"Corregidor: The Rock Force Assault" is the story of the island by that name which has played a prominent role in the defense of Manila Harbor. This book gives a good history of the island and the troops who recaptured it in 1945.

Illustrating the continuity of warfare and the careers of the soldiers MacArthur, this book begins with the story of the conquest of the Philippines by American Forces under the command of General Arthur MacArthur in 1898 during the Spanish American War. It then continues with the military fortifications of the island during the American Administration. The Japanese conquest of the Philippines culminating in the Fall of Bataan and Corregidor in 1942 set the stage for the American reconquest masterminded by Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Author Lt. Gen. E. M. Flanagan, Jr. does an excellent job of introducing the reader to the assault forces, the 503d Parachute Regimental Combat Team and the 3rd Battalion Combat Team of the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Division. Readers become familiar with the preparations of the 503d in the U. S., Australia and in its jumps at Nadzab in New Guinea and onto Noemfoor Island.

With the invasion of the Philippines proceeding successfully the hour for the redemption of American honor at Corregidor arrived. The small available drop zones on the island made the airborne assault most unlikely and, therefore, a total surprise to the Japanese defenders. Flanagan takes the reader through the challenges met by the assault force, the means of attack by air, sea and land, the Japanese resistance and the descriptions of the ambient conditions which add to the hellish atmosphere of war. The sights seen through the solders’ eyes gives readers a sense of the brutal nature of the combat.  The fanatical Japanese resistance captures our amazement while the cave by cave extermination of the enemy brings to mind more recent reports from Afghanistan.

The emotional climax of the book is Gen. MacArthur's triumphant return to Corregidor, by PT boat, just as he left three years before, during which he orders: "I see the old flag pole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak and let no emery ever haul them down."

"Corregidor" is an excellent choice for War History Network members with an interest in the details of combat or the history of the War in the Philippines.