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Narrator: IN WORLD WAR II,
EVERY SAILOR AND EVERY PILOT IN THE PACIFIC SHARE ONE NIGHTMARE.
LOST IN THE VAST OCEAN,
SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF RAVENOUS SHARKS.
IN A STORY THAT WOULD BECOME FAMOUS AFTER THE WAR,
FEATURED IN "THIS IS YOUR LIFE," "60 MINUTES,"
AND MOST RECENTLY IN THE BOOK "UNBROKEN,"
THREE YOUNG AMERICANS FACE THIS HORROR,
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES OVER SEVEN DESPERATE WEEKS.
A ROOKIE TAIL GUNNER HOVERING BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
A PASTOR'S SON -- HIS FAITH TESTED TO THE LIMIT.
AND AN OLYMPIC TRACK STAR --
HIS ATHLETE'S BODY WRACKED WITH SICKNESS.
ALL OF THEM FACE THIRST, HUNGER, MADNESS, JAPANESE BULLETS,
AND AN OCEAN OF SHARKS.
TWO WILL LIVE. ONE WILL DIE.
WHEN ALL HOPE SEEMS LOST, WHAT KEEPS A MAN ALIVE?
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
ONE OF WORLD WAR II's MOST CELEBRATED STORIES OF SURVIVAL
BEGINS IN BERLIN AT THE 1936 OLYMPICS.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE CONTINUE ]
AS A RECORD-BREAKING ATHLETE,
LOUIS ZAMPERINI REPRESENTS THE U.S. IN THE 5,000-METER RACE.
LOUIS IS EXPECTED TO RUN AT THE NEXT OLYMPIC GAMES IN TOKYO,
BUT WAR INTERVENES.
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
HE VOLUNTEERS AS A BOMBARDIER ON B-24s IN THE PACIFIC.
LOUIS' PILOT BECOMES HIS CLOSE FRIEND --
RUSSELL "PHIL" PHILLIPS.
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
TOGETHER, THEY SURVIVE MANY DANGEROUS MISSIONS.
BUT WHEREVER THEY FLY,
BELOW THEM LURKS A MENACE OF A DIFFERENT KIND.
Collier: IN THE 1940s, SHARK POPULATIONS
WERE MUCH MORE DENSE THAN THEY ARE TODAY.
SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SHARKS
MOVING AROUND THE PACIFIC.
SHARKS DON'T FEED AS FREQUENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.
AND SO THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY AGGRESSIVE
TOWARDS SOMETHING THEY COME UPON.
AND WE KNOW LOUD NOISES IN THE WATER ATTRACT SHARKS.
Phillips: IT WAS JUST ANOTHER MISSION.
OUR PLANE, THE GREEN HORNET, HAD 11 CREW ON BOARD.
WE WERE SEARCHING FOR A DOWNED B-24
ABOUT 800 MILES SOUTH OF HAWAII.
[ EXPLOSION ]
THEN I FELT THE ENGINE SHUDDER.
NUMBER ONE, NUMBER ONE!
NO MATTER WHAT I DID...
...WE DROPPED LIKE A ROCK.
PREPARE TO CRASH!
EVERYONE TO CRASH STATIONS!
Phillips: I'VE GOT TO SAY,
THE HIGHEST EMOTION YOU'RE EVER GONNA FEEL
IS GOING DOWN INSIDE A PLANE.
I KNEW THIS WAS IT.
MAN, I'M DEAD.
[ SCREAMS ]
[ CREAKING ]
Zamperini: I WAS THINKING, "MAYBE I AM DEAD.
MAYBE THIS IS WHAT THE AFTERLIFE IS LIKE."
[ COUGHING ]
YOU KNOW, I HARDLY HAD A SCRATCH.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
THE REST OF THE CREW, THEY WEREN'T SO LUCKY.
HELP! HELP!
I SAW THE PILOT, MY BUDDY RUSSELL PHILLIPS,
AND THE TAIL GUNNER, FRANCIS McNAMARA.
HELP!
AND THAT WAS IT -- 3 SURVIVORS FOR 11 GUYS.
Phillips: I CAME AROUND IN THE WATER
WITH THE WORST HEADACHE OF MY LIFE.
THERE WAS BLOOD IN MY EYES AND IN MY MOUTH.
TO BE HONEST, I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS
OR WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED.
I WAS GONE.
CECY.
CECY.
[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]
Zamperini: I KNEW WE WERE CARRYING A COUPLE OF LIFE RAFTS.
I CAUGHT SIGHT OF THEM MOVING AWAY FROM US FAST.
I THOUGHT, "PHIL CAN WAIT. I GOT TO HAUL ***."
McFadyen: SURVIVING ISN'T NECESSARILY
A SECOND-CHANCE KIND OF GAME.
YOU HAVE ONE CHANCE, AND IT'S CRITICAL
TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION THE FIRST TIME EVERY TIME.
