Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption (61 page)

HIA

Hoover Institution Archives

NACP

National Archives at Col ege Park, Maryland

NHC

Naval Historical Center

NPN

No publication named

NYT

New York Times

RAOOH Records of Al ied Operational and Occupation Headquarters

RG

Record Group

SCAP

Supreme Commander of Al ied Powers

1 Raft: “42nd Bombardment Squadron: Addendum to Squadron History,” September 11, 1945, AFHRA, Maxwel AFB, Ala.; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Robert Trumbul , “Zamperini, Olympic Miler, Is Safe After Epic Ordeal,” NYT, September 9, 1945.

2 Four-minute mile: Charlie Paddock, “Sportorials,” April 1938 newspaper article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN; George Davis, “For Sake of Sport,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, undated 1938 article from Zamperini scrapbook; George Davis, “Cunningham Predicts Zamperini Next Mile Champ,” undated article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN; Paul Scheffels, “4 Minute Mile Run Is Closer,” Modesto (Calif.) Bee, February 14, 1940.

Chapter 1: The One-Boy Insurgency

1 Graf Zeppelin: Douglas Botting, Dr. Eckener’s Dream Machine: The Great Zeppelin and the Dawn of Air Travel (New York: Henry Holt, 2001), pp. 146–88; “Zeppelin Shatters Record,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 11, 1929; “Zeppelin at L.A.,” Modesto News-Herald, August 26, 1929; “Zep to Sail Tonight for N.Y.,” San Mateo Times, August 26, 1929; “Graf Zeppelin Bids Adieu and Soars Homeward,” Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune, August 8, 1929; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, March 2, 2006; Rick Zitarosa, Navy Lakehurst Historical Society, email interview, April 25, 2006; Lyle C. Wilson, “Eckener Fol ows Lindbergh Trail on Homeward Trip,” Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisc.), August 8, 1929; W. W. Chaplin, “Graf Zeppelin on Long Trail around World,” Jefferson City Post-Tribune, August 8, 1929; “Big German Zep Starts World Tour,” Moberly (Mo.) Monitor-Index, August 8, 1929; “Zep’s Ocean Hop Starts in Midweek,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 20, 1929; Karl H. Von Wiegand, “Graf Zeppelin Rides Typhoon Trail to Port,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 20, 1929; Miles H. Vaughn, “Graf Zeppelin Scores Great Hit with Orient,” Billings Gazette, August 28, 1929; “In the Spotlight of Today’s News,” Waterloo (Iowa) Evening Courier, August 26, 1929; “Zeppelin Wil Continue Flight Tonight,” Waterloo (Iowa) Evening Courier, August 26, 1929; “Mikado of Japan to Receive ‘Graf’ Voyagers at Tea,” Waterloo (Iowa) Evening Courier, August 20, 1929; “Stars Playing Hide and Seek with Zeppelin,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 25, 1929.

2 Hitler’s speech: David Welch, Hitler: Profile of a Dictator (London: Routledge, 1998), p. 80.

3 “like a huge shark”: Botting, p. 180.

4 Looked like monsters: Ibid., p. 181.

5 “fearful y beautiful”: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

6 Family history: Peter Zamperini, telephone interviews, October 19, 22, 2004.

7 Boyhood stories: Art Rosenbaum, “Zamperini Cheated Death Nine Times,” San Francisco Chronicle Sporting Green, March 3, 1940; Maxwel Stiles, “Fire Threatened Career of Zamperini as Child,” Los Angeles Examiner, undated, 1938; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 22, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Sylvia Flammer, telephone interviews, October 25, 27, 2004; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

8 “Pete never got caught”: Sylvia Flammer, telephone interview, October 25, 2004.

9 Italians were disliked: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 15, 2004.

10 “You could beat him”: Sylvia Flammer, telephone interview, October 25, 2004.

11 “Louie can’t stand it”: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 17, 2004.

12 Louie’s parents: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 15, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Sylvia Flammer, telephone interviews, October 25, 27, 2004.

13 “You only asked”: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 22, 2004.

14 “It was a matter”: Sylvia Flammer, telephone interview, October 25, 2004.

15 Louie’s troublemaking: Peter Zamperini, telephone interviews, October 15, 17, 19, 22, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Sylvia Flammer, telephone interviews, October 25, 27, 2004, and March 2, 2006.

16 Improvising meals: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 22, 2004.

17 Unemployment near 25 percent: United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, http://www.census.gov/rochi/www/fun1.html#1900

(accessed September 7, 2009).

