World War II Honoree

Louis Zamperini

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hollywood, California

Honored By

Joe Feaster

HIS WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE 47-DAY SURVIVAL IN A RUBBER RAFT AFTER HIS PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN; THE BRUTAL TORTURE, MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION AND FORCED LABOR HE ENDURED AT THE HANDS OF HIS JAPANESE CAPTORS. HE ENTERED THE ARMY AIR CORPS AND BECAME A BOMBARDIER IN A B-24 SQUADRON. ON MAY 27, 1943, DURING A SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION, HIS PLANE CRASHED INTO THE PACIFIC, LEAVING HIM AND 2 OTHER SURVIVORS IN A LIFE RAFT; 47 DAYS LATER, AFTER 1 OF THE 3 HAD DIED, HE AND HIS PILOT WASHED ASHORE ON WOTJE ATOLL AND WERE QUICKLY SCOOPED UP BY A JAPANESE PATROL. THEN FOLLOWED MORE THAN 2 YEARS OF HELL. AFTER NARROWLY AVERTING BEING EXECUTED, HE WOUND UP IN PRISON CAMPS IN JAPAN ITSELF, WHERE HIS CAPTORS UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO RECRUIT HIM TO BROADCAST PROPAGANDA FOR THEM.