They were expendable / W. L. White
Title
They were expendable / W. L. White
Subject
United States. Navy. Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3.
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Philippines.
World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.
Description
Action-packed journalistic account (written during the war to inspire Americans) of the operations of the US Navy’s Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 in the defense of the Philippines.
Journalist White was able to interview four officers of the squadron, including its commanding officer, Lt. John D. Bulkeley. The officers had managed to get out of the Philippines before the surrender. The torpedo boats (PT boats) were active in Manila Bay, attacked Japanese ships in Subic Bay and patrolled the west coast of Bataan.
Their encounters with the Japanese are vividly described, as well as the problems faced by the squadron, which lacked fuel, spare parts and modern repair facilities. The officers also recount attempts at sabotage (wax in their fuel), and the daring evacuation of General MacArthur and his staff from Corregidor to Mindanao.
The book ends with the evacuation of President Quezon from Negros to Mindanao, and the ultimate loss of the last boats. This book became a best seller in the US during the war, and was made into a hit movie.
Journalist White was able to interview four officers of the squadron, including its commanding officer, Lt. John D. Bulkeley. The officers had managed to get out of the Philippines before the surrender. The torpedo boats (PT boats) were active in Manila Bay, attacked Japanese ships in Subic Bay and patrolled the west coast of Bataan.
Their encounters with the Japanese are vividly described, as well as the problems faced by the squadron, which lacked fuel, spare parts and modern repair facilities. The officers also recount attempts at sabotage (wax in their fuel), and the daring evacuation of General MacArthur and his staff from Corregidor to Mindanao.
The book ends with the evacuation of President Quezon from Negros to Mindanao, and the ultimate loss of the last boats. This book became a best seller in the US during the war, and was made into a hit movie.
Creator
White, William Lindsay, 1900-1973.
Publisher
New York : Harcourt, Brace and company, [1942]
Date
1942
Format
22 x 15 cm.
Type
Hardbound
Call Number
D 811 W45
Accession Number
14157
Pagination
vii, 209 p.
Notes
Rare
Files
Collection
Citation
White, William Lindsay, 1900-1973., “They were expendable / W. L. White,” FHL-Roderick Hall, accessed October 12, 2026, https://fhl.omeka.net/items/show/530.