Louis Zamperini

Who Was Louis Zamperini?

Louis Zamperini was a distinguished World War II veteran and an accomplished Olympic distance runner. He represented the United States in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and was preparing for the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, which were ultimately canceled due to the outbreak of World War II. Serving as a bombardier in the Army Air Corps, Zamperini was involved in a plane crash, and after drifting at sea for 47 days, he was captured and endured two years of brutal imprisonment and torture as a prisoner of war. Following his release, Zamperini emerged as an inspirational figure, and his extraordinary life story was immortalized in the 2014 biography Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.

Early Years

Louis Silvie Zamperini was born on January 26, 1917, to Italian immigrant parents in Olean, New York. His family later relocated to Torrance, California, where Zamperini discovered his passion for long-distance running while attending Torrance High School. In 1934, he achieved national recognition by setting the high school mile record at 4 minutes and 21.2 seconds—a record that would stand for an impressive 20 years. His exceptional talent caught the attention of the University of Southern California, where he earned an athletic scholarship.

1936 Berlin Olympics

Zamperini’s athletic career reached new heights in 1936 when he qualified for the Olympic Games after an intense 5,000-meter trial race in New York City, where he competed against world record holder Don Lash. The race concluded in a dramatic dead heat, allowing Zamperini to secure his spot on the Olympic team as a teenager. Although he did not medal in Berlin, finishing in eighth place despite running his final lap in a remarkable 56 seconds, he gained valuable experience. Notably, he recalled standing near Adolf Hitler’s box during the Games, later reflecting on his naivety regarding world politics at the time.

In 1938, Zamperini returned to the collegiate track scene, breaking the mile record with a time of 4:08.3, a record that held for 15 years. He graduated from USC in 1940, a year that would have marked his next opportunity for Olympic glory, but the onset of World War II altered the course of his life.

World War II and Japanese POW Camp

With the outbreak of World War II, the 1940 Olympics were canceled, prompting Zamperini to enlist in the Army Air Corps. He served as a bombardier on the B-24 Liberator, and in May 1943, he participated in a search mission for a downed pilot. Unfortunately, his aircraft suffered a mechanical failure and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Of the eleven crew members aboard, only Zamperini and two others survived, enduring an arduous 47 days adrift at sea. The survivors faced extreme conditions, battling the unrelenting sun, shark attacks, and dwindling supplies of drinking water. To stay alive, they collected rainwater and hunted for birds that landed on their raft.

Tragically, one crew member perished at sea before Zamperini and the plane’s pilot, Russell Allen “Phil” Phillips, washed ashore on a Pacific island approximately 2,000 miles from their crash site, only to find themselves in Japanese territory. While they were initially relieved to escape the ocean, they were swiftly captured and imprisoned by Japanese forces, marking the beginning of a harrowing chapter in Zamperini’s life.

During his captivity across several prison camps, Zamperini and Phillips were separated and subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. Zamperini, in particular, endured relentless torment from a camp sergeant known as “The Bird,” who inflicted extreme violence on him. Despite the harsh treatment, Zamperini’s status as a former Olympic athlete made him a valuable propaganda asset for the Japanese, likely saving him from execution.

Zamperini’s captivity lasted more than two years, during which he was officially declared dead by the U.S. military. He was finally released after the war concluded in 1945, returning home to the United States and embarking on a new chapter of his life as a survivor and inspiration.

Postwar Life and Legacy

Upon returning home after the war, Louis Zamperini faced significant challenges, including struggles with alcoholism that nearly led to the dissolution of his marriage to Cynthia. Despite these difficulties, their partnership endured for 54 years until her passing in 2001. A pivotal moment in Zamperini’s journey came in 1949, when he attended a Billy Graham sermon in Los Angeles. This experience sparked a profound transformation, initiating his healing process.

Zamperini channeled his newfound strength into positive endeavors, founding the Victory Boys Camp for troubled youth. Demonstrating remarkable courage and compassion, he also forgave his Japanese captors. In a notable act of reconciliation, he visited a Tokyo prison in 1950, where some of his former tormentors were serving sentences for war crimes, and offered them his forgiveness. Although he expressed a desire to meet with Mutsuhiro Watanabe, known as “the Bird,” during a 1998 visit to Japan for the Nagano Winter Games, Watanabe declined the opportunity.

In addition to his philanthropic work, Zamperini emerged as a prominent inspirational speaker and authored two memoirs titled Devil at My Heels, published in 1956 and 2003. His extraordinary life story was further immortalized in Laura Hillenbrand’s biography, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, which became the basis for the 2014 film Unbroken, directed and produced by Angelina Jolie, along with its 2018 sequel, Unbroken: Path to Redemption.

Zamperini passed away at the age of 97 due to pneumonia on July 2, 2014, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, forgiveness, and inspiration.