Lieutenant Ramsey's War (P) [Paperback]

Edwin P. Ramsey (Author), Stephen J. Rivele (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

After the fall of the Philippines in 1942 - and after leading the last horse cavalry charge in U.S. history - Ed Ramsey refused to surrender. Instead, he joined the Filipino resistance and rose to command more than 40,000 guerrillas. The Japanese put the elusive American leader at the top of their death list. Rejecting the opportunity to escape, Ramsey withstood unimaginable fear, pain, and loss for three long years. Lieutenant Ramsey's War chronicles a remarkable true story of courage and perseverance.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of those sagas of human endurance and courage that comes along every once in a while to remind us how safe...our lives are." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer

From the Publisher

After leading the last cavalry charge in U.S. history in 1942, Ramsey joined the Philippine resistance and rose to command more than 40,000 guerrillas. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Potomac Books; 1st Brassey's Five-Star pbk. ed edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574880527
• ISBN-13: 978-1574880526
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,632,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A riveting story of life on the run., January 3, 2004

By 

odanny (Peoria, Illinois) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lieutenant Ramsey's War (P) (Paperback)

This book describes what barely can be described. The hardships, the fear, the exhaustion, the hunger, the brutality, the uncertainty of ones fate. It's all right here, and all are apt descriptions of the life of Lt. Ramsey from the fall of Bataan until the time in 1945 that Gen MacArthur returned to liberate the Phillipines.

Lt. Ramsey (who was promotoed to Lt. Colonel over the course of his service in the jungle) was a very important leader of the resistance. He personally exchanged a few messages over the radio with MacArthur himself, and it was years before Ramsey even knew that MacArthur was getting his messages, as he went without radio contact for the first two years of the war.

Many of Ramsey's fellow resistance leaders, some of them officers he served with, or under, prior to the war, were captured, tortured, and beheaded. Informants were everywhere, and every move was a risk. Yet Ramsey never sat still, and his years were spent traveling, at great risk, throughout the Phillipines and organizing the resistance. Many close calls with the Kempa-tei, the Japanese secret police, followed. Ramsey eventually became the most wanted man on the island, after many of his fellow leaders were captured. He eventually went on to command a force of 40,000 resistance fighters.

The leader of the Kempa-tei, General Baba, personally conducted many of the raids and had a picture of Ramsey on his desk. Many times Ramsey was only yards from Japanese troops.

Of course, when this all started, Ramsey had no clue how to wage guerrilla war. But he learned, through trial and error, and it is amazing that he even survived the war. If that isn't enough, this is a man who survived having his appendix removed in the jungle by a doctor who had no morphine to numb the pain!

This is the kind of stuff Hollywood needs to make movies about. Instead we are stuck with the same dumbed down, recycled nonsense that apparently someone finds entertaining. And sadly the exploits of this true American hero go largely unknown by the majority of this country. I'm glad I am no longer one of them.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "nation who has need of a hero", January 26, 2001

By 

Tom Pike (Harrisonburg, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lieutenant Ramsey's War (P) (Paperback)

It has been said, "Sad is a nation who has no heroes, sadder is a nation who has need of a hero." Lieutenant Edwin Ramsey was a hero when both the Philippines and American needed heroes. Lieutenant Edwin Ramsey relates the true-life experience of refusing to surrender after the fall of the Philippines in 1942. He helped organize and fought with a guerrilla army until the recapture of the Philippines in 1945. Lieutenant Ramsey's War is a "can't put it down book." This should be put on the reading list for all soldiers, sailors, marines, air force personnel, and anyone who enjoys an inspiring true-life story. Would make a great movie.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ALL prior biographies pale by comparison! Simply incredible!, August 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lieutenant Ramsey's War (P) (Paperback)

When writing of Edwin Ramsey one can only use the word HERO in all cap's. The pride one feels when reading of Ramsey leading the last cavalry charge in American military action contrasts with the disbelief that he was not given greater public adulation after the war. Ramsey was able to outfox the enemy behind and around the lines for four years. His incredible work in the Phillipines surely contributed to MacArthur's ability to "return." Personally, when I begin to stress over my daily concerns, career and money, I recall Edwin Ramsey, and my problems seem puny. Read the book!