Lt. Thomas Andrews Hawkins or Lt. Tom A. Hawkins, an American Fighter Pilot assigned in the Philippines two years before World War II broke out. His exploits as a combat fighter pilot was proved during the first days of war, but he along with other pilots, Lt. Thomas Andrews Hawkins or Lt. Tom A. Hawkins, an American Fighter Pilot assigned in the Philippines two years before World War II broke out. He along with other pilots, were overwhelmed by the Japanese air superiority according to number of planes and enemies. General Douglas Macarthur decided his war plan to fall back to Bataan and fight a delaying action until reinforcements could arrive.which did not arrive at all. As a result, the Filipino and American defenders of Bataan had to fight a superior enemy with an inferior weapon but armed with bravery, honor and sacrifice, while facing starvation, thirst and disease.