About

Jump to

Relationships
Family
Associates
Similar

Louis Silvie Zamperini (January 26, 1917 – July 2, 2014) was an American World War II veteran, an evangelical Christian, and an Olympic distance runner. He took up running in high school and qualified for the US in the 5,000 m race for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, finishing 8th, but not without setting a new lap record. In 1941, he was commissioned into the United States Army Air Forces as a lieutenant. He served as a bombardier in B-24 Liberators in the Pacific. On a search and rescue mission, Zamperini's plane experienced mechanical difficulties and crashed into the ocean. After drifting at sea on a lifeboat for 47 days, with 2 other crewmates, he landed on the Japanese occupied Marshall Islands and was captured. He was taken to two different prison camps in Japan where he was tortured and beaten by Japanese military personnel and specifically by a man named Mutsuhiro Watanabe, A.K.A. The Bird due to Zamperini being a famous Olympic runner. When Louis was a prisoner of war, the Japanese tried to convince him to speak Axis power propaganda in return for a warm place to live and food. However, as he declined, he was forced back into the prisoner of war camp. He was later taken to a new prison camp at a coal factory, and after much struggle, he was finally released. Following the war he initially struggled to overcome his ordeal, and struggled with post traumatic stress. There have been many movies in which Zamperini was featured, as listed below.

Key details

edit section

Born	Louis Silvie Zamperini 26 January 1917 Olean, New York
Died	2 July 2014 (aged 97) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Zodiac	Aquarius
Tags	Add tag

Family members

Spouse 1

Cynthia Applewhite 1926-2001 · m. 1946 info edit

expand_more

view couple »

Parents

Add parent

Siblings

Add sibling

Other family members

Add family member

Connections

Friends & associates

Add friend/associate

Louis Zamperini dating history

add

List
Detail
More

Cynthia Applewhite

1

Married · 25 May 1946

1945 - Feb 2001

Partner Died

view »

edit

edit

Children

No records found.

Scholars

expand_more

Show more expand_more