18 Eugenics: Paul Lombardo, “Eugenic Sterilization Laws,” Dolan DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, http://www.eugenicsarchive.org (accessed April 13, 2006); Paul Lombardo, email interview, April 13, 2006; Edwin Black, “Eugenics and the Nazis

—the California connection,” San Francisco Chronicle, November 9, 2003; Anthony Platt, professor emeritus, California State University, email interview, April 13, 2006; Anthony Platt, “The Frightening Agenda of the American Eugenics Movement” (remarks made before California Senate Judiciary Committee, June 24, 2003).

19 Infecting patients with tuberculosis: Edwin Black, “Eugenics and the Nazis—the California Connection,” San Francisco Chronicle, November 9, 2003.

20 Torrance boy threatened with sterilization: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

21 He was “bighearted”: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 17, 2004.

22 Listening to train: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

Chapter 2: Run Like Mad

1 Pete gets Louie’s sports ban lifted: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 17, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

2 Pete’s athletic career: “Track Stars Graduate,” undated 1934 newspaper article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN; “Pete Zamperini Sets Record,”

undated 1934 newspaper article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN; “Pete Zamperini Goes to USC,” undated 1934 newspaper article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN.

3 First race: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 17, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

4 Pete hits Louie with stick: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Maxwel Stiles, “Switch Helped Troy Star Learn to Run,” undated 1937

newspaper article from Zamperini papers, NPN.

5 Running away, Cahuil a: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

6 Training: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 17, 2004; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA; Virginia Bowersox Weitzel, telephone interview, February 19, 2005.

7

Cunningham:

Mark

D.

Hersey,

“Cunningham

Cal s

It

a

Career,”

KU

Connection, April

8,

2002,

http://www.kuconnection.org/april2002/people_Glenn.asp (accessed June 7, 2006); Paul J. Kiel , American Miler: The Life and Times of Glenn Cunningham (Halcottsvil e, N.Y.: Breakaway Books, 2006), pp. 21–149.

8 Fal of 1932 training: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 19, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

9 Louie’s stride: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 17, 2004.

10 “Smoooooth”: Virginia Bowersox Weitzel, telephone interview, February 19, 2005.

11 Weenie bakes: Virginia Bowersox Weitzel, telephone interview, February 19, 2005.

12 Louie’s time improvement: “Louie ‘Iron Man’ Zamperini,” undated 1934 newspaper article from papers of Peter Zamperini, NPN.

13 “Boy!”: “Sport Winks,” March 10, 1933, NPN, from Zamperini scrapbook.

14 Two-mile race: “Crack Miler of Torrance Takes Distance Event,” October 28, 1933, no newspaper named, from Zamperini scrapbook.

15 UCLA race: “Iron Man Zamperini Wins,” Torrance Herald, December 16, 1933; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 15, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

Chapter 3: The Torrance Tornado

1 “sadly disheartened”: Undated 1934 article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN.

2 “the boy who doesn’t know”: Ibid.

3 Southern California Track and Field Championship: “Zamperini Runs Mile in 4m 21 3/5,” Los Angeles Times, May 24, 1934; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 15, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

4 Interscholastic records: Jon Hendershott, associate editor, Track and Field News, email interview, May 6, 2009; “Zamperini Runs Mile in 4m 21

3/5,” Los Angeles Times, May 24, 1934; “Mercersburg’s Great Trio,” Fort Wayne Daily News, June 3, 1916; Bert Dahlgren, “Reedley’s Bob Seaman Is Pushed to National Mile Record of 4:21,” Fresno Bee-Republican, May 30, 1953; “Dobbs Seeks World Mile Record,” Oakland Tribune, May 3, 1929.

5 “Torrance Tempest”: “Louis Zamperini of Torrance,” Los Angeles Times, December 31, 1934.

6 Herald insures legs: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, July 10, 2006; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

7 Top milers peak in mid-twenties: Charlie Paddock, “Spikes,” undated 1938 article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN.

8 Cunningham world record, fastest high school mile, fastest career mile: “History of the Record for the Mile Run,” InfoPlease, www.infoplease.com (accessed July 9, 2004); Kiel , pp. 99–126, 266–67.

9 Compton Open preparation: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 15, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

10 “If you stay”: Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 15, 2004.

11 “fifteen-minute torture chamber”: Louis Zamperini, letter to Louise Zamperini, July 14, 1936.

12 Compton Open: Undated articles from Zamperini scrapbook, no publications named; Peter Zamperini, telephone interview, October 19, 2004; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

13 Final qualifying race: “Bright of San Francisco Club,” undated article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN.

14 Send-off to Olympic trials: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

15 Heat: Janet Fisher, Northeast Regional Climate Center, Cornel University, email interview, July 7, 2006; Keith Heidorn, PhD, “How Hot Can It Get? The Great Heat Wave of 1936,” The Weather Doctor, http://www.islandnet.com/weather/almanac/arc2006/alm06jul.htm (accessed May 1, 2006); Janet Wal , National Climatic Data Center, email interview, July 7, 2006; Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews; “Cooler Weather in the East Is Delayed Again,” Daily Messenger (Canandaigua, N.Y.), July 13, 1936; Wil iam F. McIrath, “Heat Wave Deaths Pass 3,000 Mark,” Dunkirk (N.Y.) Evening Observer, July 15, 1936; Dr. James LuVal e, interview by George Hodak, Palo Alto, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA; Malcolm W. Metcalf, interviewed by George A. Hodak, Claremont, Calif., February 1988, AAFLA; Archie F. Wil iams, interviewed by George A. Hodak, Santa Rosa, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA; Kenneth Griffin, interview by George Hodak, Carlsbad, Calif., August 1988, AAFLA.

16 Race preparations: Louis Zamperini, letter to Pete Zamperini, July 10, 1936.

17 Prerace coverage, “If I have any”: Louis Zamperini, letter to Pete Zamperini, July 1936.

18 Lash as unbeatable: Alan Gould, “Two New Records Fal Before Indiana’s Lash,” Burlington (N.C.) Daily Times-News, July 4, 1936; Alan Gould,

“Lash Tops U.S. Distance Stars on Trail of First Olympic Title,” Kingston (N.Y.) Daily Freeman, June 27, 1936.

19 “made a wreck of me”: “Runner Tel s,” Torrance Herald, September 3, 1936.

20 Olympic trial: “Local Boy Runs Dead Heat,” Los Angeles Times, July 12, 1936; Bob Lwel yn, untitled article, Torrance Herald, July 1936; “Twenty Californians,” undated article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN; Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA;

“Stars Fal in Games but Negro Contingent Shines,” Helena Daily Independent, July 13, 1936; George Kirksey, “Records Fal , Champions Beaten in Bitter Finals for American Games Team,” Olean (N.Y.) Times-Herald, July 13, 1936; Henry McLemore, “America Sends Strongest Team to the Olympics,” Dunkirk (N.Y.) Evening Observer, July 15, 1936; George T. Davis, “Zamperini Had Confidence in Ability,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, July 11, 1936; “Torrance Tornado in Dead Heat,” Torrance Herald, July 16, 1936; Peter Zamperini, letter to Louis Zamperini, July 19, 1936.

21 “you couldn’t put a hair”: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview, July 10, 2006.

22 “jackass eating cactus”: Telegram, Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Bishop to Louis Zamperini, July 14, 1936.

23 Bright’s injured feet: “Louie Says He Won,” Torrance Herald, July 16, 1936; Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

24 Norman Bright’s running: Georgie Bright Kunkel, “My Brother Was a Long Distance Runner,” West Seattle Herald, August 21, 2008.

25 Telegrams: Louis Zamperini, letter to Louise Zamperini, July 14, 1936; Zamperini scrapbook; Torrance Herald, undated article from Zamperini scrapbook, NPN.

26 “Am I ever happy”: Peter Zamperini, letter to Louis Zamperini, July 19, 1936.

27 Youngest distance runner: Bob Lwel yn, untitled article, Torrance Herald, July 1936.

Chapter 4: Plundering Germany

1 Stealing: Louis Zamperini, interview by George Hodak, Hol ywood, Calif., June 1988, AAFLA.

2 Mustache: Louis Zamperini, Olympic diary, July 22, 1936, entry.

3 “They had nothing on me”: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

4 Training on ship: Iris Cummings Critchel , telephone interview, September 29, 2005; Iris Cummings Critchel , interviewed by George A. Hodak, Claremont, Calif., May 1988, AAFLA; Velma Dunn Ploessel, telephone interview, June 16, 2005; Louis Zamperini, Olympic diary; Velma Dunn Ploessel, interviewed by George A. Hodak, Downey, Calif., July 1988, AAFLA; Herbert H. Wildman, interviewed by George A. Hodak, Marina del Rey, Calif., October 1987, AAFLA; Arthur O. Mol ner, interviewed by George A. Hodak, Westlake Vil age, Calif., May 1988, AAFLA.