We caught the people
we were looking for.
Follow her!
She'll lead us to the others.
You're safe now.
They killed Mina.
I know.
I was not always conscious.
I don't know what I told them.
You didn't tell them anything.
Mina and her father were arrested last night
on the way to Cabanatuan.
It had nothing to do with you.
She went because of me.
She knew what I told Daniel.
She wanted to help him too.
I should have stopped her.
But all I was thinking about was him.
Whatever you feel you've done wrong
you more than made over it.
Hundreds of POWs owe you their lives.
No!
I did have failed.
You'll be with him soon.
I have friends, who will take you to the mountains until Americans come.
But Margaret,
Listen to me.
You have to trust in something stronger than yourself.
Padre!
Padre. The Japanese, they are here.
Take Margaret.
I'll deal with them.
Arrest anyone you find!
Go around back.
Run, don't look back.
There's no need to go to the church. There is no one in there.
There's no one in the church.
Oh honey, you look great.
So do you.
Pity we can't go to Cabanatuan beauty contest.
I got you something.
I hope this will help me.
You're getting fussy now.
They didn't get through.
Your friend Hagai stopped them over near Cabanatuan city.
They'll find some other way to smuggle it here.
It'll be too late for you, my old pal.
You ain't thinking of leaving me, are you Red?
I don't think Nagai's men want me here.
I could think of ten of us to do.
Like I said
you're the only one I give a damn about.
You and the kid sometimes.
Don't try it, Red.
I'll see you, Gibby.
Go get Pitt to keep an eye on him.
Colonel.
May I discuss with you the role of my men in the mission?
Your men will be screening our flanks, captain.
Sir, this is our war too.
We've been fighting the Japanese for three years.
I understand your anger what the Japs, did to your people have today.
If I were in your place I'd also want a revenge.
But this mission has objective of its own.
Sir, my men are disciplined fighters.
What happened at Balingarin is nothing new today.
Your man will be a great value on our flanks.
Lieutenant, are you ready?
I wanna step way.
My compliments to the villagers for the hospitality.
I'll see to it, sir.
- Captain. - Colonel.
You want me to take a look at those feet, captain?
Yeah.
God only knows how you walk on these, Bob.
You're lucky that colonel doesn't know about this.
Doc, can you figure when I'm out?
Do you see?
Yes.
Every time I think I have, he surprises me.
Not always in a bad way.
Here's the reason I joined the rangers.
There's a time I found many questions asked but always seemed to do nothing but answer.
You know, he may not like you standing up to him.
But I suspect that's why he chose you.
I can't imagine any other reason why he'd ignore this jungle dance of yours.
That's a convoy captain, beholder was talking about.
Damn.
Looks like they're reinforcing the camp.
Hey Duke.
Wake up!
It's your time to keep watching Red.
Yeah.
Okay.
Get a message to Tokyo.
"Fuel shipment received. Awaiting orders to liquidate prisoners."
You're late! Now there are too many of them.
Everyone, let's go!
This is all I have. The Japanese took everything.
Come back tomorrow when you have more.
DAY 4 - January 30th
He's gone.
He's gone!
You fell asleep.
Because one man disobeyed to me.
Ten others will pay the price.
It was my fault.
Please.
Please. My fault.
They resupplied the camp last night.
Brought in fuel and fresh troops.
It looks like they're up to something.
How many?
Between 150 and 200.
Captain?
I was depending Lt. Fox will captivate the bridge, sir.
But since the Japs have strange events inside the camp,
we're gonna need everyone, right?
May be we can hold the bridge with less men we're allowed for.
Can you make to what is what, lieutenant?
I don't think so sir.
Captain Mahon said the Japs reinforced the bridge last night.
Captain Mahon couldn't share this information with me earlier.
Let's take a look.
CABU BRIDGE 1/2 mile east of POW camp
Get the count.
With respects sir,
What's the count?
There's a thousand men over there.
May I show you something?
Here's the bridge.
Colonel.
They were beginning to disobey, aren't they?
They won't let you down.
It's not the question of letting me down.
They were taught and raised to deserve their shot of glory.
I don't suppose many of them fight for the glory, sir.
I'm not telling you about the publicity, Bob.
I'm talking about the kind of glory you carry inside you for the rest of your life
knowing you've done something worth remembering.
Something you made a difference.
The only recognition I want is from that boys in the camp.
Nothing in our lives will ever be as important as this.
You've come here to change my mind?
No sir. I came here to tell you that whatever you decide,
it'll be the right choice.
Something you can't fake.
Captain Mahon has volunteered to hold the bridge.
Well you better leave me alone with him, so I can meet some noble guy.
They respond with tanks. We wait until they aren't respond.
They would blow up the bridge.
We don't have enough explosives to bring it down.
All we need to do is damage it. Enough to stop their breakers.
We want the soldiers to come.
