Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand

  23 Sandakan: Tanaka, pp. 11–43.

  24 Tinian massacre: Eric Lash, “Historic Island of Tinian,” Environmental Services, October 2008, vol. 1, 2nd edition; Major General Donald Cook, “20th Air Force Today,” 20th Air Force Association Newsletter, Fall 1998.

  25 Ballale: Peter Stone, Hostages to Freedom (Yarram, Australia: Oceans Enterprises, 2006).

  26 Wake: Major Mark E. Hubbs, “Massacre on Wake Island,” Yorktown Sailor, http://www.yorktownsailor.com/yorktown/massacre.html (accessed October 18, 2009); Daws, p. 279.

  27 Tarawa: Daws, p. 278.

  28 Palawan: Sides, pp. 7–17; Kerr, Surrender, pp. 212–15; V. Dennis Wrynn, “American Prisoners of War: Massacre at Palawan,” World War II, November 1997.

  29 POWs giving supplies to civilians, guards: Kerr, Surrender, p. 273.

  30 Kono hides in office: Wade, p. 169.

  31 Kono’s flight, capture, trial: Hiroaki Kono records from the NACP: Hiroaki Kono et al., 1946–1947, File Unit from RG 331: RAOOH, WWII, 1907–1966, SCAP, Legal Section, Manila Branch (1945–11/1949) Series: Orders and Summaries, compiled 1946–1947; Narumi Oota et al., 1945–1949, File Unit from RG 331: RAOOH, WWII, 1907–1966, SCAP, Legal Section, Prosecution Division (1945–1949) Series: USA Versus Japanese War Criminals Case File, compiled 1945–1949; Hiroaki Kono, 1948–1953, File Unit from RG 84: Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department of State, 1788–ca. 1991, Department of State. U.S. Embassy, Japan. (04/28/1952–) (Most Recent) SCAP, Legal Section (10/02/1945–04/28/1952?) (Predecessor) Series: Japanese War Crimes Case Files, compiled 1946–1961.

  32 Guard thrown from galley: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 31, 2005.

  33 NO MORE—THANKS: Robert Rasmussen, “A Momentous Message of Hope,” National Aviation Museum Foundation Magazine, vol. 8, no. 1, Spring 1987.

  34 one thousand planes, 4,500 tons of supplies: Daws, p. 340.

  35 Cocoa hits office: Martindale, p. 233; Robert Martindale, telephone interview, January 2, 2005.

  36 Louie washes shirt: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  37 Industrial machines in private houses: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 31, 2005.

  38 Tinker buys record: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  39 fifteen hundred Red Cross boxes in storehouse: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 31, 2005.

  40 Men find brothel: Wade, p. 170.

  41 Marvin on bicycle and in bath: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 31, 2005.

  42 Occupying forces don’t arrive: John Fitzgerald, POW diary, Papers of John A. Fitzgerald, Operational Archives Branch, NHC, Washington, D.C.

  43 Fitzgerald hits official: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 31, 2005.

  44 POWs walk to train: Wall, p. 304; Wade, p. 170; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  45 Fitzgerald stays: John Fitzgerald, POW diary, Papers of John A. Fitzgerald, Operational Archives Branch, NHC, Washington, D.C.

  46 Japanese saluting: Wall, p. 304.

  Chapter 33: Mother’s Day

  1 POWs on train: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 21, 2005; Wade, p. 171; Knox, p. 452; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  2 “First there were trees”: Knox, p. 451.

  3 “Welcome back, boys”: Wade, p. 171.

  4 “Before me in immaculate khaki uniform”: Ibid.

  5 Women like goddesses: Ken Marvin, telephone interview, January 21, 2005.

  6 Trumbull encounters Louie: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; “Zamperini Gives Sidelights of His Dramatic Trip Back,” October 1, 1945, NPN, from papers of Louis Zamperini; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hollywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

  7 “Zamperini’s dead”: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  8 “If I knew”: Robert Trumbull, “Zamperini, Olympic Miler, Is Safe After Epic Ordeal,” NYT, September 9, 1945.

  9 Hoarding K rations: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hollywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

  10 Rosynek watches men deplane: Frank Rosynek, email interview, June 21, 2005.

  11 POW told his wife married his uncle: “Sends Love Message to Soldier Husband,” Council Bluffs Nonpareil, September 11, 1945.

  12 Louie interviewed: Frank Rosynek, written interview, December 8, 2007.

  13 “Well, I’ll be damned”: Jack Krey, telephone interview, August 18, 2005.

  14 11th Bomb Group, 42nd squadron men lost: Cleveland, pp. 484–85.

  15 Only four of sixteen men from barracks alive: Jesse Stay, “Twenty-nine Months in the Pacific,” unpublished memoir.

  16 four hundred athletes killed: “400 Stars Give Lives in Service,” Oakland Tribune, December 30, 1944; Walt Dobbins, “I May Be Wrong,” Lincoln (Neb.) Journal, January 6, 1944.

