Salute to the Marines

Once a Marine, always a Marine. After three decades in the corps, Sergeant Major William Bailey, a tough-minded drillmaster serving in the Philippines, retires. He leaves with one regret: he never had the chance to put his courage and fighting spirit to the test in real combat. Then comes Japan’s World War II invasion of the archipelago – and civilian Bailey and the irregulars he’s trained prove their mettle while defending a bridge vital to the enemy’s advance.