If I place my men, when they decide to roll, we'll trank them in a cross fire.
They won't use the bridge, they'll go around trying to outflank you.
The Japanese don't go around. Not with the fighting ability.
They do not have enough respect for us as soldiers.
- How are the others? - It's good.
We're waiting to hear what you have to say, sir.
I don't know what to tell them anymore.
I can say something on your behalf, sir.
Until you feel better.
Can you write a letter?
It depends what kind of letter.
I'm not sure myself.
I already started it a thousand times and give it up.
There's a... pencil and paper under my bed.
- Who you're writing to? - A lady named Margaret.
And I'm not sure how well I know her anymore.
I have been living in my imagination so long.
I'm afraid I'll write something crazy love letter and embarrass us both.
Red didn't seem to think so.
What did he tell you?
That she felt the same way you did.
That she would left her husband if you'd wanted her to.
Cause I thought that if I did the right thing,
some good would come of it.
It's funny. I'd spent the last three years
thinking of all the things I want to say to her.
Now I don't know how to begin.
What about dear Margaret?
At 17-00 hours our combined forces will begin at terrain.
We'll split up here to the Bangu river.
Captain Ohoda, you'll continue to the Cabu bridge where you set up the road block.
Captain Joson, you do the same on the highway.
In case the Japs reinforcements advance toward city.
Objective. It's the sealed off area operation during raid.
When the Japanese reinforcements get to you, you get to us.
Now when here is the much darkness as we need, you get the POWs out of the camp.
Which means we'll have to begin our approaching to daylight risking attack.
We break the tree line. Lt. Riley's men will head to the east side of the camp.
The rest of us will advance with the low crawl for the main gate.
I want you to come again.
There's intermediate cover-up 200 yards from the camp.
After that before the expose we reach a ditch 30 yards from the front gate.
This is the camp.
The main service road. POW barracks.
All enemy occupied. Suspect the tank shed to the main gate.
This is the ditch we're trying to reach.
Again. Until we get there we're completely exposed,
so we may need to create some diversion reaction in this wood area to the north-east.
Sir, how about the plane?
Could they have one of their planes fly over?
No without breaking a radio silence.
Not a bad idea Bob, maybe it's worth the risk.
As we make our approach, Lt. Riley's men
make their way along this ditch.
Leaving men at 20 yard in a raws to engage and reduce the enemy.
Lt. Riley, as soon as you're in position here, the south-east corner.
Your first shot will kick off the action.
Meanwhile the rest of us will be in position here.
As soon as we get the signal, Lt. Foley second squad
take out the gore tower and a central shaft.
First squad will open the main gate.
Since first squad is inside, we'll flank right.
Maybe have to supress fire in the enemy officer areas.
Probably we shall suspect the tank shift.
I want capral Aldridge and his loader to run at 200 yards.
I want back-up team in case he don't make it.
- If tanks get loose, we're all in trouble. - Yes, sir.
Instructions next. Lt. O'Grady, later will make the way
to the main gate to force entry for the POW area.
First squad will spread on the south-west and lay out supressing fire to enemy rear.
Objective: make sure that POW barracks not taking enemy fire in all directions.
Once this achieved Lt. O'Grady's second squad run to the POWs
and we meet at the front gate.
Where doctor Fisher and the medics will be waiting.
Our aim is to get back to the Kango river
where we'll be waiting to escort the prisoners.
Since I'm satisfied we've left no one behind.
A fire of red star cluster - the signal that raid's over.
Any questions?
- Yes, sir. Who's the last man out? - That'll be me.
- You'll cover me at the front gate. - Yes, sir.
Anything else?
Bring your people, get them ready to go.
We're leaving in two hours.
What's that?
- Why? - Nothing, I'm just curious.
Two hundred at a Jap's camp.
Thousand at the river.
Ten thousand nearby.
I think we're gonna need a little miracle.
Take it.
What I gotta do, kiss her?
The time is now 17-15. And mark.
Lt. Riley fires his first shot at 19-30.
Capt. Gordon is at bridge at 19-45.
We will be out there by 20-00. Any questions?
Soldiers, try to get back in one piece.
Good luck, gentlemen.
Road to Cabanatuan 1/2 mile west of POW camp
Cabu Bridge 1/2 mile east of POW camp
Well let's god damn fly, boys.
It's one of ours, sir!
Get them back to their positions.
Tighten security.
Guards, back to your positions!
Cabanatuan Road
Sir!
It's time.
Sergeant,
If I'm gonna be the one who starts this thing,
I wanna be dead sure everyone's in position.
I'll check it out.
Come on, Riley.
What a hell is Riley doing, sir?
Lt. wants me to make sure your squad is in position.
Yeah I've been. Last ten minutes.
Sir, the colonel is getting NG,
they're afraid the bridge is gonna blow before the end.
