Carson Musser Hillenbrand 1
M(r)s. Newton
Pre-Ap English pd5
8/12/17
The multiple lives of Louis Zamperini
Imagine crashing into the ocean, floating on a raft for 47 days while you drift towards enemy territory, finding land only to be seized by the Japanese navy, be brutally beaten across many different Japanese Prisoner of War camps, and in the end, forgive your abusers for all they did without ever getting an apology in return. Few can say they’ve done this except for Louis Zamperini, a world war two hero. A hero is someone who can forgive all people even some who don’t have morals.
Louis Silvie “Louie” Zamperini was born January 26, 1917 and grew up in Torrance, California where he was a troublemaker as a child and often ended up in holding …show more content…
During a search and rescue mission aboard the “Green Hornet”, mechanical difficulties cause the plane to spiral towards the ocean. In an explosion of debris, the plane hits the ocean killing all but 3 members of the crew. The survivors are Louie, “Phil” the pilot, and “Mac” the tail gunner. They drift across the ocean feeding on birds and sharks around them, water all around them but they are thirstier than ever, 33 days in Mac dies. “They bowed their heads together as Louie prayed. If God would quench their thirst he vowed, he’d dedicate his life to him. The next day by divine intervention or the fickle humors of the tropics, the sky broke open and rain poured down.” (pg152). On the 47th day they reach land. There they are captured by the Japanese where they were sent to strings of POW camps where they are beaten severely to the verge of death, tormented, humiliated, and given minimal amounts of food. Louie showed perseverance even when things got worse and