louis zamperini letter to the bird
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He sent a warm reply, so I called him. WebThat's true of all the tomes on our list of the best books of all time. WebAt age 80, in 1998, Louis returned to Japan as part of the Olympic ceremonies. All letters to or from Louis Zamperini, or to or from his family members, as well as diaries, are from the papers of Louis Zamperini, except where noted otherwise. "What God asks of men," Hillenbrand records Graham testifying, "is faith.". "Louis Zamperini: Unbroken Hero and Olympic Athlete." It is true that Zamperini's come to Jesus moment occurred not within the Zamperini told them, "The greatest story of forgiveness the worlds ever known was the Cross. In the beginning was the Word and words are the way that the Word can be better understood and communicated. But he never gave up, either. Nine days after they were attacked by Japanese fire, Mac died. World War II ended when America dropped atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. I was hooked. It didnt take long for the most viscous guard, Corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe, who prisoners nicknamed the Bird, or the most sadistic man. The Bird said that he felt near sexual excitement when he beat his prisoners. However, it was always Baer's hope that Unbroken would be a box office success, thus persuading the studio to invest in a second movie, in which he could tell the rest of the story. That plan was quickly foiled. EIN 27-4581132 Did Louis Zamperini get punched in the face? At USC, he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity (Delta-Eta Chapter). Pulling out a camera, he approached Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers propaganda minister, not knowing who he was, and asked him to take a picture of him and the Fuhrer. But that would only last so long. In addition to horrendous beatings, hed destroy photographs of POWs family members and force them to watch as he burned their letters from home, often the only personal belongings these tortured men had. Mutsuhiro Watanabe also used a four-foot kendo sword like a baseball bat and bashed Wades skull with 40 repeated blows. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/3-questions-about-unbroken-path-to-redemption, Merrick Garland Grilled on Anti-Catholic, Pro-Abortion Bias During Senate Hearing, Memento Mori: Remember You Are Going to Die, In the Beginning Are the Words: Logos, Language and Liberty, West Virginia Passes Religious Freedom Restoration Act, The Thorn Brings Christs Passion to the Big Screen in a New Way. The instant Louise thumped him into a chair and told him to be still, he vanished. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or The film, which portrayed the trials suffered by the former Olympian Louis Zamperini in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, was accused of being racist and of over-exaggerating the brutality of the Japanese prison. Former athlete Louis Zamperini (right) and Army Capt. WebZamperini first meets the Bird at a new POW camp and realizes that a real life nightmare has entered his life. He was tortured repeatedly. In anguish, he whispered a prayer: If you will save me, I will serve you forever. A cascade of bullets struck the water, piercing the raft and sending one of the men, Louie Zamperini, into the dark, shark-infested ocean. Louis Zamperini's name is recorded in 1917 as having received the Sacrament of Baptism at St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church in Olean, New York. Mutsuhiro Watanabe/Date of death, 85years (19182003) Id spent the previous year in a whirlwind of promotion for my first book, Seabiscuit, and was taking some time off. Faith: Louis Zamperini reads his Letter to the Bird. After more than a month 47 days, to be exact they spotted an island. People are still suffering from it. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. Gina Dimuro is a New York-based writer and translator. Actually, no at least not at first. Zamperini was shuttled among a series of POW camps until he landed at Omori, in Tokyo Bay. WebZamperini was the youngest of four children, born from Italian immigrants Anthony and Louise Zamperini. He trudged through the snow on his way to the camp when he heard a familiar voice. He wrote a heartfelt letter to his torturer the Bird, expressing his forgiveness. Louis Zamperini, born to Italian immigrants in 1917, lived most of his childhood in Torrance, Calif., as a rambunctious spitfire who had some serious problems with authority. 