Hour of redemption : the heroic WWII saga of America's most daring POW rescue

"Stirring .•. exhaustively detailed ••. thoroughly, carefully, and passionately well researched."

-Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers

1945 HOURS: A SPECIAL TIME "The minutes crept by, but still John Murphy did not fire the signal shot. He glanced at his watch ... 1944 hours. There was a coincidence about that next minute. What difference would one more minute make? It was January 30, 1945 ... 1945 hours was indeed a special time.

"At exactly 1945 hours, Lieutenant John Murphy raised his M1 rifle, aimed it at an open window in the nearest enemy barrack, and squeezed the trigger. In the next few seconds, complete pandemonium engulfed the area. Volleys of rifle, BAR, carbine, and Tommygun fire erupted along the dirt road at the rear of the stockade. The bamboo box at the top of the guard tower splintered into large pieces that flew wildly into the air. Five men rushed the fences with wire cutters. The raid on Cabanatuan had begun ... " -from HOUR OF REDEMPTION

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"An absorbing story, well documented with maps, diagrams, and photos .... With remarkable attention to detail, the author describes as fully and accurately as possible the training, organization, uniforms, and equipment."

-Soldier of Fortune

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"Accurate ... exciting and touching ... uses a novelist's approach, rich descriptions of the participants' individual characters, foot soldiers' lingo, and local colors."

-Lerner Skyline Newspapers, Chicago

FILIPINAS HERiTAGE LlDRAf1 Y

HOUR OF REDEMPTION

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The Heroic WWII Saga of America's Most Daring POW Rescue

FORREST BRYANT JOHNSON

WWIIER BOOKS An AOL Time Warner Company

FILrPINAS HERITAGE U3FAR Y

If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher. In such case neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped book."

Copyright Š 1978, 2002 by Forrest Bryant Johnson All rights reserved.

Warner Books, Inc., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 Visit our Web site at www.twbookrnark.com.

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An AOL Time Warner Company

Printed in the United States of America First Warner Books Printing: September 2002 10 9 8

7 6 5 4 3 2

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Johnson, F. B. .

Hour of redemption : the heroic WWlI saga of America's most daring POW rescue / Forrest Bryant Johnson. p. cm.

Originally published: Hour of redemption : the Ranger raid on Cabanatuan.

New York : Manor Books, c1978.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 0-446-67937-2 1. World War, 1939-194S-Campaigns-Philippines-Luzon. 2. World War, 1939-194S-Prisoners and prisons, Japanese. I. Title.

D767.4 .J64 2002 940.S4'2S-dc21 2002069131

Text design: Stanley S. Drate/Folio Graphics Co. Inc. Maps by Sharon Wenda Cover design by Tom McKeveny Cover photo: U.S. Army

---*--In 1976, a former Filipino guerrilla commander, Major Juan Pajota, came to America to file for citizenship in the country whose Constitution he had once sworn to defend. He qualified through participation in World War II as a member of the U.S. Army, but citizenship for Filipino veterans had been blocked in federal court. Late in 1977 the case was r.esolved in favor of the veterans.

Major Pajota died a few days before he could see his lifelong dream to become an Ameri~an fulfilled. To Major Pajota and the other Allied soldiers who risked their lives during the raid on Japanese POW camp Cabanatuan, this book is most gratefully dedicated.

HOUR OF REDEMPTION

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