They Were Expendable
The
torpedo squadron's attacks against the Japanese forces continue with
great success, though Brick loses some of his men and boats in combat.
Brick is assigned his most challenging mission yet when he is ordered
to destroy a Japanese cruiser headed toward Corregidor. When news
arrives that 36,000 American soldiers have surrendered at Bataan,
and that the Japanese are now battling at Corregidor, the last American
strong point in the Philippines, Rusty and Brick are given orders
to leave their squadron and go to Australia to train a new torpedo
boat force. Brick and Rusty refuse the reassignment and try to stay
on the island with the rest of their squadron. Their attempt to stay
fails, however, and they are flown out on the last plane leaving the
Philippines, not knowing if they will ever see their squadron again.