48-DEGREE AVERAGE SEAWATER TEMPERATURE
WOULD HAVE TAKEN THEIR LIVES WITHIN JUST HOURS AT BEST.
Zamperini: I WAS ALWAYS FIGHTING, GETTING EVEN.
[ GRUNTING ]
THAT WAS MY WHOLE LIFE -- GETTING EVEN.
[ GRUNTING CONTINUES ]
AND I DON'T GIVE UP EASY.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
McFadyen: AND THE FACT THAT LOUIS WENT,
GOT THE LIFE RAFTS PRIOR TO GETTING THE INJURED MEN
WAS CRITICAL.
IT WAS LIFE-SAVING.
BRING THE RAFT OVER!
COME ON.
Zamperini: I KNEW I HAD TO GET THAT BLOOD STOPPED QUICKLY,
OR PHIL WOULD BLEED TO DEATH.
YOU HOLD THIS ARTERY JUST LIKE THAT, OKAY?
I FOUND THE PRESSURE POINT ON HIS NECK AND JAW.
WE TOOK OUR T-SHIRTS OFF
AND MADE A COMPRESS AND HELD IT THERE.
HOLD THAT.
TIGHTLY.
Phillips: I'D BEEN IN A LOT OF SCRAPES WITH LOUIS ALREADY.
HE WAS KIND OF A CELEBRITY IN THE AIR FORCE
BECAUSE HE WAS AN OLYMPIC RUNNER.
OKAY.
WE ALL LEARNED QUICK THAT HE WAS PRETTY TOUGH
AND THE KIND OF A GUY THAT WOULD TAKE A JOKE TOO FAR.
BUT I ALWAYS FIGURED THE THING LOUIS DID BEST
WAS LOOK AFTER HIMSELF.
JUST RELAX NOW, OKAY? YOU'RE GONNA BE ALL RIGHT.
WE GOT YOU.
YOU'RE THE CAPTAIN NOW.
Zamperini: WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE EXACTLY,
BUT WE KNEW WE WERE DRIFTING WEST...
...INTO 2,000 MILES OF OPEN OCEAN.
BACK AT BASE, THEY'D MISS US IN A COUPLE HOURS
AND SEARCH FOR JUST A FEW DAYS.
BUT WE WERE DRIFTING FAST.
WOULD THEY EVEN LOOK IN THE RIGHT PLACE?
ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT TO WORK WITH.
GOT SOME D-RATION CHOCOLATE.
SIX TINS OF WATER.
RAFT PATCH KIT.
SOME PLIERS.
A MIRROR FOR SIGNALING.
FLARE GUN.
AND SOME CARTRIDGES.
GREAT.
FISHING KITS.
THAT'S IT.
McFadyen: YOU'RE ALMOST LEFT TO YOUR OWN DEVICES
WITH THAT TYPE OF KIT.
THE ONLY PLUS THAT THEY REALLY HAVE THERE
ARE THE SIGNALING DEVICES -- THE SIGNAL MIRROR AND THE FLARE.
BUT THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THEY HAD -- ALMOST NEGLIGIBLE.
THEY WERE VERY LIMITED WITH THAT KIT.
WE'RE GONNA DIE. WE'RE GONNA DIE.
WHAT IS IT?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
MAC?
WE'RE GONNA DIE. WE'RE GONNA DIE.
WE'RE GONNA DIE.
WE'RE GONNA DIE.
WE'RE GONNA DIE.
THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT AND LOOK FOR US.
WE'RE GONNA DIE. WE'RE GONNA DIE.
WE'RE GONNA DIE.
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
Zamperini: MAC HAD HIS OPINION.
SEEMED TO WANT TO CHEW IT OVER.
[ WATER SPLASHES ]
WHAT WAS THAT?
Phillips: NONE OF US HAD SAID IT...
...BUT WE WERE ALL THINKING IT.
THE ONE THING WE DIDN'T WANT TO FIND US.
IT WAS JUST ABOUT A GUARANTEE
IF YOU WENT IN THE WATER IN WORLD WAR II IN THE PACIFIC,
YOU WERE GOING TO ENCOUNTER A SHARK.
SHARKS WERE ATTRACTED TO SINKINGS AND PLANE CRASHES,
SOUND FIRST.
AND THEN IF YOU HAD A LOT OF DEBRIS IN THE WATER
OR INJURED SERVICEMEN,
EVENTUALLY THEIR BLOOD, THEIR SCENT
WOULD BE CARRIED BY THE CURRENTS,
AND SHARKS WOULD PICK THAT UP.
Zamperini: WE'D SEEN IT BEFORE BUT FROM ABOVE --
GUYS IN RAFTS JUST SURROUNDED BY SHARKS.
AND WE HEARD THE STORIES OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
THE TIME WHEN THEY JUST FOUND A LEG OR A DOG TAG.
