Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission
by Hampton Sides
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Book Summary Information
Author: Hampton SidesEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-05-07
ISBN: 038549565X
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Anchor
Book Reviews of Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission
Book Review: "Bean's Delicious"
Summary: 5 Stars
Among the many things one learns while reading Hampton Sides' "Ghost Soldiers" is of a spy ring led by an unlikely night club owner. When sending information about the Japanese to a particular American guerilla leader in the philippines, if his response was "Beans Delicious", her information was timely and considered good intel. As such, my standing rating for this is Bean's Delicious, or 5 stars.
Mr. Sides does a wonderful job in telling the story of the rescue of 513 American POW's from the Japanese Cabanatuan prison camp during WWII. From the quick planning, to the assault, to the successful rescue, Sides weaves a number of stories all leading up to and completion of this very dangerous mission.
What really grabbed me was how Sides was able to weave a number of interesting stories together into a very compelling glimpse into a part of the war in the pacific. I referenced the spy ring above. Led by Claire Philips, her network was partly responsible for keeping those POWs alive. Whether it was by supplying them with medecine, or hard to come by information, "High Pockets" as she was known, went to great lengths... and peril... to do her part. She was ultimately sentenced to death but the Japanese never carried out the order.
The other story was that of the 98th Field Artillery Battalion, Pack, or more famously known as the 6th Ranger Battalion. Originally assigned to move heavy artillery over rugged terrain, they were transformed into the 6th Rangers, led by the colorful Lt. Col. Henry Mucci. Fearing that the Japanese would massacre any POWs as they lost ground to the US, US high command assigned Mucci and his Rangers to try a daring rescue at the largest of POW camps, Cabanatuan.
And of course, this is a story of human survival and life as a POW is some of the most hellish conditions. If the depravity was not enough, the random violence perpetrated against these men was terrible. Despite the horrific amount of those who lost their lives, some did survive to tell their story. It is a true testament of character for those who went through 3 years of imprisonment.
This was another great find at the Newark Penn Station Bookstore. I hadn't heard of the author or the book, despite it's acclaim. But having found it, I highly recommend it.
More Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission reviews:
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Newest Review
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