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Shadows In The Jungle: The Alamo Scouts Behind Japanese Lines In World War II |  | Author: Larry Alexander
Publisher: NAL Hardcover
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $7.75
as of 9/8/2010 01:35 MDT details
You Save: $17.20 (69%)
New (11) Used (12) from $5.69
Seller: Media Excellence
Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 369985
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.3 x 1.4
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.542599
ASIN: B002CMLQX4
Publication Date: February 3, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A new account of World War II heroism from the national bestselling author of Biggest Brother.
Determined to retake the Philippines ever since his ignominious flight from the islands in 1942, General Douglas MacArthur needed a first-rate intelligence-gathering unit. Out of thousands, only 138 men were chosen. They were the best, toughest, and fittest men the Army had to offer. They were the Alamo Scouts.
Larry Alexander follows the footsteps of the men who made up the elite reconnaissance unit that served as General MacArthurs eyes and ears in the Pacific War. Drawing from personal interviews and testimonies from Scout veterans, Alexander weaves together the tales of the individual Scouts, who often spent weeks behind enemy lines to complete their missions. Now, more than sixty years after the war, the story of the Alamo Scouts will finally be told.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 12
A Unique Group of Fighters Behind Japanese Lines August 5, 2010
Jeffrey T. Munson (Dixon, IL)
In 1944, American General Walter Krueger developed the idea of a unique force of scouts and raiders who would infiltrate behind Japanese lines to scout enemy locations, troop strength, strongholds, and aid guerrilla groups. This idea turned into the Alamo Scouts, and "Shadows in the Jungle" describes the birth of this outfit and the numerous missions they conducted behind enemy lines.
These men were the toughest the army had to offer. Their job was to slip in behind enemy lines and assess enemy troop strength, morale, and conditions, while at the same time, remaining undetected by the enemy. To accomplish this task, the teams were made up of only six men. They were usually dropped off by PT boat and picked up at the end of their mission. The scouts went ashore in rubber rafts and rowed back to the waiting PT boat. The scouts conducted over 100 missions behind enemy lines and, miraculously, didn't have a single member killed in combat. Conversely, the scouts killed over 500 Japanese soldiers, took many others prisoner, and participated in several prisoner liberation raids, the most famous being at Cabanatuan prison camp. Here, many of the survivors of the Bataan Death March were kept. The scouts, in conjunction with the Army Rangers, led a surprise attack against the camp and freed 516 prisoners.
I was fascinated by author Larry Alexander's story of the Alamo Scouts. This is the first book I've read that has been totally devoted to their story. I found the reading informative and exciting, and I've developed a new respect for these brave men. I have read previous books about the raid on Cabanatuan prison, and these only mention the Alamo Scouts. Alexander has dug much deeper, and this fine book gives a complete history of the scouts. The book is well-researched and well-written, and I learned about a group of soldiers that I knew little of before. Highly recommended.
great new book on an little known unit June 25, 2010
aircrew76
Ive read lots of ww2 first hand accounts and this is the first account of this little known but well used unit in the island campains great book lots of behind the line action.
A Piece of My Father's Life February 13, 2010
Joseph Johnson
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I bought this book to read about my father's life when he was an Alamo Scout in the Pacific in WWII. Had he been alive when this book was being written he probably could have contributed greatly to the author. He and my mother died in 1970 from "accidental CO poisoning" in their car. But I know that he would have liked to tell his story too.
I miss him very much because of his sense of humor and love he showed to us, his children. What he did inspired me to become a soldier too. I was an airborne infantry medic in the 'Nam assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in a Recon platoon from '66 to'67. He missed me too. I really didn't have to read this book, but, thanks to the author.
Great Book! February 1, 2010
Omahahef
Excellent account of the Alamo Scouts from their humble beginnings to their importance to the war effort in the Pacific. The book depicts many of their missions behind the enemy lines and the perils they faced. These were the first of many were to be called "Special Forces". Many of their tactics are still in use today.
 Shadows in the Jungle January 25, 2010
Lael Prock (Mercer Island, Washington)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The story of the Alamo Scouts is definitely a 5 but the writing is only a 3 for me. It is unfortunate that the exploits of Alamo Scouts was kept secret so long, which of course wasn't necessary but typical of the government. The scouts were an all volunteer group of very young, very couragous Americans. Their feats were literally amazing. 108 missions behind enemy lines and never lost a man while providing Gen. Krueger vital information which no doubt save many lives. I have read a lot on WWII and knew very little about this group. It is a fascinating story.
I did however have a problem with the writing particularily the narrative style with lots of direct quotes. It read more like a historical fiction book where real events are told through fictional characters so dialog can be made up. I just find it hard to believe that a lot of dialog wasn't made up. These were events that happened 60 years ago. Most of the scouts were dead and I can't imagine that the ones that were interviewed remembered all this dialog that they said at the time. It seems more likely to be a literary device to make it a narrative style of writing. I don't think it was necessary at all since it was a great story. I can remember what I did last week but not much of the dialog. I can't remember very much of what I did 40 years ago even the really important things, except in very broad strokes.
The Alamo Scouts were the real deal. If you are a WWII buff read this book.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 12
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