BREAKFAST TIME, BOYS.
Phillips: THAT FIRST MORNING,
ALL WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WAS FOOD.
WHERE IS IT?
WHERE IS IT?
WHERE'S THE GOD DAMN CHOCOLATE?
MAC?
IT DIDN'T TAKE TOO LONG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
A RATION FOR THE THREE OF US FOR A WEEK...
JUST GONE.
I'M DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, MAC.
DISAPPOINTED.
I KNEW PHIL.
HE WAS A DAMN GOOD PILOT AND A DECENT MAN.
BUT THAT FIRST NIGHT,
WE BOTH LEARNED THE HARD WAY WE COULD NOT RELY ON MAC.
McFadyen: SHOCK MORE THAN LIKELY CAUSED MAC TO EAT THE CHOCOLATE.
HE'S THINKING TO HIMSELF, "WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA LIVE.
"THE REST OF THE CREW DIED WITH THE PLANE.
"AND HERE WE ARE ON TWO LITTLE LIFE RAFTS,
AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN RESCUE IN HOW MANY HOURS."
TO HIM, THAT WAS A WAY OF COMFORTING HIMSELF.
Phillips: FOR SOME REASON, THE SHARKS SEEMED TO COME IN PAIRS.
ALL THEY'D DO IS JUST CIRCLE THE RAFT ALL DAY LONG,
JUST WAITING FOR THEIR MOMENT TO GET AT US, I GUESS.
SOME OF THE GUYS AT BASE USED TO SAY THEY'D RATHER DIE IN A CRASH
THAN FACE A SHARK.
I KNEW THEY'D BE OUT LOOKING FOR US BY NOW.
I ALSO KNEW THE SIZE OF THIS OCEAN.
ON A SURVIVOR SWEEP,
YOU GET ONE CHANCE TO LOOK AT EACH GRID SQUARE,
WHICH MEANT ONE CHANCE FOR US... IF WE WERE LUCKY.
[ SLURPING ]
[ AIRPLANE FLIES OVERHEAD ]
Zamperini: PHIL, THERE'S A PLANE!
[ PLANE ENGINE ROARING ]
IT WAS AMERICAN -- ANOTHER B-24.
HEY, OVER HERE!
HEY, DOWN HERE!
HEY!
NO!
OVER HERE!
THEY'RE COMING AROUND!
THEY SAW US! THEY SAW US!
THEY SAW US! THEY SAW US!
Zamperini: THIS WAS PROBABLY THE MOST EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE
OF MY LIFE.
I MEAN, WE WERE THREE GROWN MEN CRYING.
TEARS RUNNING DOWN OUR FACES...
BECAUSE WE KNEW WE'D BE RESCUED.
MAN, THIS WAS GREAT.
THEY'RE COMING! I TOLD YOU THEY'D COME!
I TOLD YOU!
WE'D BE EATING DINNER WITH THE MARINES TONIGHT FOR SURE.
WHERE'D THEY GO?
THEY DIDN'T SEE US.
Phillips: THAT WAS JUST TERRIBLE.
WE FELT SO CHEATED.
WE WENT FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER --
THE MOST INCREDIBLE HAPPINESS, THEN ABSOLUTE DESPAIR.
WE'D DONE PLENTY OF SEARCHES, SO WE KNEW THEY WOULDN'T BE BACK.
I COULD JUST IMAGINE THEM RAISING A BEER TO OUR MEMORY,
SAYING, "WHAT A SHAME. WAR IS HELL."
AND THAT'D BE IT.
AND WE WERE DRIFTING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM ANYWHERE
ANYONE WOULD EVEN THINK OF LOOKING.
McNamara: THEY'RE NOT GONNA FIND US.
WE'LL STARVE.
THERE'S NOTHING TO EAT.
IF WE DON'T DRINK SOMETHING SOON, WE'LL DIE!
Zamperini: GOD DAMN IT!
IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP -- IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP,
I'M GONNA TELL THE COMMANDER, OKAY?
IF THEY DON'T FIND US, WE'RE GONNA DIE.
YEAH?
YEAH?
THEY WILL FIND US. WE'RE GONNA BE OKAY.
Phillips: BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS A PASTOR,
WE MOVED ALL OVER THE PLACE.
[ BELL TOLLING, BIRDS CHIRPING ]
WE ENDED UP IN TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.
THAT'S WHERE I MET HER.
[ TOLLING, CHIRPING CONTINUES ]
I BELIEVE IN YOU, CECY. YOU STEADY ME.
WHEN I COME HOME,
I WANT TO HIDE WITH YOU WHERE NO ONE CAN FIND US.
MY MOTHER GRADUATED FROM WILEY HIGH SCHOOL IN TERRE HAUTE,
AND THAT'S WHERE MOTHER AND DAD MET.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT,
BUT I HAVE FOUND IN READING ALL THE LETTERS THAT I HAVE
THAT DAD WROTE TO MOTHER THROUGHOUT THE WAR YEARS
THAT IT WAS CERTAINLY A VERY SWEET AND DEAR LOVE.
