The Los Banos Prison Camp Raid - The Philippines 1945

IN THE DYING DAYS OF THE WAR AS THE AMERICAN FORCES PUSHED THROUGH THE JAPANESE DEFENSES ON THE PHILIPPINES, ONE OF THE MOST DARING RAIDS OF WORLD WAR II WAS MASTERFULLY EXECUTED. ON THE SOUTHWEST SHORE OF LAGUNA DE BAY STOOD THE LOS BANOS INTERNMENT CAMP. HELD WITHIN ITS BARBED-WIRE BARRICADES WERE 2,147 STARVING AMERICAN AND ALLIED MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. A PLAN WAS HATCHED TO FREE THE CAPTIVES ALTHOUGH THEY WERE HEAVILY GUARDED BY 250 JAPANESE GUARDS WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE SCATTERED IN THE SURROUNDING AREA. ONLY 130 PARATROOPERS COULD BE SPARED FROM THE DESPERATE FIGHTING AROUND MANILA FOR THE OPERATION. IT WAS A STUNNING SUCCESS IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS.