Publisher's Synopsis
From a true hero with a military career that bridges five decades comes a titanic story of survival; a compassionate leader with unsurpassed integrity who was "... made of steel, dipped in stardust."In this book, compiled by the granddaughter of Colonel Shreve, are the original diaries he kept in Cabanatuan Camp plus the historical context before and after the War and what went on in the amazing MIS-X Underground. It is a vivid tribute to the remarkable life of Colonel Arthur L. Shreve, Jr. -a story you will not soon forget. Born in Baltimore City in 1897, Arthur eventually drops out of high school and begins a journey that will literally change history. He joins the National Guard in 1917, and then transfers to the Signal Corps so he can fly in WWI. And, so- his long career begins...which leads him back in 1941 to be one of the first officers to combat Japanese forces in World War II. Taken captive [after the American surrender in the Philippines] suddenly Arthur's life becomes an unforgettable tale of guts, American ingenuity and bravery for 1,300 unbearable days and nights as a POW under conditions of incomprehensible brutality. Yet- he continues to fight, caring for the men entrusted to him, enduring unspeakable torture, malnourishment and disease, as Arthur's bereaved wife Judy confronts her own demons as she raises a family as a single mother on the home front. Despite the odds stacked against him, Shreve was able to resist his Japanese captors, feeding intelligence and equipment to a resistance network in Manila, carrying out sabotage of Japanese communications, and constructing a small radio to stay informed of America's approaching victory. Surviving against unbelievable odds, Shreve never broke faith with his family, his country or his beliefs. Fully aware that discovery of his documents would mean certain death, Shreve compiled a record of Japan's treatment of the Americans with whom he served. He constantly risks everything and hides his diaries in Filipino school books and then buries them. He gets money through the Underground to buy food for his men, and 'listens in' on the Japanese with his home-made clandestine canteen radio. In a final act of justice, Colonel Shreve's testimony concerning Japan's treatment of American prisoners becomes indisputable evidence in the ensuing Pacific war crimes trials and plays a key role in the conviction of his tormentors. The Colonel's Way will reignite your sense of patriotism and faith, proving without a doubt that Americans can endure any hardship. In these remarkable diaries, experience his way of living [and being] that will never leave you with regrets. His brand of inspiration: THE COLONEL'S WAY! Find out why the light of a hero never goes out.