MOTHER SAID A PRAYER SOMEWHERE ALONG IN THERE
WHEN HE WAS MISSING THAT IF HE CAME BACK SAFELY
THAT SHE'D LOVE HIM FOREVER.
TO KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY WAITING FOR YOU
HAS TO GIVE YOU THE DRIVE TO KEEP GOING AND KEEP GOING.
THE ANGEL OF DEATH CONFRONTED ME.
AND IN MY DISTRESS, I...
Zamperini: I WASN'T A CHRISTIAN,
AND I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING,
BUT I KNEW I HAD ALREADY FACED DEATH,
AND I WAS SURE I HAD HELP.
THEY SAY THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS AN ATHEIST IN A FOXHOLE.
WELL, YOU CAN MULTIPLY THAT A FEW TIMES
ON A RAFT SURROUNDED BY SHARKS.
DEAR GOD, SPARE MY LIFE THROUGH THIS.
I WILL SEEK AND SERVE YOU.
WHEN YOU GOT NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN,
YOU'RE GONNA TURN AND LOOK UP FOR HELP.
THE LARGER SHARKS WERE WITH US CONSTANTLY.
AND WE KNEW IT WASN'T JUST BECAUSE WE WERE SO GOOD-LOOKING.
Phillips: ARE THE BOYS BEHAVING THEMSELVES?
[ CHUCKLES ]
I THINK HE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A BIG, WET KISS.
LOOK, HE'S COMING YOUR WAY.
YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S BEEN PRODDING
AND TEASING HIM ALL MORNING.
IF YOU'RE FEELING LONELY, I WON'T STAND IN YOUR WAY.
Collier: OPEN-OCEAN SHARKS, PELAGIC SHARKS
TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE
BECAUSE THEY DON'T COME UPON FOOD AS FREQUENTLY
AS THOSE SHARKS THAT ARE CLOSE INSHORE.
SO WHEN SOMETHING COMES ALONG THAT IS POTENTIALLY FOOD,
YOU'RE GOING TO BE CAREFULLY SCRUTINIZED
BY ALL THE SHARKS IN THE AREA.
Phillips: THE SUN IS YOUR FRIEND
EARLY IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU'RE COLD,
AND THEN IT'S BRUTAL THE REST OF THE TIME.
WE HADN'T HAD A DROP OF WATER IN DAYS.
McFadyen: DEHYDRATION IS A DEATH SENTENCE.
FIRST, YOU'LL HAVE PHYSICAL AILMENTS.
YOU KNOW, YOU GO THROUGH CRAMPS --
BAD MUSCLE CRAMPS, RIGHT?
YOUR SKIN BECOMES TAUT, DRY.
YOUR LIPS BEGIN TO CRACK.
AROUND YOUR EYES WILL EVEN START TO CRACK.
POUNDING HEADACHE USUALLY, AND THEN BEYOND THAT,
YOU JUST DETERIORATE FROM THERE UNTIL EVENTUALLY YOU DIE.
Phillips: DAYS JUST SLIPPED BY.
WE WERE DRIFTING WEST SOMEWHERE NORTH OF THE EQUATOR.
OUR WATER WAS GONE NOW, AND THE SUN WAS ROASTING US ALIVE.
WE SAW CLOUDS FORMING, BUT THEY ALL JUST DRIFTED AWAY.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I COULD LAST WITHOUT A DRINK.
[ THUNDER RUMBLING ]
THEN IT JUST HAPPENED.
OUT OF NOWHERE.
[ SHOUTS ]
A TRUE BLUE MIRACLE.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Zamperini: RIGHT THEN,
I KNEW I WAS THE WEALTHIEST MAN IN THE WORLD.
[ SHOUTING CONTINUES ]
WE HAD PUMPS AND A LITTLE CONTAINER,
SO WE RIPPED ONE END OPEN AND MADE A HOOD OUT OF IT.
WE HELD THAT HOOD INTO THE RAIN.
Phillips: ♪ ...I SEE ♪
♪ 'TIS GRACE HATH BROUGHT... ♪
Phillips: I WOULD TEACH THE GUYS THE WORDS TO HYMNS.
♪ ...THUS FAR ♪
WE WERE ALWAYS TALKING --
TALKING ABOUT HOME, OUR FAMILIES.
WITH ZAMP, I'D ALWAYS KNOWN WE WERE FLYING WITH A STAR ATHLETE,
BUT THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT.
YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T SPEAK ANY ENGLISH.
THE ONLY REASON I GOT INTO 1st GRADE WAS 'CAUSE I CHEATED.
[ CHUCKLES ]
SAME WAY YOU MADE LIEUTENANT.
