The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1943-06-24
SYNOPSIS

CHAPTER 1.-The story of their part
In the battle for the Philippines is told In
this and the following chapters by four Of
the five naval officers who are all that
II left of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron
s. They are Lieut. John Buckley (now
lieutenant commander), squadron COM
mander; Lieut. R. B. Kelly; and En-
signs Anthony Akers and George E. Cox
Jr. (The fifth officer Lieut.. Henry j.
Birmingham, has since arrived from
Australia.) The squadron, hand picked
by Bulkeley from volunteers, had come
10 the Philippines in the fall Of 1871.
They knew trouble was coming, but the
events of December were as much OF
surprise to them as to anyone, because
they thought the Philippines would be at
tackled first.
Lieut.. Kelly, second-in-command. to
whom Buckley delegated the task OF
telling most of the story, describes his
preparations for war Hearing about
secret operations orders, he went to the
Officers Club in Manila on the eve OF
Pearl Harbor and had a thick steak with
all the trimmings After receiving his
orders from Buckley the next afternoon,
he took three of the boats to Mariveles,
on Bataan, where they were to report to
the submarine tender for provisions and
fuel. When they got there they found the
tender had been ordered away. So they
set up makeshift headquarters In native
huts at Sisiman Cove.
= CHAPTER H-Lieut. Kelly continues:
Refueling the boats from drums was a
dangerous job. They found water and
rust in the gas, but didn't know then
that the gas had been sabotaged. Kelly
had badly gashed finger, but couldn't
take time to go to the hospital. Lieut..
Iocnrinoc fret hig aiT raid
CHAPTER HI-Leut. Kelly tells how
he was sent to a tunnel hospital on Cor
regider, where he met Peggy, a nurse.
Survivors from the sinking of shipload
of refugees were brought to the hospital.
Patients from Manila were also moved
into the tunnel, and Kelly learned from
them how badly the war was going.
CHAPTER IVA member of tank
crew trapped by the Japs concludes his
story of their escape as told to Lieut..
Kelly in the tunnel hospital on Corregi-
dor. Kelly tells of the heroism of the
hospital staff, and especially of the nurse,
Peggy, during a severe bombing. En-
sign Akers tells some of his experiences
Just before Manila fell
CHAPTER v-Ensign Akers continues,
and Ensign Cox adds his story Of the
fall of Manila The PIT boats pulled
away safely from the blazing city. Lieut..
Kelly tells how he spent New Years Eve
In the hospital, while Lieut.. Buckley dis
cussed with the Admiral a'plan of escape
to China Buckley tells how two Of the
boats, the 81 and the "a. went out into
Subic Bay on a night raid.
CHAPTER VI-Lieut Buckley contin.
ues: When the 81 boat didn't show up,
Buckley in the "a boat, sneaked up to
- Ioar ,,,1
what happened to the 81 boat. When the
sabotaged gas clogged the engines they
drifted and landed on a reef. All but
two of the men from the 81 crew finally
returned. Lieut. Kelly persuaded the
doctor to let him out of the hospital and
went out on patrol They broke up Jap
landing party. then captured a landing
barge.
CHAPTER vII-Lieut. Kelly continues:
They captured Jap captain and one of
his men. Meanwhile the Japs, tired Of
being heckled by PIT boats, sacrificed
another ship as bait. But two of the
original six torpedo boats had also been
lost so far.
CHAPTER VIII-The torpedo boats
took their final crack at the Japs off
Bataan by sinking a 10,000-ton ship
March first General Macarthur surprised
them by taking ride in one of the
boats. When he returned he presented
Buckley with the order decorating him
with the DISC. But everyone knew
something was up. Lieut. Kelly talked
with Peggy. the nice little nurse on
Corregidor.
CHAPTER IX-Lieut Kelly tells how
he tried to let Peggy know he might be
ordered away without actually telling her
anything. On March IL, Kelly contin.
ues, Lieut.. Buckley showed them all
their secret orders. They were to carry
General Macarthur, his wife and son,
and some additional personnel to the
southern islands. They left that night
Later Kelly's boat ran into trouble and
nearly missed the others.
CHAPTER X-Lieut. Kelly continues:
The boats continued the trip to the south
ern islands where General MacArthur's
party would be met by plane.
CHAPTER Xl-Lieut. Kelly continues
When they arrived at their destination
Cebu, General Macarthur promised
Lieut.. Buckley that if it was humanity
possible he would get the officers and
key men of Squadron 3 out of the Philip
pines. While Kelly was busy getting
his boat repaired, Lieut.. Buckley was
helping President Quezon escape.
CHAPTER XII-Hearing of great Of
fensive planned against the Japs, Squad.
ron wanted to take part. They did
plenty of damage before Lieut.. Kelly's
boat and the one Lieut.. Buckley was
riding in were forced into hiding after
firing the last of their torpedoes.