100 Miles to Freedom: The Epic Story of the Rescue of Santo Tomas and the Liberation of Manila: 1943-1945
In 100 Miles to Freedom, U.S. Marine Bob Holland tells the story of the release of 3,700 American civilian prisoners of the Japanese at Santo Tomas University Internment Camp in Manila, the Philippines. Until their miraculous rescue on February 3, 1945, these civilians had been interned for more than three and a half years. This wartime account is complete with interviews of several prisoners describing their experiences and hardships in the camp, as well as black-and-white photos depicting Marines and prisoners during this tumultuous event in history. Discover why Brigadier General Robert E. Galer says that through this book, we can know and better appreciate what our proud and dedicated generation of true Americans did for our country.
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Book details
- Author
- Bob Holland
- Imprint
- Turner Publishing Company
- Published
- Formats
- Paperback, Hardcover
- Subjects
- Biography & Autobiography › Military
History › Wars & Conflicts › World War II - Topics
- World War II · prisoner of war · Philippines · Santo Tomas internment camp · civilian internment · military rescue · Marines
- ISBN-13
- 9781596527751 (Paperback)9781630262624 (Hardcover)
About the author
ROBERT B. HOLLAND is a World War II Marine veteran and the author of 100 Miles to Freedom: The Epic Story of the Rescue of Santo Tomas and the Liberation of Manila: 1943-1945.
Holland served as a U.S. Marine during the liberation of the Philippines, operating as part of a close air support team that facilitated air strikes deep inside enemy territory via radio transmission.
When not writing, Holland built a career in government service, working at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, then in government procurement for the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C., and later for several government contractors across the United States. His firsthand wartime experience forms the foundation of his account, which draws on interviews with former prisoners and archival photographs.