Prisoner of War Camps:
Zamperini and Phillips eventually drifted to the Marshall islands where they were immediately captured by the Japanese Navy.
Originally they were treated kindly, given food and bedding, and had their
wounds tended too. On July 15th they were transferred to the first of
several POW camps they would be kept at, Kwajalein Atoll. During the 42
days spent their they were used as test subjects for biological and chemical
weapons. They were then transferred to the Ofuna Camp, a camp for those
unregistered as POW's. At Ofuna they were held in solitary confinement,
and starved, in hopes they would give out military secrets. Guards forced
Zamperini to run races that if he won he would be beat and if he lost the other
prisoners would be beat. Louis would win the races and take the beatings
for the other prisoners. From Ofuna Zamperini was transferred
to Naoetsu Camp in Northern Japan where he stayed until the end of the war.
At Naoetsu, Zamperini was tormented by guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe, who
was rated in the top 40 most wanted war criminals in Japan. During his
time in the camps Zamperini was considered KIA (Killed in action.)
"In grateful memory of First Lieutenant Louis S. Zamperini, A.S. No. O-663341, who died in the service of his country in the Central Pacific Area.... He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives- in a way that humbles the undertaking of most men. " |