Louis Zamperini was an American Olympic athlete and World War II bombardier. Born on January 26, 1917, he gained fame for his remarkable running skills, competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. His athletic career was interrupted by the war, where he served in the United States Army Air Forces. During a search-and-rescue mission in 1943, Zamperini's plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. He survived for weeks on a life raft, enduring starvation and shark attacks. Eventually rescued by the Japanese Navy, he became a prisoner of war, facing harsh conditions until the end of the conflict.