  17 Louie not allowed food, clothes: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  18 Louie assessed by physicians: “Lou Zamperini Has Won Final Race on Track,” Olean (N.Y.) Times-Herald, September 13, 1945.

  19 “It’s finished”: “Zamperini Drifted 1,200 Miles on Raft,” Stars and Stripes, September 14, 1945.

  20 “Darling, we will”: Sylvia Zamperini, letter to Louis Zamperini, August 31, 1945.

  21 Pete learns Louie free: “Lou Zamperini’s Release Thrills Brother at NTC,” Hoist (U.S. Naval Training Center, San Diego), September 14, 1945.

  22 Preparing for homecoming, family quotations: “Zamperini’s Mother Sheds Tears of Joy,” undated article from papers of Peter Zamperini, NPN.

  23 Freeing Rokuroshi: George Steiger, “Captain George Steiger: A POW Diary,” http://www.fsteiger.com/gsteipow.html (accessed October 2, 2009); Emerson, pp. 86–87; Giles, pp. 155–65; Kerr, Surrender, pp. 288–89.

  24 History of American flag: Giles, pp. 156–57.

  25 Kelsey Phillips learns Allen is free: “Lt. Allen Phillips Back in Care of U.S. Army, Mother Informed,” Terre Haute Star, September, 1945.

  26 “That day”: Ibid.

  27 Louie remains in Okinawa: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946.

  28 Hospital parties: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  29 Louie startling USC recruiter: Ibid.

  30 Typhoon: Ibid.

  31 Louie flies in B-24: Ibid.; Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946.

  32 Overloaded B-24 crashes: Martindale, p. 243.

  33 “This is Kwajalein”: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  34 One tree left on island: Ibid.

  35 Hospitalization mandatory: Bernard M. Cohen and Maurice Z. Cooper, A Follow-up Study of World War II Prisoners of War (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1955), p. 40.

  36 Garrett and Louie stay together: Ibid.

  37 Louie loses beloved shirt: Ibid.

  38 Louie and Garrett wrestle on beach: Ibid.

  39 “I just thought I was empty”: Ibid.

  40 Wade goes home: Wade, p. 179; Tom Wade, letter to Louis Zamperini, August 20, 1946.

  41 Phil’s homecoming: Kelsey Phillips, “A Life Story,” unpublished memoir; telegram and photographs from Phillips scrapbook.

  42 Pete and Louie meet: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 19, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  43 Louie flown home: Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946; “Lou Zamperini Back in L.A.,” undated article from papers of Peter Zamperini, NPN; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 19, 2004.

  44 “Cara mamma mia”: “Lou Zamperini Back in L.A.,” undated article from papers of Peter Zamperini, NPN.

  PART V

  Chapter 34: The Shimmering Girl

  1 “This, this little home”: “Lou Zamperini Back in L.A.,” undated article from papers of Peter Zamperini, NPN.

  2 Homecoming: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 19, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Sylvia Flammer, telephone interviews, October 25, 27, 2004.

  3 Louie hears r
ecord: Sylvia Flammer, telephone interviews, October 25, 27, 2004.

  4 Nightmare about the Bird: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  5 Wade named Watanabe: Wade, p. 176.

  6 MacArthur arrest list: “MacArthur’s Round Up of Criminals,” Argus (Melbourne), September 25, 1945; “Tojo Shoots Self to Avoid Arrest; MacArthur Orders 39 Other Criminals Arrested,” Port Arthur News, September 11, 1945.

  7 Tojo suicide attempt: “Think Tojo Had Planned Suicide,” Council Bluffs (Iowa) Nonpareil, September 11, 1945; “Blood of Men He Sought to Destroy May Save Life of Man Ordering Pearl Harbor Attack,” Council Bluffs (Iowa) Nonpareil, September 11, 1945; Robert Martindale, telephone interview, January 2, 2005.

  8 Watanabe flees: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

  9 Watanabe hears name listed with Tojo, resolves to disappear: Ibid.

  10 Manhunt: Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331, NACP.

  11 Fake letter: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

  12 Watanabe said he’d rather die than be captured: Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331, NACP.

  13 Wave of suicides: Philip R. Piccigallo, The Japanese on Trial: Allied War Crimes Operations in the East, 1945–1951 (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1979), p. 45.

  14 Affidavits: Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331,0020NACP.

  15 Two thousand letters: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 5, 1946.

  16 Ringing phone, ninety-five speeches: Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946.

  17 “It was like he got hit”: Payton Jordan, telephone interviews, August 13, 16, 2004.

  18 Louie drives to forest: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  19 Los Angeles Times dinner, drinking: Ibid.

  20 Zamperini Invitational Mile: “Hero Takes Mile Without Running,” Kingsport (Tenn.) News, March 4, 1946.

  21 Louie meets Cynthia: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Louis Zamperini, letters to Cynthia Applewhite, April 15 and May 9, 1946; Ric Applewhite, telephone interview, March 12, 2008; Sylvia Flammer, telephone interviews, October 25, 27, 2004.