I WAS ALWAYS GETTING INTO TROUBLE.
THE KIDS LIKED TO HEAR ME SWEAR IN ITALIAN,
SO THEY WERE ALWAYS PICKING ON ME.
[ THUNDER RUMBLING ]
AGH!
AGH!
I STARTED RETALIATING.
I FOUND I COULD WHIP THOSE KIDS.
[ GRUNTING ]
MY BROTHER, PETE,
HE GOT TIRED OF THE POLICE ALWAYS COMING TO THE HOUSE,
SO HE GETS THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE PRINCIPAL DOWN,
AND HE SAYS, "LOOK, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THIS KID?"
THEY HAD ME OUT ON THE FIELD, RUNNING THE 660-YARD RUN.
NOW, AT THAT POINT, I'D BEEN SMOKING SINCE I WAS 5...
[ LAUGHS ] ...AND DRINKING, YOU KNOW?
DISSIPATED TO THE POINT WHERE THAT WAS EXTREME SUFFERING.
I CAME LAST.
[ LAUGHS ]
I CAN'T SEE THAT SITTING TOO WELL WITH YOU, ZAMP.
OH, WELL, ACTUALLY, THEY HAD TO TALK ME INTO GOING AGAIN.
I DIDN'T WIN. I GOT THIRD PLACE.
BUT I HEARD THE KIDS FROM MY HIGH SCHOOL
HOLLERING, "GO, LOUIS! COME ON, LOU!"
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
I GOT TO ADMIT, THAT TASTED PRETTY SWEET.
BEFORE I WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT, I MADE UP MY MIND.
I WOULD BE A RUNNER.
Phillips: WE WERE KEEPING COUNT OF THE DAYS,
AND WE HADN'T EATEN IN NEARLY TWO WEEKS.
THERE WERE GOONEY BIRDS CIRCLING UP ABOVE,
BUT WE COULDN'T GET TO THEM.
[ BIRDS SQUAWKING ]
AND THERE WERE FISH IN THE SEA -- BIG, PLUMP FISH.
BUT WE HAD NO BAIT FOR OUR HOOKS.
AGH!
Zamperini: A GOONEY BIRD LANDED NEAR MY HEAD.
I HAD TO MOVE REAL SLOW TO CATCH IT.
[ BIRD SQUAWKING ]
THEY HAVE A LONG BEAK, AND IT'S SERRATED.
[ SQUAWKING CONTINUES ]
MY HAND WAS PRETTY CHEWED UP BY THAT GOONEY BIRD.
[ SQUAWKING CONTINUES ]
[ NECK CRACKS ]
UGH!
JUST TAKE A LITTLE.
Phillips: WE TRIED TO EAT IT.
WE OPENED IT UP, AND ALTHOUGH WE WERE SO, SO HUNGRY,
WE COULDN'T STAND THE SMELL.
[ COUGHING ]
SO WE JUST TOOK THE BREAST MEAT AND USED IT FOR BAIT.
I GOT ONE.
I GOT HIM.
DAMN IT.
THE SHARKS KEPT BREAKING THE LINE.
THEY TOOK THE BAIT, AND THEY TOOK THE HOOK, TOO,
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE MANY HOOKS.
BUT ZAMP DIDN'T GIVE UP.
I GOT IT! I GOT IT!
THAT FISH WAS EASIER TO EAT THAN THE GOONEY BIRD,
BUT IT WAS REAL SALTY -- MADE YOU THIRSTY AS HELL.
WE HAD A LITTLE WATER LEFT FROM THE STORM BUT ONLY A LITTLE.
McFadyen: IF YOU DON'T HAVE WATER
TO BE ABLE TO DIGEST THE FISH,
IT'S BEST NOT TO EVEN EAT THE FOOD.
IT TAKES MORE WATER TO DIGEST THE FOOD
THAN THE FOOD HAS IN IT,
AND SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH IS DEHYDRATION.
AND ONCE YOU START INTO THE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
AND YOU HAVE NO WATER, DEATH IS THE CONSEQUENCE.
Phillips: THE MORE WE SUFFERED,
THE MORE ONE IDEA KEPT TURNING OVER IN MY HEAD.
EIGHT MEN HAD DIED ON THE PLANE I WAS FLYING.
IF I'D DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT,
MAYBE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
I'M A NATURAL PILOT, CECY.
THAT'S WHAT THEY TELL ME, ANYHOW.
CECY AND I GOT ENGAGED AFTER I FINISHED TRAINING,
NOVEMBER '41 -- A MONTH BEFORE PEARL HARBOR.
SHE TRAVELED DOWN TO PHOENIX TO SEE ME GET MY WINGS.
I SHOULD'VE MARRIED HER WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE.
YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO MARRY HER WHEN YOU GET HOME INSTEAD.
SURE.
WHAT'S FOR DINNER, ZAMP?
HOW ABOUT MAMA ZAMPERINI'S SPAGHETTI?
