Escape From Davao: The Forgotten Story of the Most Daring Prison Break of the Pacific War
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genre: History
Book Type: Hardcover
This is an exceptionally good story of the only large---12 men---escape from a Japanese POW camp in World War II. I've read this story elsewhere, but not in the detail this book covers.
It follows most of the men from before the war---except the two Filipinos--- and after, where it does cover the two Filipinos, plus other heroic Filipino resistance fighters.
In some ways, it is a sad book, due to the harsh treatment of the POWs by the Japanese, and due to the use the American military and politicians made of the escapees' story.
There were two problem areas in the book. First, the author continues to relate the story of Captain Colin Kelly diving his damaged B-17 into a Japanese cruiser. This never happened, although it was commonly told in the early years of the war. Kelly actually received his Medal of Honor for continuing to fly his plane so his crew could parachute out to safety. Unfortunately, Kelly died when his plane crashed. Look up "Colin Kelly" on Wikipedia for the true story. I have no idea why the author didn't do this, as the book was published in 2010.
Second, the author continues the malicious stories told about Colonel Wendell Fretig, who led the American-Filipino guerrilla resistance on Mindanao. These stories were generated by some regular U.S. Army officers who felt they should be in charge, instead of a U.S. Army Reserve officer. Plus, members of MacArthur's staff, if not MacArthur himself, conspired to downplay Fertig's efforts. For the full story, search for "Wendell Fertig" on Wikipedia.
It follows most of the men from before the war---except the two Filipinos--- and after, where it does cover the two Filipinos, plus other heroic Filipino resistance fighters.
In some ways, it is a sad book, due to the harsh treatment of the POWs by the Japanese, and due to the use the American military and politicians made of the escapees' story.
There were two problem areas in the book. First, the author continues to relate the story of Captain Colin Kelly diving his damaged B-17 into a Japanese cruiser. This never happened, although it was commonly told in the early years of the war. Kelly actually received his Medal of Honor for continuing to fly his plane so his crew could parachute out to safety. Unfortunately, Kelly died when his plane crashed. Look up "Colin Kelly" on Wikipedia for the true story. I have no idea why the author didn't do this, as the book was published in 2010.
Second, the author continues the malicious stories told about Colonel Wendell Fretig, who led the American-Filipino guerrilla resistance on Mindanao. These stories were generated by some regular U.S. Army officers who felt they should be in charge, instead of a U.S. Army Reserve officer. Plus, members of MacArthur's staff, if not MacArthur himself, conspired to downplay Fertig's efforts. For the full story, search for "Wendell Fertig" on Wikipedia.
