Rescue at Dawn: The Los Banos Raid

Featuring all of the stealth and cunning of a modern-day Special Forces operation, the Los Banos raid is regarded as one of the most successful airborne raids of all time. On the morning of February 23rd, 1945 – just a few months before the end of The Second World War – a combined force of American paratroopers, Filipino guerrillas and amphibious tanks liberated over 2,000 prisoners who were facing a potential massacre at the hands of their Japanese captors. Incredibly, not a single prisoner was killed in the attack. In this dramatic feature length film, we return to the site of the Los Banos Prison Camp with four soldiers who took part in the rescue – as well as one of the prisoners who was liberated. Their compelling first-hand accounts form the backbone of the film. Wrote Colin Powell (in a letter to the 11th Airborne Division): "I doubt that any airborne unit in the world will ever be able to rival the Los Banos prison raid. It is the textbook airborne operation for all ages and all armies."