Never Say Die (book)
Encyclopedia
Never Say Die is a non-fictional book by Jack Hawkins
, a lieutenant
with the 4th Marines in World War II
. It was first published in 1961. The book relates Hawkins' experiences as a prisoner of war
in Japanese prison camps after the American surrender in the Philippines. When he and others finally escape from a camp, they joins the American-Filipino guerrillas under the command of Lt. Col Wendell Fertig
. Hawkins serves with Fertig for several months and is involved in numerous actions. For these actions he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Eventually evacuated to Australia by an American submarine, Hawkins later was involved in planning for the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He stayed in the USMC after World War II and eventually retired as a full Colonel.
Jack Hawkins (US Marine Corps officer)
Jack L. Hawkins was a United States Marines Corps Colonel employed by the CIA for the military planning, training of Cuban exiles, and the effective military command of forces in the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba in April 1961...
, a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
with the 4th Marines in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was first published in 1961. The book relates Hawkins' experiences as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in Japanese prison camps after the American surrender in the Philippines. When he and others finally escape from a camp, they joins the American-Filipino guerrillas under the command of Lt. Col Wendell Fertig
Wendell Fertig
Wendell Fertig was an American civil engineer, in the American-administered Commonwealth of the Philippines, who organized and commanded an American-Filipino guerrilla force on the Japanese-occupied, southern Philippine island of Mindanao during World War II.Fertig held a U.S...
. Hawkins serves with Fertig for several months and is involved in numerous actions. For these actions he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
Eventually evacuated to Australia by an American submarine, Hawkins later was involved in planning for the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He stayed in the USMC after World War II and eventually retired as a full Colonel.