Louis Zamperini

Louis Zamperini Running before the Olympics (http://www.chnarmy.com/html/2011-01/10061.html ())

"Forgiveness means letting go of the past." -Gerald Jampolsky.
            Everyone has done something that they have regretted before, whether it be borrowing something and forgetting to bring it back, or cheating in school. Many people feel the need to hold on to those mistakes with them for their lives, but forgiveness is required to move on in life, and Louis Zamperini is a perfect example. Louis Zamperini was born in 1917, in New York, to the son of two Italian Immigrants. Due to his wild and erratic behavior, such as running around town naked, the family decided to move from New York to Torrance, California. There Louis became a troublemaker that pulled pranks on every single person in the miniscule town. His brother Pete and he ran around town, arousing trouble and stealing and looting stores. After years of troublemaking, his brother Pete introduced him to running. In the beginning, he was terrible, but through his own determination and desire to be acknowledged by the people in his town, Louis became the star track and field runner at his high school, and soon was invited to the 1936 Olympics. He only placed 8^th, but began preparing for the 1940 Olympics, only they never came. World War Two had started and Louis was joined the army as a bomber, stationed in Hawaii. On one disastrous bombing mission, Zamperini's plane crashed, instantly killing nine of the twelve people on board. Stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for the next 47, the men had no other choice but to wait for rescue, with one man dying on day 33. Zamperini and the other survivor were captured by the Japanese on day 47, leading to another two years of torture in the Prisoner of War camps. After the war left, he found Christ, feeling "reborn" and soon started to spread Christ throughout the United States as a public speaker. A hero must put himself in front of others. They must also not think about fame, think humbly of themselves, and care for others. Louis Zamperini fits all those requirements and more with his determination and ability to forgive, traits that make him a true hero.

(http://www.dailycamera.com/recreation-columnists/c ())

            Louis Zamperini's determination even through the bleakest moments of his life is a characteristic that makes him a true hero. In 1941, Louis Zamperini enlisted in the army, drawing many hardships toward him. "Zamperini enlisted in the US Army after graduation, in 1941. He trained as an Army Air Corps bombardier in the Pacific theatre. In May 1943, Zamperini's B-24 went down in the Pacific and he and two other survivors (one would eventually perish on day thirty-three) lived at sea for forty-seven days before being stranded in the Marshall Islands, where they were picked up by the Japanese and transferred to a POW (prisoner of war) camp;" (Ann). Although Louis was plane wrecked for 47 days, his will was unbreakable and he never complained about being stranded in the middle of the sea, but instead, caught fish, birds, and even occasionally small sharks to survive, never giving up to the harshness of the wild. When Louis crashed, his raft didn't have most of the essential tools that a life raft should have. Instead of whining about it, he decided to deal with it while most people would've have immediately given up and lost all hope of living. Also, during his stay in the Japanese prisoner of war camps, he continued to keep his determination to live. "Over more than two years' imprisonment, Lou was singled out for particular attention. The Bird broke his body but never his will, which so infuriated him that he made the punishment ever harsher. In addition to the daily beatings, usually with a belt and the heavy steel buckle aimed at Lou's head, he once forced the prisoners at gunpoint to lie face-down in feces," (Wooding). Although "The Bird" singled Louis out and beat him down every single day, Louis never gave up or gave in to The Bird's harsh ways. Every day, The Bird would torture Louis and physically abuse him, but he never gave in and held a certain line of defiance to The Bird showing that "The Bird" wasn't in control. Louis Zamperini's plane crashing, and being stuck on a raft, having to take care of not only himself but for two others is a strong example that he is a hero. Louis determination throughout his life not only kept him alive but kept others alive as well.

(http://www.billygrahamlibrary.org/pgview.aspx?pid= ())

         Louis forgiveness of other later in his life also proves that he is a true hero. After being freed from the prisoner of war camps in Japan, Louis Zamperini first held a grudge but later learned how to move on, "Before Louie left Sugamo, the colonel who was attending him asked Louie's former guards to come forward. In the back of the room, the prisoners stood up and shuffled into the aisle. They moved hesitantly, looking up at Louie with small faces. Louie was seized by childlike, giddy exuberance. Before he realized what he was doing, he was bounding down the aisle. In bewilderment, the men who had abused him watched him come to them, his hands extended, a radiant smile on his face." (pg. 379-380 Unbroken). Before, Louis wanted to kill the prison guards that had ruined his life in Japan, but after discovering Christ, he immediately changed his point of view, forgiving the prison guards, showing his forgiveness. Even after all of the pain and sorrow the prisoners had made him go through, he was still able to find a way to forgive them thanks to his new belief in Christ. Another example was how he discovered Christ and forgave everything and everyone that had hurt him before, saving his marriage: "Zamperini turned to alcohol and almost destroyed his marriage. His wife, still fighting to salvage her marriage and turn her husband's life around, brought Zamperini to a religious service of Pastor Billy Graham's. Zamperini turned a corner, and decided to stop drinking, smoking, and focusing on the war. Instead, he found a renewed faith, joining Graham's mission and speaking publicly about forgiveness--it became his career. Zamperini travelled to Japan, where he sought out many of his captors, speaking to them of his forgiveness and his faith, and in several instances, speaking for clemency on their behalf," (Ann). After the war, Louis met with his prison guards that had tortured him every day. Instead of hurting them, Louis forgave them, telling them about how he followed Christ now, saying he wouldn't hurt them, showing how much he has evolved. Louis was able to forgive his captors; even after all of the pain they had put him through and didn't even resent them, instead he just told them about Christ and encouraged them to follow Christ. Although Louis was freed from the Prisoner of War camp, he wanted to return back to Japan to kill his captors, but he discovered Christ, changing him by forgiving his past jailors. He vowed to return to Japan to forgive his jailors and convince them to also follow Christ, a feat that not any normal person would be able to do. 

            Throughout his life, his caring for others, forgiveness, and strong willpower are traits that kept Louis Zamperini alive and made him the hero that he is today. Zamperini's strong determination when he was stranded and when he was captured in Japan show his amazing willpower to live. His forgiveness of his captors is also a hero trait that many people don't have. Zamperini inspires me because of the way he was able to forgive his captors. The next time someone does something to anger me or anyone close to me; I won't resent him but instead keep my feeling's neutral. Although Louis Zamperini did not live the most innocent childhood, as an adult he became a phenomenal runner and a great leader during the war. Zamperini may not be well known, but that's the way that he likes it, humble. Many people will live their lives not knowing who Zamperini is, but everybody should learn about Zamperini and they will realize how truly lucky they are.

Cameron, Ann. "Louis Zamperini." Louis Zamperini (2011): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.

Hillenbrand, Laura. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. New York: Random House, 2010. Print.

"Louis Zamperini - American Hero." Louis Zamperini - American Hero. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec.   2012. .

"Louis Zamperini at 94, Is Still Unbroken After All These Years." Louis Zamperini at 94, Is Still Unbroken After All These Years. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. .

"Life of faith and forgiveness." Washington Times [Washington, DC] 25 Feb. 2011: B06. Gale     Biography In Context. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.

Zamperini, Louis, and David Rensin. Devil at My Heels: A Heroic Olympian's Astonishing Story   of Survival as a Japanese POW in World War II. New York: Perennial, 2004. Print.