HOW DOES SHE COOK SPAGHETTI?
WELL, FIRST, SHE CHOPS UP THE TOMATOES.
Phillips: YOU'D THINK PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT FOOD
AT A TIME LIKE THAT, BUT WE ENJOYED DISCUSSING MEALS.
WHEN DOES SHE PUT THE MEAT IN?
Zamperini: I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE MENU --
WHAT YOU'D PUT IN, HOW LONG YOU'D COOK IT.
THEN SHE POURS THE SAUCE ON THE SPAGHETTI.
AND IT GETS TO THE POINT
WHEN THIS WAS LIKE WE WERE EATING REAL FOOD.
I HAD TO COOK BREAKFAST FOR THEM EVERY MORNING,
LUNCH EVERY AFTERNOON, AND DINNER EVERY EVENING.
AND PRETTY SOON, THEY GOT REAL GREEDY AND WANTED BRUNCH, TOO.
McFadyen: BECAUSE OF LACK OF FOOD,
YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES SLOW DOWN.
YOU BECOME LETHARGIC.
YOUR BODY BEGINS TO ATROPHY, RIGHT?
THE MUSCLES ARE BEING EATEN BY THE BODY.
OF COURSE, YOUR FAT RESERVES DWINDLE VERY RAPIDLY.
THESE GUYS COULD PHYSICALLY SEE THEMSELVES GETTING SMALLER
AS TIME PROGRESSED.
Phillips: IT SEEMED TO US
LIKE THE SHARKS WERE JUST WAITING FOR THEIR CHANCE.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG.
All: ♪ SILENT NIGHT ♪
♪ HOLY NIGHT ♪
Phillips: WE TRIED PADDLING TOWARD SQUALLS
WHERE IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS RAINING.
WE ROWED LIKE MAD BUT NEVER SEEMED TO GET THERE IN TIME.
WE WERE BURNING UP ENERGY.
I SAID, "FELLAS, WE'VE PRAYED FOR ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.
"LET'S JUST PRAY FOR RAIN.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GONNA KILL OURSELVES."
Loomis: HE WAS PRONOUNCED MISSING,
AND THEN HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE WOULD'VE SAID,
"OH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA END WELL,
AND I'LL JUST START DATING AGAIN."
AND THAT WASN'T THERE,
AND I THINK PART OF THAT WAS THE PRAYER.
"IF HE COMES BACK, WE'LL BE TOGETHER FOREVER."
I CAN'T IMAGINE GOING THROUGH THAT NIGHTMARE OF NOT KNOWING.
I JUST CANNOT IMAGINE IT.
[ PLANE ENGINE ROARS ]
Zamperini: ON THE 27th DAY, WE HEARD AN AIRPLANE.
WE LOOKED UP AND SAW THE SPECK FAR AWAY.
A PLANE.
OVER THERE.
WHERE?
WHAT?
LISTEN.
[ ROARING CONTINUES ]
A PLANE.
HEY!
Phillips: WE GOT THE MIRROR,
REFLECTED THE SUN'S RAYS OFF THE PLANE.
OVER HERE!
HELP!
AND THAT BROUGHT THEM OVER TO US.
THEY'RE TURNING!
HELP!
THEY'RE COMING.
Zamperini: WE WAVED AND STARTED YELLING AND SCREAMING.
THEY'RE COMING!
HEY!
Zamperini: WE WERE SO EXCITED TO THINK THAT TONIGHT,
WE'LL BE ON THE ISLAND OF PALMYRA, EATING A JUICY STEAK.
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
IDIOTS!
I THOUGHT, "IDIOTS. THEY THINK WE'RE JAPANESE."
McNamara: ZAMP, THEY'RE COMING BACK!
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
Phillips: THE NEXT TIME IT CIRCLED US,
WE LOOKED CLOSER AND SAW THE RISING SUN ON THE FUSELAGE.
IT'S A JAPANESE BIRD!
[ PLANE ENGINE ROARING ]
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
MAC AND I WERE TOO WEAK TO GET BACK INTO THE WATER,
SO WE HAD TO STAY PUT AND TAKE OUR CHANCES.
Zamperini: SHARK!
I PREFERRED SOCIALIZING WITH THE SHARKS
TO BEING A TARGET FOR THE ENEMY.
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
WE WERE TAUGHT TO STRAIGHT-ARM THEM
AND SHOW THEM YOUR TEETH AND THE WHITES OF YOUR EYES.
AND THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO SCARE THEM.
I SHOVED MY HAND ON THE SNOOT OF ITS NOSE,
AND THAT GAVE ME A CHANCE TO CATCH A BREATH.
Phillips: THE PLANE MADE PASS AFTER PASS.
MAC AND I DECIDED TO PLAY DEAD.
Zamperini: EVERY TIME THAT PLANE PASSED OVER,
I WAS UNDER THE RAFT, TRYING TO AVOID THESE SHARKS.
