Truk  has been the halfway point for some very distinguished POW’s enroute to imprisonment  in Japan during WWII. The better known was Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, the top scoring USMC ace and Medal of Honor recipient of the famed “Black Sheep Squadron”.  He actually witnessed the Hailstone raids (and had to take cover) while held captive there.   Another person is soon to be added to that better-known list.

On the long flight to Truk, I read a top-seller book called ” Unbroken” , which is soon to become  a major motion picture (release Dec. 2014), directed by Angelina Jolie and written by the Coen brothers.  This book will grip you. 

It chronicles the life of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini,  and how he drifted at sea with two other survivors from a B-24 crash during 1942 for 47 days  (the record) with little food and water, before being captured by the Japanese Navy. 

Louis was also temporarily imprisoned at Truk on the way to the infamous Ofuna POW camp in  Japan.  Now at the age of 97, he travels the world as an Inspirational speaker.

My flight from Hawaii to Majuro in the Marshall Islands, some 3700 km, more or less traced the same path that Louis and his survivng partner drifted in their raft. Looking out the plane window, I was reminded of the vast emptiness of the Pacific, and awed at the challenges they overcame. 

View the trailer for ‘Unbroken’ here:

Post Addendum: It is with great sadness that I have to update this post.  The Los Angeles Times has reported that Louis has died of pneumonia at the age of 97, July 2, 2014.  I never knew Louis personally, but his narrative has left its mark on me. Perhaps this is best summed up by what Laura Hillenbrand had to say of his passing:

“His wasn’t a sad story. It was a triumph. He left behind a lesson in the breadth of possibility for all of us, and in forgiveness.” (LA Times, July 3, 2014).