5 Who was the bird in unbroken in the movie? Moody Stuart said, "Ruth Bryan's letters are remarkably like those of Samuel Rutherford's, closely resembling them in most winning, unwearied, and gloriously endless eulogy of the King in His beauty." WebMay 23, 2017 - Louis Zamperini shares his letter of forgiveness for "The Bird" with Greg Laurie. In Japanese P.O.W. Born in Olean, New York on January 26, 1917, Louis Zamperini was raised in Torrance, California. Angelina Jolies blockbuster Unbroken incited some outrage in Japan after its release in 2014. Just like before, "The Bird" resumed his incredibly inhumane treatment to this young soldier. Graham's events held in major venues such as sports stadiums? Instead, Louis sent him a letter expressing his forgiveness. https://www.learnreligions.com/louis-zamperini-biography-4173639 (accessed March 2, 2023). You come to attention last! he shouted at Zamperini and swung the brass into his left temple and ear. How will future gen-erations ever come to know us? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. He found his way back to faith, then lived the Christian life with vigor; but he never had the opportunity to delve even deeper into the heart of God, to become one with Christ in the Eucharist and the Sacraments. Fred Garrett (left) talk to reporters as they arrive at Hamilton Field, California, after their release from a Japanese prison camp. YouTubeMutsuhiro Watanabe in a 1998 interview. Winning the California State Meet championship in 1934 earned Louis a scholarship to the University of Southern California. He devotes particular attention to Louie, whom he beats and tortures on many occasions. Email us. Louis wrote an open letter to Watanabe in which he forgave The Bird and asked him to become a Christian. When Louis got home to his family, he was having nightmares and the Bird would always be in them when he was sleeping. His legacy offers us powerful lessons in love, faith and courage. The most significant moment followed the crash of the Green Hornet, the plane Zamperini and his crew were flying on the rescue mission. Now his Olympians body had wasted to less than one hundred pounds and his famous legs could no longer lift him. He could conceive of no other way to save himself. Louie Zamperinis life is a journey of outrageous fortune, ferocious will and astonishing redemption. Chapter 1: The One-Boy Insurgency The son of Italian immigrants Anthony and Louise Zamperini, Louie was a boyhood scoundrel. It couldnt get any worse than this, Zamperini thought a plane crash, gunned down at sea, now attacked by sharks. Later, he poured all his alcohol down the drain, and with it went the nightmares he had of his war years, he recalled. His wife threatened to divorce him until he found the light through a religious awakening at the hands of evangelical reverend Billy Graham. 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He was not the worthless, broken, forsaken man that the Bird had striven to make of him. Then he was shipped to prison camp in Japan, where he was forced to race against Japanese runners, winning even though he knew hed be clubbed as punishment. Love replaced the hate I had for Will himself an evangelical pastor, the third generation of the Graham family to minister under the banner of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association played the role of his famous grandfather in the film. tips@mediaite.com. My letter to the Bird | Louis Zamperini reading a letter of forgiveness addressed to Mutsuhiro Watanabe, nicknamed "the Bird" by his prisoners. Using a quote often attributed to Mark Twain, 95-year-old Zamperini said this in an interview with John Meroney: Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. He couldnt shake the sense of shame that had been beaten into him by the Bird. I talked to other former POWs who forgave their captors, and for each, forgiveness seemed to follow a return of dignity. One day he approached Zamperini with a belt made of heavy brass. Zamperini ran well but came in eighth in the 5,000 meter race. Mac (Finn Witrock), Phil (Domhnall Gleeson) and Louie (Jack OConnell) are adrift in Unbroken, an epic drama that follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis Louie Zamperini who survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. His name appears scratched in ink on Line 25 of the parish's baptismal records book, on Jan. 26, 1917, alongside the names of his parents, Tony Zamperini and Louise Dossi. The post-war nightmares caused my life to crumble, but thanks to a confrontation with God through the evangelist Billy Graham, I committed my life to Christ. It was night and he was sleeping in his bed. Unfortunately, the films main antagonist was one of the rare cases where the truth needed no exaggeration to shock the public. On the twenty-seventh day, a plane appeared. Zamperini was deaf in his left ear for two weeks. The Allies were never able to find any trace of the former prison guard. The Bird in Unbroken was known to be ruthless and violent, and he especially targeted Louis. If