[ MACHINE-GUN FIRE ]
Phillips: THEY DIDN'T FIRE AGAIN.
I'M SURE THEY FIGURED WE WERE DEAD.
I COULD SEE WHERE THE BULLETS MISSED US
BY A FRACTION OF AN INCH, YET WE WEREN'T HIT.
AND LOUIS, TOO, WASN'T EVEN TOUCHED.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MIRACLES, THAT HAD TO BE A MIRACLE.
Zamperini: BUT OUR TROUBLES WEREN'T OVER.
THE ONE SURVIVING RAFT WAS SINKING FAST.
AND THE SHARKS SEEMED TO KNOW THEIR MOMENT HAD ARRIVED.
Collier: WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF SHARKS
FOLLOWING FLOATING OBJECTS, THE MORE SHARKS YOU HAVE,
THE MORE COMPETITION YOU HAVE, THE MORE AGGRESSIVE THEY BECOME.
Phillips: ON THAT RAFT,
THERE WERE TOO MANY THINGS HAPPENING THAT WERE BRUTAL.
I NEEDED TO FIX THOSE HOLES AND FAST.
LOUIS!
THANKS.
MAC SHOWED SOME GUTS RIGHT THEN.
IN FACT, WITHOUT HIM,
WE WOULD'VE ENDED UP AS A SHARK'S MAIN COURSE.
McNamara: LOUIS WAS ALWAYS OVERCOMING PROBLEMS.
HE WAS MENTALLY TOUGH,
NEVER STOPPED THINKING, NEVER STOPPED PLANNING.
AND HE WORKED LIKE A DOG TO KEEP US ALIVE.
THE ATTACK BY THE JAPANESE BOMBER,
THAT WAS ALMOST IT FOR US.
BUT WE REALIZED WE MUST'VE DRIFTED SO FAR WEST,
WE WERE NOW IN RANGE OF AIRCRAFT
FROM THE MARSHALL OR THE GILBERT ISLANDS.
THE PROBLEM WAS, THOSE ISLANDS WERE HELD BY THE JAPANESE.
Zamperini: WE HAD TO WARD OFF THE SHARKS
ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT.
WELL, I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS FRIGHTENING.
AND BEING ITALIAN, I HAD TO GET EVEN.
WE USED SOME BAIT TO LURE ONE IN.
[ SHOUTS ]
AND WE FOUGHT LIKE HELL TO GET HIM INTO THE RAFT.
WE FINALLY GOT HIM OPENED UP.
AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL, BLOODY MEAL OF SHARK'S LIVER.
Phillips: LOUIS HAD THIS IDEA
THAT THE LIVER WAS THE ONE PART OF THE SHARK YOU COULD EAT.
IT'S WHAT HE'D BEEN TAUGHT ON SURVIVAL TRAINING.
AFTER ALL, HE WAS THE COOK.
McFadyen: I DON'T WHY THEY WERE TAUGHT TO EAT THE LIVER.
I PROBABLY WOULD SAY DON'T EAT THE LIVER
BECAUSE THE LIVER FILTERS THE BLOOD,
AND THE LIVER IS THE SPONGE FOR ALL THE TOXINS.
THE FLESH IS A MUCH MORE VIABLE FOOD SOURCE.
Zamperini: MAC HAD REDEEMED HIMSELF IN OUR EYES,
TAKING ON THOSE SHARKS.
BUT WE WERE ALL FALLING APART DAY BY DAY --
MUSCLES WASTING, SORES SPREADING.
MAC WAS GOING FAST.
HIS BODY WAS SHOT. HIS STRENGTH WAS GONE.
CAN I HAVE SOME OF YOUR WATER, ZAMP?
SURE.
HOW LONG WILL I LAST?
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT.
YES, SIR.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, LIEUTENANT ZAMPERINI.
[ EXHALES ]
THAT MORNING, WE SAID A EULOGY THE BEST WAY WE COULD
AND SLIPPED HIM OVERBOARD.
Both: FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER.
Phillips: DESPITE THE TERRIBLE HUNGER WE ENDURED,
WE NEVER ONCE CONSIDERED CANNIBALISM.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
FOR SOME REASON, THE SHARKS LEFT MAC ALONE, TOO.
McFadyen: ON THE 33rd DAY, MAC PASSED AWAY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE TWO
AND YOU CONTRAST PHIL AND LOUIS VERSUS MAC,
YOU SEE THAT THOSE TWO HAD AN INCREDIBLE WILL TO SURVIVE,
AND MAC DIDN'T.
Phillips: AFTER 34 DAYS AT SEA,
WE KNEW WE HAD BROKEN THE RECORD FOR SURVIVAL IN A RUBBER RAFT.
THERE WAS NO SIGN OF LIFE. THERE WERE NO PLANES OR SHIPS.
