POW/MIA Day & Former POW, Louis Zamperini

by Sally Matheny

In recognition of POW/MIA Day, I want to share with you a little about our POWs, especially former WWII POW, Louis Zamperini.

The recognition day, which takes place on the third Friday of each September, is a time for Americans to remember all those who served in our country’s armed service and were prisoners of war or missing in action.

“At present, 82,000 Americans remain missing from WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War, Gulf Wars, and other conflicts.”   – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

It’s fitting that the movie about Louis Zamperini, Unbroken: Path to Redemption, released one week prior to 2018’s POW/MIA Recognition Day.

WWII POW

72,823 of this number are WWII American service personnel who have not been recovered. 5,626 of those came from California. But one WWII POW from Torrance, California who did return home, was Louis Zamperini.

The Movie, Unbroken: Path to Redemption

Unbroken: Path to Redemption chronicles what life was like for the former Olympic runner and WWII Army bombardier after he returned home from the war.

The movie provides a few, fast glimpses of his life prior to the war and some painful flashbacks of his life during the war. But the film’s primary focus is Zamperini’s amazing life experiences after the war.

Books About Zamperini

Several books have been published about Louis Zamperini. On my to-read list is Devil at My Heels written by Zamperini and David Rensin.

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed Laura Hillenbrand’s book, Unbroken. High school students will benefit from it as well even though there are some of Zamperini’s POW experiences are emotionally difficult to read.

However, for middle-grade and younger students, I recommend Janet and Geoff Benge’s Heroes of History book, Louis Zamperini: Redemption. I gathered some interesting background information for you from this book.

Running

“Louie” was well-known in Torrance even before his Olympic running days. Outrunning the Torrance police gave young Louie his early years of practice. Lying, smoking, drinking, fighting, stealing—Louie was out of control before the age of thirteen.

Bullied during most of his childhood, Louie chose to treat others the same way.

One time a baker reported him for stealing pies. The guilty Louie didn’t apologize. He got revenge. He tracked down the baker and beat him up.

When he was in high school, Louie grew weary of people telling him what to do and he ran away from home. A short yet horrible experience of living the hobo life hopping trains quickly brought Louie back home.

With the help of his older brother, Pete, Louie learned how to put his talents and energy into running high school track.

And run he did, all the way to the Summer Olympics held in Hitler’s Germany in 1936. He placed eighth in the 5,000-meter and set a record of 56 seconds for the fastest final lap. Impressive even to Hitler who spoke to Louie after the event.

After returning home, Louie began intensive training with plans to win at the 1940 Olympics set for Tokyo.

However, World War II canceled the Olympics, but Louie still made it to Tokyo—as a prisoner of war.

Surviving

After surviving a horrific plane crash followed by forty-seven gruesome days in a life raft, Louie was rescued from the sea–by the Japanese.

The next two years unleashed indescribable atrocities for Louie as he was brutalized in one POW camp after another.

Finally, after the war ended, Louie was liberated but he would continue to suffer mentally and physically after returning home.

Self-medicating with alcohol, Louie could not find peace. All he had was hatred with a desire for revenge.

Forgiving

Louie Zamperini experienced love from his own family, especially from his brother, Pete. Louie also found love with Cynthia Applewhite, his bride of fifty-five years.

But neither Peter nor Cynthia could give Louie the kind of love that would cease the hatred and torment within himself.

Then, thankfully, Louie found that kind of love in Jesus Christ whom he accepted as his Lord and Savior during a Billy Graham tent revival. For Louie, his PTSD, the nightmares, and the hatred left the moment he released it all to Christ.

Louie went on to become an inspirational speaker and a missionary to Japan.

Can you imagine the power of that moment when Louie returned to Japan to face his Japanese tormentors? This is one of my favorite parts of his story. He chose to forgive the war criminals long before he met them again in 1950. They were now prisoners in one of the prisons where they had tortured Louie years before. Louie spoke about God’s love and forgiveness, as well as his own, to over eight hundred men that day.

Freedom

We can’t imagine the pain and suffering of POW/MIA personnel or what their families must have endured, perhaps still endure.

We can only show our appreciation for their sacrifices by cherishing the freedoms for which they fought.

May all those who have served our country and suffer from PTSD, find peace and freedom like that of Louie Zamperini.

And may we never forget our POW/MIA.

Statistics for this blog post came from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Other sources: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand; Louis Zamperini: Redemption by Janet and Geoff Benge. (Affiliate links to Christianbook.com).

Unbroken: Path to Redemption DVD By The WTA Group In this sequel to Unbroken, freed P.O.W. and former Olympian Louis Zamperini is back on American soil but haunted by painful memories of his torment and driven by his desire for revenge. After his wife, Cynthia, finds faith at a Billy Graham crusade, will God bring Louis the peace and forgiveness he desperately needs? (PG-13.) Dove approved (12+). 98 minutes.