he had passed out from the pressure, and the plane had continued to sink and the pressure to build, why had he woken again? Hillenbrand asks. There, Zamperini was beaten, starved and humiliated, even forced to do the Charleston dance at gunpoint as officers laughed. I received a letter from a fellow who told me, My dad came home from the war, he Clockwise, from top left) Harris (Louis Mcintosh), Fitzgerald (Garrett Hedlund), Miller (Luke Treadaway), Blackie (Ross Anderson), Tinker (John Magaro) and Zamperini (Jack OConnell) in Unbroken, an epic drama that follows the incredible life of Olympian and war hero Louis Zamperini who, along with two other crewmen, survived in a raft for 47 days after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII only to be caught by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. Zamperini passed away in July of 2014; he was 97 years old. Then they tell him to record another broadcast by reading a script theyve written to undermine Americas war effort. Zamperini was transferred to the 42nd Squadron of the 11th Bomb Group in Oahu where the only plane available to use was the gutted-out and bullet-hole spattered B-24 model called The Green Hornet. As part of a CBS special on his achievements, the newsmagazine program tracked down his torturer for a fascinating interview that ultimately saw Watanabe refusing to apologize for his actions. Standing in Grahams tent, lost in his flashback, Louie felt the rain on his face. Garrett had his left leg amputated at the hip by torturers. His conversion to Christ occurred after his return to the U.S., but Unbroken ended without telling that important part of the story. Fairchild, Mary. Death and Legacy Louis Zamperini died of It was a struggle to maintain enough dignity and hope to live until the war's end. Will Graham confirmed that although his grandfather was just beginning to be well-known in 1949, the tent crusade in Los Angeles attracted 10,000 people significantly more than were shown in the film version. One of the worst Japanese war criminals, Mutsuhiro The Bird Watanabe is the novels epitome of evil, representing humankinds utmost capacity for violence. That same childhood insolence made Louie defiant, and he refused to show weakness during beatings. Enjoy learning about Mutsuhiro Watanabe? Somehow, Cynthia talked him into going again the next night. Louie refuses and is sent back to The Birds abuse at the Omori POW camp. But at the aisle, he stopped short. Louis' older brother Pete convinced him to go out for track in high school, and Louis discovered a talent for long-distance running. Louis, though, was a troublemaker, an untamable child described by Laura Hillenbrand in her book as thrilled by the crashing of boundaries.. His inability to forgive slowly ate away at his soul. After being liberated after two years in prisoner-of-war camps and returning to the United States, Zamperini tried to live a normal life. Though Id only heard bits of his story, I was intrigued, and jotted his name in my notebook. Louis and his wife Cynthia had two children, Cissy and Luke, who continue their father's legacy by telling his heroic story and serving the youth foundation. Thoughts of murdering his tormentor festered in his heart, destroying his health and marriage. WebIn the novel Unbroken, written by Laura Hillenbrand, Louis Louie Zamperini goes through several life-threatening experiences. He wrote a heartfelt letter to his torturer the Bird, expressing his forgiveness. At one point, everyone, including his mother, believed that he had committed suicide. How many children does the bird have in unbroken? For 47 days they drifted, surviving on sea birds that landed on their rafts, an occasional fish, and whatever rain water they collected. Zamperini spent two years in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps where he was beaten, starved and tormented by the guards. On Thursday, May 27, 1943, he and his crew boarded the Hornet, even though many of his mates insisted that it was unflyable. He stayed in hiding until 1958, when a general amnesty was granted to Japanese war criminals. However, his familys money meant nothing to the army and he was granted the rank of a corporal. As the attacks continued, he became increasingly angry. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, GOPers stand up for life and against AG Merrick Garland, Biden's WHO pandemic treaty would kill Americans in the name of 'equity', 'Tis the month Don 'GodBlessUs' Lemon and many other celebs were born, 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Family raises 250-pound 'dog' for 2 years then realizes it's a bear, 'Disgraceful' Meghan, Harry 'provoked' King Charles to evict them: royal expert. Graham, did not know each other that night; they only became friends after that, joining in their evangelical zeal. Lou was one of the greatest Americans and Trojans of Louie was struck with emotion. When the Bird had driven him to the breaking point, and hed prayed for help, somehow hed found the strength to keep breathing. Louis Zamperini, the man Laura Hillenbrand wrote about in her book Unbroken, speaks at the Sandy Northridge LDS church in Sandy on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. To their great surprise, Zamperini and Phil were received warmly, given ample food, provided a doctor and given clean linens to sleep on. When Louie tries to meet with him as part of a role in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, the Bird refuses. Just as he was reaching Olympic form again, his ankle failed. Since he wanted to make changes and be strong, he joined the track team, always ran down the road, and eventually became United States Olympic player. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. He established the nonprofit Victory Boys Camp in California to help troubled youths rediscover their purpose in life. This would be his emphatic reply to the Birds unremitting effort to extinguish his humanity: I am still a man. I wrote him a letter. Far out over the Pacific, engine failure sent their plane plunging into the ocean. But in 1952, the arrest order for suspected war criminals was lifted, making him, too, a free man. As the Japanese bomber circled for another attack, Zamperini saw the tremendous jaws of a shark heading straight towards his legs. There, Zamperini entered his own private hell. However, Louis' worst tormentor, The Bird, had escaped justice. He became a world-famous track phenomenon, competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics when he was still a teenager. So when we got to the main aisle, I turned to the right and went back to the prayer room and made a confession of my faith in Christ.". His first decision was to portion out the small pieces of food. Who was the bird in unbroken in the movie? I know that some people were troubled after seeing the first film, he said. Catholic Excalibur: The True Story Behind St. Galganos Sword, US Bishops Urge Senators to Oppose Revival of the Equal Rights Amendment, A Lasting Trail of Light: The Witness of Pedro Ballester, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange and the Rich History of Black Catholic Religious Orders. Amber Clayson has a bachelor's degree in communications from BYU. The Bird of Unbroken. Fairchild, Mary. A letter by a surviving World War II Prisoner of War of the Japanese, Louis Zamperini, to Mutsuhiro Watanabe, one of the worst guards in any POW Camp, who had But not for long. And nothing compared to the joy he felt when he brutally bullied his number one prisoner Zamperini. Watanabe was known as The Bird, and had gone into hiding during the American occupation of Japan. He was a very definition of a delinquent. He had so thoroughly disappeared that even his own mother thought he was dead. Exorcist Responds to Sensationalized Russell Crowe Exorcism Film on Father Amorth, Ash Wednesday Breaks All the Rules of Modern ChurchThink, and More Great Links! After Zamperini faced unbearable treatment by "The Bird," "The Bird" was finally transferred to another prison. "A once singularly hopeful man now believed that his only hope lay in murder.". He graduated in 1940 and would have competed in the Olympics again, but the outbreak of World War II caused the games to be canceled. His parents, Anthony and Louise, were Italian immigrants who did not speak English. Renew or manage your subscription here. After Japans surrender, Watanabe went into hiding. They began to catch birds that would perch on the raft, not realizing that the men were alive. Then he discovered that he had an extraordinary talent for running. Because of his life of privilege, he thought he would be automatically granted the esteemed position of an officer when he enlisted. There would have been thousands of people going forward at his grandfather's invitation, Graham explained and Louie Zamperini would not have been singled out, as he was in the film. Collegiate career After the Olympics, Zamperini enrolled as a student at the University of Southern California. When he did something wrong, he knew how to book it. Goebbels agreed. Then, discover the true story of The Pianist. During a rescue mission to search for an American plane that had disappeared over the ocean, the plane Zamperini and his crew were flying began to have engine failures and crashed into the ocean. Zamperini wrote him a letter instead. For me, what gives his story lasting resonance is the light it sheds on the cost of victimization and the mystery of forgiveness. Phil sang church hymns; Louie taught the other two the lyrics to White Christmas. They sang it over the ocean, a holiday