BUT THE FUNNY THING WAS,
WE STILL THOUGHT WE WOULD GET OUT OF THIS MESS.
[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]
Loomis: HIS STRENGTH FASCINATES ME.
I THINK HE HAD TREMENDOUS FAITH.
HE GREW UP WITH THAT IN HIS FAMILY.
HOW DID THEY SURVIVE IT?
WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST GO NUTTY?
THAT'S COURAGE.
WHAT DID I STUDY AT COLLEGE?
FORESTRY AND CONSERVATION.
CORRECT.
MENTAL ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO SURVIVAL.
EVERYBODY DRAWS ON DIFFERENT STRENGTHS.
Man: LOUIS!
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
McFadyen: THESE GUYS DID THAT
BY JUST FOCUSING ON SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER
BESIDES THE SITUATION THEY WERE IN.
WHAT SOUVENIR DID I GET FROM THE '36 OLYMPICS?
A NAZI FLAG.
[ MAN SHOUTING IN GERMAN ]
AND A HANDSHAKE FROM HITLER.
[ CHUCKLES ]
Zamperini: I WAS REMEMBERING MYSELF
WHEN I WAS A POWERFUL, PHYSICAL ATHLETE,
AND NOW I'M JUST SKIN AND BONE AND A STOMACH.
THAT'S ALL.
[ THUNDER RUMBLING ]
HEY, PHIL.
I THINK THERE'S AN ISLAND OVER THERE.
I SEE IT.
AND THEN OUT OF NOWHERE, WE SPOTTED LAND.
I DON'T THINK EITHER OF US COULD BELIEVE WHAT WE WERE SEEING.
BUT OUR TROUBLES WEREN'T OVER YET.
[ RUMBLING CONTINUES ]
Phillips: ONE MINUTE, IT WAS FLAT CALM.
WE COULD SEE THE ISLAND. WE WERE ALMOST SAVED.
THE NEXT, LIKE A HURRICANE.
[ WIND WHISTLING ]
Zamperini: I'LL TELL YOU,
I'VE BEEN SCARED A FEW TIMES IN MY LIFE,
BUT THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN AN ANGRY SEA.
WE LAID REAL LOW IN THE RAFT
TO TRY TO KEEP FROM BEING TURNED OVER.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE SWEPT PAST THAT ISLAND.
AFTER ALL THE STORMS, ALL THE HUNGER,
AFTER THE SHARKS AND THE BULLETS AND LOSING MAC, WE'D MADE IT --
TOGETHER.
SAVED AFTER 47 DAYS AT SEA --
A WORLD RECORD OF A DIFFERENT KIND THAN OLYMPIC TRACK TIMES.
Phillips: MY MIND WAS SO FAR GONE,
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS UP OR DOWN ANYMORE.
THAT ISLAND, IT WAS REAL, ALL RIGHT.
BUT WE ONLY GOT ASHORE IN MY IMAGINATION.
JUST AS WE MADE FOR LAND, A JAPANESE PATROL BOAT SPOTTED US.
WE TRAVELED 2,000 MILES, ALL THE WAY TO THE MARSHALL ISLANDS.
WE WERE PRISONERS OF WAR...
BUT WE WERE ALIVE.
Narrator: LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER AMERICANS,
LOUIS ZAMPERINI AND RUSSELL PHILLIPS
ARE HELD IN JAPANESE PRISONER-OF-WAR CAMPS.
FOR OVER TWO YEARS, THEY ARE STARVED
AND SUFFER BRUTAL TREATMENT BY THEIR CAPTORS.
BOTH MEN SURVIVE, AND AFTER THE JAPANESE SURRENDER IN 1945,
THEY RETURN HOME.
THESE GUYS HAD ALMOST NOTHING.
AND TO SURVIVE 47 DAYS, IT TRULY IS A MIRACLE.
THESE GUYS BLAZED A TRAIL FOR TODAY'S MILITARY,
AND SO THE TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT TODAY
IS JUST IMPECCABLE COMPARED TO THEN.
THERE'S NO COMPARISON.
Narrator: BECAUSE OF THE INJURIES
SUSTAINED DURING HIS ORDEAL,
LOUIS NEVER RUNS COMPETITIVELY AGAIN.
AFTER THE WAR, HE BECOMES A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN
AND FORGIVES HIS JAPANESE CAPTORS.
PHIL FINDS HIS PEACE BACK HOME IN INDIANA.
[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]
Loomis: MOTHER GOT THE NEWS THAT HE WAS STILL ALIVE.
THEY WERE MARRIED TWO TO THREE WEEKS AFTER HE GOT BACK,
AND, OF COURSE, DAD'S FATHER MARRIED THEM.
HE GOT THE GIRL IN THE END.
THEY JUST BOTH LOVED EACH OTHER FOREVER THROUGH THICK AND THIN.
THEY WERE A PAIR.