Not everyone understands the fact that, if you are in military service, you are expendable. Your commander can order you to sacrifice your life to achieve an objective. You may be ordered to hold off the enemy so your fellow soldiers can escape, or you may be ordered to dive your bomber into an impossible hail of gunfire, but you are expendable. Such was the case for the six 70-foot speedboats of the US Navy's Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three. They were part of the Navy's tiny Far Eastern Fleet in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked with overwhelming force in 1941. It was soon clear that the Philippines would be lost, and the remains of the fleet went to Australia, leaving MTB Squadron Three to help the doomed soldiers on Bataan hold off the Japanese Army for as long as possible. After losing boat after boat in suicidal attacks on Japanese cruisers and destroyers, the remaining boats carried General MacArthur, his wife, his son, and assorted generals and admirals on a perilous trip to the southern Philippines for escape by air to Australia. MTB Squadron Three lost its remaining boats in further attacks on the Japanese and prepared to fight as infantry against the oncoming juggernaut. But four of the officers were ordered to get out on the last planes to leave the Philippines. William L. White, in a magnificent piece of writing, lets the survivors tell their story. It is certainly one of the best stories ever written of World War Two.

Really done well "They Were Expendable" was the best book I have read about the Navy during WWII so far. First hand account and good author make this a well done book. Grade:A+

W.L. White's They Were Expendable is a good book and an equally good movie. It's the true story of John D. Bulkelley and the men of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3. In the dark early days of World War II, the United States was far from being prepared for World War II. Our forces were woe- fully inadequate. It was with this obsolete force that we went to war against Japan. The Asiatic Fleet was obsolete. Its ships were flush-decked four-pipers that were armed with inaccurate torpedoes, the Army had its share of problems as well. The only plane available to the Army in the Philippines was the Boeing P-26 Peashooter which, by 1941, was obsolete. The Army didn't have any maps had to use road maps put out by Richfield Oil. When Douglas MacArthur received orders to evacuate the Philippines for the safety of Australia, it was Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3 that got him there.