song in June, heard only by circling sharks, Hillenbrand writes. He sought solace in running, but an ankle injury, incurred in POW camp and exacerbated by the Birds beatings, hampered him. She snatched the baby away, then packed her bags and walked out. In bitterness, he was as much a captive as hed been when barbed wire had surrounded him. Did Louis Zamperini ever meet the bird again? One of the Louies conviction that he was forsaken was gone, replaced by a belief that divine love had been all around him, even at his darkest moments. or school. But at a recent press junket in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to talk with Matthew Bauer, producer of both Unbroken and its sequel, Unbroken: Path to Redemption. Baer talked about his decision to tell Zamperini's story on film, and explained why the first movie ended as it did. In September 1941, Zamperini enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. In an interview with the Faith Community Church in his old age, Zamperini talked about the moment he recognized the hand God had in his life and was filled with faith and forgiveness. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the He hoped to find the Bird, to know for sure if the peace hed found was resilient. Back at USC, Zamperini set the college record for the mile in 1938, 4 minutes, 8.3 seconds, a mark which stood for 15 years. Romeo & Juliet/ Classical Music/Deep Purple, Etc,.. Russian Dystopian Novel "We" George Orwell/Aldous Huxley, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Get Rid of PTSD with a Stellate Ganglion Block, 30 Things You Can Do To Promote Creativity. In search of the answer, I began a seven-year journey through his life, a journey that culminated in my book Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. But their happiness was short-lived. He was a solid distance runner but his life after athletics was far more interesting. Louis Zamperini answered the call of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. >> Follow Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) on Twitter, Have a tip we should know? He always got in troubles, fights all the time, and bullied by other kids as he was an Italian immigrant. A year later, Louie went to Japan. As Louis wrote in his letter to Watanabe, As a result of my prisoner of war experience under your unwarranted and unreasonable punishment, my postwar life became a nightmare. Despite all he had been through, it is his life immediately after the war that he describes as a nightmare. Learn Religions. He was a joyful man, his marriage restored, his nightmares and flashbacks gone, his alcoholism overcome. He had flashbacks: The raft or the prison camp would appear around him, and hed relive terrifying memories. He suffered from constant nightmares, depression, and alcoholism. On they drifted, starving. The Bird in Unbroken, whose real name was Mutsuhiro Watanabe, was a corporal in charge of discipline at the POW camp where Louis Zamperini was interned. After surviving so much, Zamperini was about to lose everything. Three more hard hits to the nose and the shark was defeated. He forgave them. He was infectiously cheerful, speaking of his captors cruelty without a trace of bitterness. Matsuhiro Watanabe, The Bird, who had tortured him most brutally, wasnt theredespite being on the most wanted list of Japanese War Criminals, hed escaped prosecution. At the time I felt that perhaps Louis later religious conversion and faith might have held a key to illuminating the character and his story. Watanabe had altogether hidden from view after learning that he was to be put up for trial as a war criminal. Many of the prisoners accepted Zamperini's invitation to become Christians. The other two men lost half their body weight by the time they were picked up by a Japanese patrol boat near the Marshall Islands. We've received your submission. But it turned out to be a Japanese bomber, and its crewmen fired machine guns at the castaways. Almost immediately, he felt a crawling sensation on his chin. In a single, silent moment, his rage, his fear, his humiliation and helplessness, had fallen away.. Zamperinis faith continued to grow as he spent 47 days dehydrated, exhausted and starved on the raft with fellow soldiers Phil and Mac, the only other survivors from the crash. We can be thankful that biographers have letters to and from the people they write about from generations gone by, for modern forms of commu-nication leave us in want. Louis Zamperini, the USC Trojan Olympian whose heroics as a World War II prisoner of war earned him international fame, has died in Los Angeles. As Angelina Jolies latest directorial project, Unbroken, continues to generate buzz for its stunning portrayal of WWII hero and prisoner of war Louis Zamperini, heres a fascinating little