The Rescue: A True Story of Courage and Survival in World War II

I was born in 1934, so was just old enough to be able to follow the events in World War II, though not always old enough to understand them fully. I remember soon after the war, I read an account in the "Reader's Digest" called "An American Guerrilla in the Phillipines", so I realized that there was some resistance to the Japanese occupation of those Islands. This book describes a number of people, mainly Americans, who found themselves in the Phillipines when World War II broke out; some were American Soldiers who became Prisoners of War and later escaped, some were American civilians. I had been aware of the fact that there was some contact between the guerrilla groups and MacArthur's command in Australia, but I hadn't realized that it was as extensive as it became. This book describes one mission to evacuate a group of 40 Americans who were evacuated by the American Submarine Crevalle in May 1944; by chance, the guerrillas had come into possession of secret Japanese Naval strategic plans, which were sent back to MacArthur's command along with the refugees. The book then goes on the describe a crucial Naval Air-Sea battle won by our side, in which these Japanese plans were important. It then goes on to include an epilogue, about fifty years later, describing what happened to many of the actors in the 1944 events later. Readers interested in World War II, particularly in some of the lesser-known events, will find it very interesting.

There was a lot of information packed into this book. I'll admit that the first 90 pages or so I painstakingly motored through. (The ebb and flow was quite choppy for me.) But at around page 92 the pace of the book picks up dramatically and was enthralling for me to read. This book had it all; between the American missionaries and their eventual repatriation, the different exploits of several guerrilla commanders, the eight American POW's, (who escaped from Northern Negros), and the coup-de-grace, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, aka, the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. If you're a history buff of WWII Pacific Theater, this exciting read should be added to your library. Fascinating details are looked at to include the acquisition of the Japanese top secret "Z" Plan, (documents to fight a "Decisive Battle"). Those offensive attack plans were retrieved by Filipino guerrillas, after a senior Japanese Admirals airplane was forced to ditch at sea. The Admirals from the Imperial Japanese Navy and USN would ultimately be pitted against each other in a climatic ending.I learned quite a bit about the US Navy and their submarine warfare techniques. The toll exacted by these avengers from the deep is omnipresent. That coupled with the knockout punch by the USN Carrier Task Force 58 was felt far and wide. The Marianas Turkey Shoot itself was credited with 315 Japanese kills verses the USN's loss of 25 aircraft. This book successfully takes a glimpse into the past and shows how evil incarnate met it's match.

Covered every facet of war and not just the rescued. Ended my ignorance of war time in Phillipines and the courageous and evilness that war stir up.Fills a history void for me, a retired VA psychiatrist and peacetime Enlisted Air Force vet.

While the focus is on a single event, this extensively researched and documented book captures the grand scope of WWII in the Pacific and gives it relevance to the lives of people who were directly affected. It is well written and extremely readable.

Loved this book. My father was one of the two radiomen on board the USS Crevalle during this patrol i only had heard parts of the story. He died at 48 when I was still a child so reading this book gave him back to me in a way that I never completely knew. The book reads like an acrion thriller and is consistent with the stories he had told me, including sacrifice and loss of Jim Blind, without whom I owe my life and the lives of my children and grandchildren. We are all interconnected and the telling of these brave mens's stories must never be forgotten. Their unselfish sacrifices were the supreme gift of courage, love and protection for all in our country who came after them. Thank you so much to Steven Trent Smith for honouring those wonderful young men who really understood what real men need to do in life.

I've read dozens of books of the era of World War Ii that this book covers - the Philippines - and this one has to be the best. I like the first person stories but they are only about one man's (or woman's) point of view. Steven Trent Smith tells the story of several different groups of people trying to escape capture by the Japanese. It's as exciting and fascinating as any made-up story as the missionaries and the POWs and the businessmen all prepare, with the help of Filipinos, to meet the U.S. Navy submarine so they can be rescued. I don't know when I couldn't put down a true history book but this one this one kept me up very late at night until I knew those folks were safely in Australia. Some of the facts are a little suspect but nothing that makes a difference in the story. If someone wants to read only one book about the tragic situation in the Philippines during World War II, this one is it.

Easy read but could have been much better. The "rescue" seems to be in second place. Too much on missionaries' background, belief, etc. Little about their daily life in the bush avoiding ememy. Same true of plantation owners. What was the submarine rescue and supply program? Description of attack on sub by enemy was very good and real. One hopes that hyper aggressive sub commander who risked all and fell into a trap never got another combat command. Not much on daily life of civilians on the sub. Two chapters on great sea battle, and not one diagram or map. Didn't belong in book. Smuggled Jap plan really had little to do with the sea battle.

I am currently reading the book which is very interesting .... one more story of Americans dealing with World War II, this one in the western Pacific area.