Rescue at Los Baños: The Epic WWII Raid that Freed 2,146 Prisoners of War

Amazon Customer: In the space of just under a month, military forces under the command of Douglas MacArthur executed 4 prison raids to free prisoners held by the Japanese in the Philippines. Cabanatuan (about 500 POWs), Santo Tomas (3,785 mostly civilian prisoners), Bilibid Prison (700 POWs and 500 civilian prisoners) and Los Banos (2,147 mostly civilian prisoners). This book is about the last of the four, Los Banos, executed by the 11th Airborne Division, an Amtrack unit and Filipino guerrilla units.

A complicated rescue combining a stealthy assault by the 11th Airborne's recon platoon and Filipino guerrillas, a parachute drop at 400 feet by B company of the 1/511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, a night amtrack movement by the 672d Amphibian Tractor Battalion carrying two more companies of the 1/511 and a blocking mission by the 188th Glider Infantry Regiment with C/637th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the 472d and 675th FA Battalions, all timed to strike at precisely 7am on 23 February, 1945.

This was a complicated and daring plan which required everything to go perfectly and as planned. And, for the most part, it did.

This book does a great job of laying the...

United States on Dec 13, 2019

Alex wilson: I just couldn't put this down, the people mentioned put up with so much. People should read this and think about what a privileged life we now lead.

United Kingdom on Jul 26, 2018

LEE: So far in 2017, I’ve read over 15 non-fiction and fiction books. I haven’t given out too many FIVE STARS, but RESCUE AT LOS BANOS by Bruce Henderson is very worthy of FIVE STARS.

From the opening page to end, RESCUE AT LOS BANOS had me enthralled. It was so well written and researched. At first, I thought it would only be about the actual rescue, but instead the book gives readers the individual stories before, during, and after the war of the POWs / internees, the military men who conducted the rescue, and the Filipino guerrillas. It also gives a good, but limited insight, into the preparation and the actual land battles to liberate the Philippines. It does, however, give a very good insight into the preparation and the rescue at Los Banos.

In addition to revealing what happened to the “good guys” after the war, Bruce Henderson also revealed what happened to the Japanese military officers who guarded the POWs / internees. I thought that this was interesting since my dad was captured on Wake Island and held by the Japanese in prison camps in China and Japan. My dad never talked about his POW experience to anyone. After he died in the...

United States on Aug 17, 2017

Peter Miller: THis is a most interesting book covering the civilian prisoners of the Japanese in the Philippines. The major part deals with the civilians in the camp at Los Banos while the rescue operation covers about the last third of the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed it if enjoyed is the right word for the subject matter.

United Kingdom on Jul 23, 2017

Mr D Rogers: Good read. Easy reading . Sad story happier ending. Sadly not worth the full 5 stars. Read it on holiday.

United Kingdom on Dec 28, 2016

C. M. Shinde: A gripping and extraordinary narrative indeed.

India on Jun 24, 2016

Rich Foye: I write in support of Rescue At Los Banos. It is an interesting story on a number of levels. First, it shows again how War brings out both the humanity and inhumanity in those in the middle of the maelstrom of conflict. Second, it is a book that honors the work of the military, in particular the 11th Air Borne, paratroopers , Army Air Force pilots, and Phillipine Guerrillas. Third it tells the story of the civilan internees and the hardships they faced and the bravery and perserverence they showed. This includes the role of the women of the camp Navy Nurses, mothers, and wives. The book gives a well written account of a heroic coordinated rescue from the individuals that were there. It tells the story of the War in the Phillipines, which has not received the historic attention that is deserved.

For the reader that seeks to understand the background leading to the civilian Philippine internment camps, this is provided through the experiences of the author's selected participants.

I write this from the perspective of someone that has spent significant time the last few years reading and writing (The Bill Foye Story) about the greater WW 2 Los Banos...

United States on Apr 03, 2015