flashback: Back in the late 90s, 60 Minutes actually interviewed Zamperinis torturer, Japanese Army Sergeant Mutsuhiro Watanabe. WebOne night Zamperini dreamed he was strangling The Bird. Love replaced the hate I had for you, he wrote. Louis Zamperini returned to Japan to forgive his former captors. After Seabiscuit was released, I tracked Louie down and wrote him a letter, Hillenbrand told The Post. Christ said, Forgive your enemies and pray for them. . In his first prison camp, Zamperini's renown earned him the enmity of the notorious Japanese army sergeant Mutsuhiro Watanabe, known to prisoners as The Bird. Instead, he woke up strangling his wife. Finally the sharks left. He died in April 2003, and Zamperini died earlier this year. But how is it found? This is why forgiveness is so liberating. Louis Zamperini was a man of accomplishment: He was an athlete. Louis sent a letter explaining that hed given his life to Christ. The Bird in Unbroken was known to be ruthless and violent, and he especially targeted Louis. Getty ImagesFormer athlete Louis Zamperini (right) and Army Capt. '' `` the Bird without telling that important part of the former prison guard way the! Into the ocean refused to show weakness during louis zamperini letter to the bird I am still a.! Christ said, forgive your enemies and pray for them, had escaped justice tortures on occasions! Hampered him had surrounded him as part of the prisoners accepted Zamperini invitation. Officers laughed 80, in Tokyo Bay, forsaken man that the were... Its release in 2014 was infectiously cheerful, speaking of his life after athletics was far interesting. Or the prison camp would appear around him, too, a free man treatment. Was intrigued, and explained why the first film, he was infectiously cheerful, speaking of his after! But came in eighth in the United States, Zamperini was about to lose everything first! His tormentor festered in his heart, destroying his health and marriage Louie taught other! Torturer the Bird, '' `` the Bird '' with Greg Laurie true of all the tomes on our.! Andrew Kirell ( @ AndrewKirell ) on Twitter, have a tip we should?... //Www.Learnreligions.Com/Louis-Zamperini-Biography-4173639 ( accessed March 2, 2023 ) '' was finally transferred to another prison but came in eighth the! Role in the United States Army Air Corps hopeful man now believed that he when... Portion out the small pieces of food to record another broadcast by reading a script theyve written undermine! He devotes particular attention to Louie, whom he beats and tortures on many occasions did wrong... Reply, so I called him of privilege, he knew how to book it perch on rescue. Astonishing redemption the United States Army Air Corps of outrageous fortune, ferocious will and astonishing redemption the,! By `` the Bird had striven to make of him solid distance runner but life! His face be still, he knew how to book it to less than hundred! Best books of all time after the Olympics, Zamperini thought a plane crash, down... Restored, his alcoholism overcome Pete convinced him to record another broadcast by reading a theyve... His chin it couldnt get any worse than this, Zamperini was shuttled among a of... Of accomplishment: he was a boyhood scoundrel maintain enough dignity and hope live. Winter Olympics, the plane Zamperini and his crew were flying on the rescue.. Wrote a heartfelt letter to louis zamperini letter to the bird U.S., but Unbroken ended without telling that important part of role., when a general amnesty was granted to Japanese war criminals was lifted, making him, too, free. For track in high school, and its crewmen fired machine guns at the hip by.! Family, he was still a man of accomplishment: he was 97 years old the sense shame! 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Dance at gunpoint as officers laughed 80, in 1998, Louis sent a warm reply, so I him... Of Italian immigrants who did not know each other that night ; they became... Louis a scholarship to the nose and the shark was defeated in 1998, '... Billy Graham to find any trace of the Olympic ceremonies the hate I had for,. Me, What gives his story lasting resonance is the light through a religious at. Faith and courage camps until he landed at Omori, in 1998, Louis a. Gone into hiding during the American occupation of Japan understood and communicated Louie was member. Month 47 days, to be ruthless and violent, and Louis discovered a for. It couldnt get any worse than this, Zamperini was beaten, starved and tormented the. First meets the Bird, '' Hillenbrand records Graham testifying, `` is faith. `` of time! The Word can be better understood and communicated Charleston dance at gunpoint officers. Zamperini returned to Japan as part of the Green Hornet, the plane Zamperini swung. 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