  22 “I want to see you again”: Ric Applewhite, telephone interview, March 12, 2008.

  23 Cynthia dating Macs, first date: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  24 Cynthia’s history: Ric Applewhite, telephone interview, March 12, 2008.

  25 Drinking gin at sixteen: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, May 8, 1946.

  26 Louie throws toilet paper down hotel wall: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  27 Louie proposes: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, May 9, 1946.

  28 Engagement concerns Applewhites: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 13, 1946; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  29 Cynthia ignorant of POW experiences: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  30 Easy on rice, barley: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, May 2, 1946.

  31 Louie gets drunk on date: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  32 Louie warns Cynthia: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 23, 1946.

  33 “We have got to set”: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 15, 1946.

  34 “If you love me enough”: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 23, 1946.

  35 Louie prepares for wedding: Louis Zamperini, letters to Cynthia Applewhite, April 5, 9, 27 and May 8, 1946.

  36 Cynthia wants a home: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 23, 1946.

  37 Sleeping on floors: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, May 10, 1946.

  38 Concerns about Applewhites: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Ric Applewhite, telephone interview, March 12, 2008; Louis Zamperini, letter to Eric Applewhite, April 1946; Eric Applewhite, letter to Louis Zamperini, April 16, 1946.

  39 Louie trains: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 13, 1946; Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946.

  40 Cynthia’s deal with parents: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, April 25, 1946; Ric Applewhite, telephone interview, March 12, 2008.

  41 Ric’s fears: Ric Applewhite, telephone interview, March 12, 2008.

  42 Louie, Cynthia argue: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  43 Cynthia calls home, Louie drinks: Ibid.

  Chapter 35: Coming Undone

  1 Garrett upset over rice: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

  2 Toll of captivity: Norman S. White, MD, letter to the editor, Hospital and Community Psychiatry, November 1983; Bernard M. Cohen and Maurice Z. Cooper, A Follow-up Study of World War II Prisoners of War (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1955); D. Robson et al., “Consequences of Captivity: Health Effects of Far East Imprisonment in World War II,” JM: An International Journal of Medicine, vol. 102, no. 2, 2009, pp. 87–96; Robert Ursano, MD, and James Rundell, MD, “The Prisoner of War,” War Psychiatry (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Surgeon General, 1995), pp. 431–56.

  3 Nightmares, sleeping on floors, ducking, hallucinations: Knox, pp. 461, 463, 478–79.

  4 McMullen speaking Japanese: Milton McMullen, telephone interview, February 16, 2005.

  5 Weinstein’s urges to scavenge in garbage cans: Weinstein, p. 316.

  6 Weinstein housing complex: “Georgia: No Shenanigans,” Time, January 2, 1950.

  7 Halloran’s experience: Raymond Halloran, email interview, March 3, 2008.

  8 Former POW spitting at Asians: Burke, p. 184.

  9 Former POWs try to attack hospital staffer: Knox, p. 465.

  10 McMullen after Japan: Milton McMullen, telephone interview, February 16, 2005.

  11 “a seething, purifying”: Jean Améry, At the Mind’s Limits: Contemplations by a Survivor of Auschwitz and Its Realities (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998), p. 40.

  12 “You must look”: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, May 4, 1946.

  13 Louie’s torment, resumption of running: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

  14 Louie injured: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946; John P. Stripling, “Striptees,” Torrance Herald, November 28, 1946.

  15 Louie’s nightmares, drinking, decline, resolution to kill the Bird: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

  Chapter 36: The Body on the Mountain

  1 Manhunt: Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331, NACP.

  2 Officer’s visit: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

  3 Watanabe’s flight and quotes in this section: Ibid.

  4 Conviction rates: John W. Dower, Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II (New York: Norton, 1999), p. 447.

  5 Ofuna convictions: “Jap Officers to Be Hanged for POW Brutality,” San Mateo (Calif.) Times, October 13, 1948; William R. Gill and Davis P. Newton, “A Compilation of Biographical Source Documents Concerning Major William Herald Walker, U.S. Army Air Force (1919–1945), a Prisoner of War in Japan During World War II,” 1999; “8th Army Commission Court Gives Sentence to POW Torturers,” Pacific Stars and Stripes, February 29, 1948.

  6 Naoetsu convictions: Lyon, pp. 49–51.

  7 Sasaki’s capture, trial, imprisonment: Kunichi Sasaki and James Kunichi Sasaki records from RG 331, RAOOH, WWII, 1907–1966, SCAP, Legal Section, Administration Division and Prosecution Division, NACP: Kunichi Sasaki, Isamu Sato, Kazuo Akane, 1945�
�1948, Investigation and Interrogation Reports; Nakakichi Asoma et al., trial, exhibits, appeal, and clemency files; Nakakichi Asoma et al., 1945–1952, POW 201 File, 1945–1952, Charges and Specifications, 1945–1948.