"I made it this far and refused to give up because all my life I had finished the race."
-Louis Zamperini
Louis Zamperini: January 26, 1917-July 2, 2014
Having a troubled start in life, thieving and looting, drinking and smoking by age eight, few thought Louis Zamperini would make it far in life. Louis found that he was good at running and at the age of 19, went to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. When World War II broke out, Zamperini was taught in the position of bombardier, but crashed into the ocean where only he and two others survived. After being lost at sea for 33 days, they were finally captured by the Japanese and were transferred in between prisoner of war camps. Louis Zamperini was brutally tortured by the Japanese guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe, in attempts to break Zamperini. Louis Zamperini never gave in to the cruel treatment of Watanabe and survived two years of being in Japanese prison camps. Zamperini took a stand in history by not allowing the influence of those against him affect him.
Ernest gordon: May 31, 1916 - January 16, 2002
Ernest Gordon is known for the books he wrote, such as “Through the Valley of the River Kwai,” which is his autobiography. The book talks of his experiences as a Prisoner of War to the Japanese, where he was forced to build the Burma Railway. The prisoners were beaten daily, and lives were lost everyday as well, whether it be by means of starvation, illness, or beheading. In the autobiography he shares how he had every right to hate his Japanese captors, but when the Kwai bridge was destroyed and Japanese soldiers were wounded, he found no hate in him towards them. His faith grew stronger during the war, and he was ordained after he returned from the war. Ernest Gordon took a stand in history by proving that he was stronger than all of the fears that he could have succumbed to.
John McCain (August 29, 1936- )
John McCain is now the Republican Senator for Arizona, but in his younger years, he was a soldier, and in 1967, he had a near death experience. He was forced to eject from his plane, due to a missile striking it, and he broke both his arms and his leg. He was taken as a Prisoner of War by the Northern Vietnamese, and denied treatment for his severe wounds. He had only his faith and fellow POWs to keep him going through his imprisonment. He took a stand in history by continuing his service, and retiring from the Navy several years later in 1981.
Jessica Lynch (April 26, 1983- )
Jessica Lynch was taken as a POW by Iraqi forces after her convoy, the 507th Maintenance Company was ambushed. Lynch was rescued after about a week of being held captive, but Jessica was severely injured, and is still haunted today by what she experienced in 2003. She has taken a stand in history by continuing on with her life, and through all of the incorrect reports of what happened, she always makes sure the true story is told.