Corregidor, The Rock Force Assault, 1945

Battle for Corregidor

The two-week battle for Corregidor was complicated by the American's gross underestimation of enemy strength: expecting a few hundred demoralized defenders, they encountered more than 6,000 Japanese soldiers and marines deployed in tunnels and caves, every man dedicated to the Bushido code that dictated a fight to the death.

As the dust was settling, MacArthur himself came ashore and was greeted by the commander of the victorious U.S. Army troops. ''Sir,'' said Col. George Jones, ''I present to you the Fortress Corregidor'' -- a stirring conclusion to a dramatic and well-told story.

-- Publishers Weekly