World War II Honoree

Louis Zamperini

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS A BOMBARDIER IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES DURING WWII. HIS BOMBER CRASHED INTO THE PACIFIC AND HE WAS ONE OF THREE SURVIVORS OF THE CRASH. THEY DRIFTED ON A RAFT IN SHARK INFESTED WATERS FOR 47 DAYS SURVIVING ON FISH AND BIRDS THAT THEY CAUGHT WITH THEIR BARE HANDS. THEIR RAFT WAS STRAFED BY JAPANESE FIGHTERS AND WAS RIDDLED WITH HOLES BUT THEY MANAGED TO REACH LAND. ONLY TWO OF THEM WERE ALIVE WHEN THEY REACHED THE MARSHALL ISLANDS AND WERE CAPTURED BY JAPANESE FORCES. HE SPENT MORE THAN 2 YEARS AS A PRISONER OF WAR BEING SHUFFLED FROM ONE CAMP TO ANOTHER. HE WAS LIBERATED AT THE END OF THE WAR.