Damn it!
We're in position, sir.
Sir, it's your shot.
Fire!
Japs are shooting us. They're gonna kill us all!
Go! Go!
Aldridge! Go!
Armed!
- Let's go! - Move! Move!
Aim! Riley!
It's all right! We won't hurt you!
We're gonna get out of here!
All right, those who can walk, get to the main gate,
those who can't, wait we'll come back for you!
We're going home. All right, let's move!
Tank!
Come on! They saw us!
- Shoot fire left! - Shoot fire left!
Cover me! I'm going in!
- Cover me! - Fire!
It's okay! I'm American.
You got to stay calm.
Don't be afraid.
We're not gonna hurt you, we're here to help you.
We're going home, you understand?
- We're going home. - I can't leave him.
You won't leave him. I'll take him myself.
Soldier, you go out there and tell my men there's people here need to be carried.
Can you do that? All right, let's go!
- I got you. - No, no.
I met soldier. Soldiers are gonna take us out of here.
Japanese are trying to fight them and to get through the river.
All right, I better take a look.
Help them!
Hold your fire. Give me flaring out.
Wait till I light them up.
Withdraw! Withdraw! Stroll back!
Let's go! Move!
Does the mortar work?
It's damaged Sir, but still working.
Target the main gate.
Capt. Fisher stay back, they're not safe yet!
All right, I'll be at the other side of the road.
Let me give you a hand.
Pull back! Pull back!
Fire! Get down!
Fire from that son of a bitch!
Dont' stop!
Lt, come on.
- Charge gate. I'll cover you, ready? - Ready.
Fire! Everybody down!
Get up! Roll!
Keep to the gate! Keep to the gate!
Keep to the gate, let's go!
Sarge!
- Are you all right? - Daly, where the hell have you been?
Somebody get a medic over here!
Soldier, are you all right?
Jesus! Jimmy.
He's unportable sir. He's lost a lot of blood.
- I can't transport him, captain. - We got no choice.
- Jimmy? - Keep moving.
You stay with him the whole time, you understand?
Hang in here.
Sniper!
Cease fire! Cease fire!
- Hold your fire! - Pull back, let's go!
Pull back! Pull back!
- Daly, Daly! - Stay with him!
Come on, Daly. Come on!
We've lost him.
Let's move!
Let's get them across.
It's gonna be all right, major. You're going home.
- Captain Prince. - How did we do?
Succeed, sir.
- How many casualties? - PFC Daly.
A lot of wounded.
I think it's great call we moved on to operate.
I don't think he's gonna make it, sir.
Thanks, captain.
More plasma.
Did we get them all?
All of them.
Good.
But that keeps moving at me.
DAY 5 - January 31st
Talevera American Frontline
Excuse me, have you seen major Gibson?
Sorry.
Six bucks.
I told you, I can't sell it.
- Ten bucks? - Can't do it.
- That's all I got. - When you saw one you got it?
At least you have plenty to spare.
I'd like to.
My mom gave this to me.
Well how would your mom feel about ten bucks?
I know how your mom feels about ten bucks.
I'm sorry, have you seen major Gibson?
Yeah, I was with him at the river.
Check with the medics ma'am, near the carts.
Thank you.
- Margaret. - Where's he?
He wanted me to give you this.
Dear Margaret,
after three long years of witnessing so much destruction and suffering
a simple letter seem so pointless.
I've often wondered what my life would have been like if we'd been together.
However time passes. I realize this may never happen.
There is one thing I want you to know.
You've come to mean the world to me.
And not just to me. To all of us here.
You've given me the strength to give these men hope.
And maybe one day a second chance.
I miss you more than you can imagine.
I love you more than you can ever know.
All my love, Daniel.
Capt. Prince!
General, this is the man who planned the raid, captain Prince.
Congratulation, captain Prince. I'm very sorry about your losses.
I want you to know you men have done a great service for your country.
- Thank you sir. - Gentlemen.
- So, how do you feel? - All right.
I'm proud of you.
Thank you sir.
Never I used to see such a large group of men,
Who've done so much and complain so little.
Many were unable to believe that their country had abandoned them.
Left them to die in a foreign land.
Who said to be of no significance to the war effort,
but as for me, saving them was a way of setting things right.
It's true. They have been left behind.
But never forgotten.
On January 30, 1945 after nearly three years in captivity
311 POWs were rescued from the Cabanatuan Prison Camp.
During the raid, two army Rangers were killed.
The Filipino Guerillas suffered 21 casualties.
One POW died after being liberated from the camp.
Colonel Henry Mucci was awarded the Servise Cross for valor.
Captain Robert Prince was awarded the same honor.
President Truman awarded Margaret Utinsky the Medal of freedom
for "outstanding heroism and fortitude".
The raid on Cabanatuan remains the most successful rescue mission
in U.S. military history.