. “Savages” have been using guerrilla tactics since the first two fell brawling from a tree. Volckmann reinvents the wheel and has to practically bludgeon the establishment into recognizing what is patently obvious.
March 5, 2022
A Good Military History novel
While well written for fans of military history, is was too full of military jargon and Acronyms for me. But, it did shed a light on who was really responsible for the successful guerrilla warfare in the Philippines.
While well written for fans of military history, is was too full of military jargon and Acronyms for me. But, it did shed a light on who was really responsible for the successful guerrilla warfare in the Philippines.
April 4, 2024
Having lived in the Philippines for 10 years and visiting the most famous sites of the war made this book come alive for me. It’s a good story in the beginning but then gets into more details about development of unconventional warfare at the end.
November 9, 2020
A hero’s tale
Wow! Now this is a story that validates the name given to that generation- The Greatest Generation. A very good read.
Wow! Now this is a story that validates the name given to that generation- The Greatest Generation. A very good read.
December 9, 2020
Guerrilla Operations
A difficult book to stop once you start reading. Suspense and action as well as historic facts. Very informative and well written
A difficult book to stop once you start reading. Suspense and action as well as historic facts. Very informative and well written
December 11, 2020
A fascinating account of a part of the war in the Pacific often forgotten. WWII history and militray readers will enjoy.
December 30, 2020
Great beginning
Great beginning , amazing man but halfway thru it turned into a technical manual for training military..
Yes I’m glad I read it but read and enjoy 70% then put it down...
Ron
Great beginning , amazing man but halfway thru it turned into a technical manual for training military..
Yes I’m glad I read it but read and enjoy 70% then put it down...
Ron
February 22, 2021
Nice historical review.
October 20, 2021
Good read.
This book gives you insight of how Special Forces were created, Volckmann was a hero and should be credited with laying ground work for Special Forces.
This book gives you insight of how Special Forces were created, Volckmann was a hero and should be credited with laying ground work for Special Forces.
December 1, 2021
A little bit dry but a fascinating telling of the soldiers who escaped the Bataan death march and formed guerrilla forces in the Phillipines.
November 15, 2022
Inspirational
July 10, 2023
Very much helpful. Provided me much infos for my thesis.
July 14, 2023
Very interesting read
March 17, 2024
GREAT FILIPINE GUERRILLA ACCOUNT
VERY DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE DIFFICULTIES AND SUCCESSES OF THE Guerrilla ACTIONS BEHIND ENEMY LINES.
RECOMMEND HIS BOOK FOR ANY WWII ENTHUSIASTS.
VERY DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE DIFFICULTIES AND SUCCESSES OF THE Guerrilla ACTIONS BEHIND ENEMY LINES.
RECOMMEND HIS BOOK FOR ANY WWII ENTHUSIASTS.
August 7, 2024
WAs expecting more of battles etc. Instead this was about how he set up Guerrilla fighting in the PI during WWII.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews