Re: Olympic Athlete, Ex-POW Inspires All

Date: February 23, 2004

"Plaza dedicated to USC Olympic athlete

The entrance to the Katherine B. Loker Track and Field Stadium was dedicated to Louis Zamperini on Saturday.

By KAREN STAPLEY
Contributing Writer

Louis Zamperini, World War II hero, Olympic athletic and Trojan was honored Saturday when USC dedicated the official entrance to Katherine B. Loker Track and Field Stadium "Louis Zamperini Plaza."

"He is an inspiration to the entire Trojan family," USC President Steven B. Sample said.

"This is unbelievable, I never thought this would happen," Zamperini said.

In 1934, as a junior in high school, he set a 4:21:02 mile world interscholastic record that remained undefeated for two decades.

Always in trouble as a youngster, Zamperini said he discovered his talent by running away from police. His running talent earned him a scholarship to USC.

At age 19 Zamperini qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Unfortunately, he partied on the boat across the Atlantic and gained 10 pounds, which killed his chances of winning a medal. He finished eighth in the 5,000 meter and was the fastest American. He set a record with a final lap of 56 seconds.

That lap prompted Adolf Hitler to label him "the American boy with the fast finish."

Zamperini spent four years preparing for the 1940 Olympics. At the age of 23 he was in his prime and was likely to win a medal. Unfortunately, the Olympics were cancelled that year because of the war.

As World War II broke out, Zamperini joined the bombardiers and served on several missions in the Pacific.

Four-time swimming Olympic gold medalist John Nader shared stories about Zamperini's war days at Saturday's ceremony.

On May 23, 1943, Zamperini's plane crashed about 800 miles south of Hawaii. He was one of three survivors. A raft would be their home for 47 days. They survived by drinking rainwater and catching fish. The waters were shark-infested. They sat motionless as great white sharks smashed against their raft.

Zamperini came face to face with a shark after having to jump out of the raft to escape bullets from a Japanese plane.

Finally, after 47 harrowing days, a Japanese patrol boat "rescued" the survivors. They had lost about 100 pounds each and Zamperini weighed no more than 70 pounds.

Zamperini became a prisoner of war and was tortured for the next two and a half years. His life was spared only because one of the guards recognized him as an Olympian and saw an opportunity for propaganda.

When he finally returned home many people thought he had died. Zamperini even owns a copy of his own death certificate. His running career was over and he became disillusioned.

Zamperini met and married Cynthia Applewhite in 1946. His wife encouraged him to attend a sermon by preacher Bill Graham. This changed his outlook on life. When Zamperini first left Japan, he wanted revenge but when he returned in 1950 he met with his captors, Nader said, and forgave the people who had tortured him.

At age 87, Zamperini walks two miles a day in his Hollywood Hills neighborhood, flies planes and skis. He has carried the Olympic torch four times and has written a book, "Devil at My Heels."

The discipline he learned as an athlete has enabled him to face the many challenges of his life, Zamperini said.

"He is full of life and has so much energy. He loves people and is an amazing person. This means a lot to him because being a Trojan is a large part of his life," said Karina Soueidan, a USC junior majoring in business administration, who knows Zamperini.

"It is wonderful that USC made the effort to go back and find such a deserving person from 60 years ago," Nader said.

"He is very deserving of this," said Katherine B. Loker.

The plaza features five tall pillars, a fountain and trees. On the first pillar, the names of all 40 Trojans who have won track and field gold medals in the Olympics will be listed; on the second and third, the names of all Trojan Olympians; the final two, all of USC's NCAA champions.

"Whoever designed the plaza did a fabulous job," Zamperini said.

Zamperini said he could not speak for several minutes when he found out the plaza would be named in honor of him.

"It blows my mind, I never expected this," Zamperini said.

"The only drawback is people will be walking over me for the rest of my life," Zamperini said jokingly.

©2004 by the Daily Trojan. "