They Were Expendable
by White, William Lindsay, 1900-1973
- pub. Harcourt Brace and Co, NY - 1942       isbn none - - LCCN 42-036303 - - leading pages. vii - - total length - 209 p. - - - (later published by Naval Institute Press (April 1998) - - ISBN 1557509484
The story of the Philippine campaign as told by four officers of the Motor torpedo boat squadron 3. cf. Foreword. First edition. There is also a British edition and a Swedish edition in 1943.
This book was published early in World War II. It details the PT Boat activity in the Philippine Islands before they were captured by the Japanese and as they were being captured. Getting General McArthur out was part of the story. As it was published early in the war it was published with the war-time paper reduction rules, meaning with narrow margins. It also invited the reader to buy war bonds and also noted that it was early in the conflict and that the outcome (win or lose) was not a sure thing.
There was a John Ford, Metro Golden Mayer movie made from this book in 1945 featuring John Wayne.
Generally it is the story of the heroism demonstrated by men in these little fast torpedo boats. (Note that while fast for their size they were not as fast as either Japanese or American destroyers.)
~ 1962 ~

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