Twelve hours after Pearl Harbor, Clark Field in the Philippines was attacked by Japanese aircraft. Among the survivors was Private Victor L. Mapes, who spent the next three years fleeing from and then being imprisoned by the Japanese military machine. When the tide of battle in the Pacific turned against the Japanese, Mapes experienced more harrowing conditions than before. After his unmarked prison ship was torpedoed by an American submarine, the wounded author struggled in the water against the elements and the enemy, as the Japanese tried to kill the escaping POWs.
Mapes’ memoir chronicles a gruelling three-year ordeal that was punctuated by strange and often amusing encounters with fellow Americans, Japanese, Filipinos, and the fierce Moros of Mindanao Island. The memoir includes photographs and maps, as well as a bibliography and index.

The late Victor L. Mapes enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1939 and served until his retirement in 1959. He lived in Florida.
Scott A. Mills saw naval service in the Pacific theater. Retired from NASA, he divides his time between Silver Spring, Maryland and Belfast, Maine.

Victor L. Mapes with Scott A. Mills
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 248
Bibliographic Info: 15 photos, maps, bibliography, appendices, index
Copyright Date: 2008 [2000]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3879-2
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      ix

1. Threats of War: November 1, 1939, to December 8, 1941
2. Clark Field Under Attack: December 8–12, 1941      18
3. Last Trip to Manila: December 12–22, 1941      30
4. Retreat to Bataan: December 22–29, 1941      39
5. An Interrupted Voyage to Mindanao: December 29, 1941, to January 1, 1942      49
6. From Cagayan to Lake Lanao: January 1–18, 1942      60
7. Malabang: January 18 to February 1, 1942      68
8. Camp Keithley February 1 to March 20, 1942      81
9. Master Sgt. Manook—Farewell to Dansalan: February 1 to March 20, 1942      97
10. Starting Up the Bakery at Malabang: March 20 to April 10, 1942      101
11. Romance: April 10–20, 1942      119
12. Bacolod Grande: April 20–26, 1942      126
13. PBY Flying Boats: April 26–29, 1942      135
14. A New Commanding Officer: April 29 to May 3, 1942      140
15. Ganasi: May 3–4, 1942      148
16. Major Heidger: May 4 –5, 1942      157
17. The Road to General Fort’s HQ: May 5–6, 1942      171
18. Into the Mountains: May 6 to June 2, 1942      181
19. Prisoner in Dansalan and Camp Keithley: June 2 to July 1, 1942      195
20. Mindanao Death March: July 1–7, 1942      212
21. Malaybalay: July 7 to late October 1942      226
22. Davao Penal Colony—Sawmill: October 30, 1942, to February 1943      239
23. Davao Penal Colony—Rice Paddies: February 1943 to mid–February 1944      246
24. Lasang Airstrip: Mid-February to August 20, 1944      259
25. Torpedoed: August 20 to September 7, 1944      274
26. In the Water: September 7–8, 1944      280
27. In the Hands of the Guerrillas: September 8–29, 1944      285
28. In the Hands of the Navy: September 29 to October 25, 1944      298

Epilogue      302
Military History of Victor L. Mapes      311
Military History of Scott A. Mills      313
Appendix A: Dansalan Surrender List      316
Appendix B: Survivors from the Shinyo Maru      318
Appendix C: Japanese Military Directive      320
Bibliography      322
Index      324

“easily read”—Choice; “a dramatic story of American courage and determination under adversity and its eventual triumph over evil…highly recommended”—Military.