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Loading... They Fought Aloneby John Keats
![]() None No current Talk conversations about this book. ![]() ![]() This is the story of Col. Wendell Fertig, a mining engineer who chose to take his chances in the jungle in 1942 on the Japanese-occupied island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It's the story of how Fertig not only survived but also thrived and led his men for three years behind enemy lines. Fertig and a handful of Americans led thousands of Filipinos in a war against the Japanese, making bullets out of curtain rods and telegraph wire from iron fence. Fertig's homemade communications system was MacArthur's eyes and ears in the Philippines. When the Americans finally returned to Mindanao, they found Fertig in control of one of the world's largest islands, commanding an army of 35,000, and at the head of a civil government with its own post office, law courts, currency, factories, and hospital. Wendell Fertig was my grandmother's first-cousin. He's my genealogical "claim to fame." Seriously, I remember meeting him when this book came out. He was an impressive, commanding presence--you didn't forget meeting Wendell Fertig. no reviews | add a review
When the American forces in the Philippines surrendered in May 1942, a mining engineer named Wendell Fertig chose to take his chances in the jungle. What happened to him during nearly three years behind enemy lines is the amazing story that John Keats tells in They Fought Alone. With the aid of a handful of Americans who also refused to surrender, Fertig led thousands of Filipinos in a seemingly hopeless war against the Japanese. They made bullets from curtain rods; telegraph wire from iron fence. They fought off sickness, despair and rebellion within their own forces. Their homemade communications were MacArthur's eyes and ears in the Philippines. When the Americans finally returned to Mindanao, they found Fertig virtually in control of one of the world's largest islands, commanding an army of 35,000 men, and bringing a measure of hope to a beleaguered people. John Keats, who also served in the Philippines, captures all the pain, brutality, and courage of this incredible drama. They Fought Alone is a testament to the ingenuity and sheer guts of an authentic American hero. No library descriptions found. |
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![]() GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)940.53914History and Geography Europe Europe 1918- World War IILC ClassificationRatingAverage:![]()
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