MacArthur's Escape: Wild Man Bulkeley and the Rescue of an American Hero

In the dark days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a unique bond developed between Lieutenant John Bulkeley and larger-than-life General Douglas MacArthur. "Wild Man" Bulkeley's small fleet of PT boats were, after all, virtually the only force capable of carrying out offensive action against the overwhelming Japanese attack. This unlikely relationship forged in the midst of catastrophe culminated in one of the most thrilling moments of World War II - the escape from Corregidor related in this powerful book. MacArthur's Escape recreates the drama and danger of March 12, 1942 when, under cover of darkness, four PT boats under Bulkeley's command slipped out of Manila Bay to run the Japanese blockade on a harrowing two-day, 600-mile trip to Mindanao - where long range bombers waited to carry the general to Australia to begin the long hard road back to the Philippines.

George W. Smith, a retired journalist and World Wa II historian, is the author of Carsion's Raid. He lives near Hartford, Connecticut.