The book is constructed in three parts.

PART ONE; "THE ROAD TO HELL"
follows the author's footsteps on the road to hell from his enlistment in the Marine Corps at age 14, in 1939, to his first duty station at the Mare Island Naval Prison as a 15 year old prison chaser; then to China, the Philippines; Cabanatuan, Lima Maru to Formosa, DiNiche Maru to Japan, Yokohama Mitsubishi Ship Yard and Omori Camps.   Chaumont to N. China, PBY to Cavite.   Duty in Admiral Hart's office in Marsman Bldg; By General's (hotwired) staff car to Bataan and the Naval Battalion at Mariveles.  Fought in Battle of the Points.   Swam to Corregidor when Bataan fell.


PART TWO; "THE ALAMO OF THE PACIFIC"
describes "War Plan Orange Three"
and the tactical blunders by MacArthur and the Japanese commander, General Homma, that greatly affected the outcome of the battle for Bataan.   This part also details Marine combat action on Bataan; The siege of Corregidor; A minute by minute account of the final hours of Corregidor and the heroic stand by the defenders who all became "Corregidor Marines"; And their passage through the gates of hell as Japanese Prisoners of War.


PART THREE; "What We Did To Them"
records accounts of POW acts of sabotage, humorous antics and self mutilation as told by members of the "Old" Fourth Regiment of United States Marines, who were "Surrendered yes . . . . Defeated NO ! !

The advent of the war led to the greatest military siege in modern history. Dubbed the BATTLING BASTARDS OF BATAAN,   American and Filipino forces upset Tokyo's time-table of conquest, holding the invaders at bay for nearly six months.   Out numbered, using obsolete weapons, they decimated one Japanese army and forced the enemy to divert another 50-thousand troops from their planned re-enforcement of New Guinea and the invasion of Australia. The fresh enemy troops faced 27 thousand, starving, malaria ridden, ill equipped Battling Bastards of Bataan.

The siege of Bataan and Corregidor ended on 6 May 1942, The Battling Bastards gave the United States Navy time to re-coup from Pearl Harbor and win the battle of the Coral Sea. The siege of Bataan and Corregidor gave America time to gather her< forces for the island hopping war to come and time to prevent the invasion of Australia.   The blood of the Battling Bastards of Bataan made it possible for MacArthur to keep his promise of "I shall return."   History tells us that American forces suffered no defeats in the island hopping war after the fall of Corregidor, thus the Battling Bastards of Bataan changed the course of history.