Louie was sent to push rations into Tokyo, but it was a grim sight. Despite all of the lights and seemingly busy towns from the view of the POW camp there weren’t any young men to be found. When back at the camp new plane flew over as a sign of hope. A B-29, the new kid on the block and it was to the POWs “not their messiah, but ours.” It wasn’t going to liberate the camp alone but it gave the men even more to hold on too. What the men are thinking though in the back of their heads is the “kill all” rule. Louie was dead – to his family back home anyways; Louie got the paper confirming his death, and actual transcript with his death declaration on it. The people from Radio Tokyo were very upset with this and allowed Louie to write a speech to get to his family, he hesitantly accepted because he feared that they were lying. The news reached the US and the Zamperini family was notified, then with the excitement ten times that of when Louie placed in the Olympics – Louie was alive again. On November 24th Liberation was coming in the form of one hundred and eleven of the B-29 bombers. After that moment the prisoners knew that rescue was coming even more quickly, but the Bird didn’t see it that way. He became a crazy tyrant ordering the men to put out imaginary fires, and get water in ditches miles away to put out said “fires”.
Phil and Allen, both of which people Louie had met on this journey were still alive. This was a beacon of hope for Louie though his mind was being shaken from the constant beatings from the Bird. And after the months of keeping the Red Cross boxes to the officers ONE was finally allowed to be handed out to the POWs. That was a tremendous day for them all, Louie getting an 11 pound crate to himself which was opposite of the usual limited rations. With the Red Cross coming in more and more often one man – a Prince Yoshitomo Tokurugawa – would talk to one of the POWs about how things were in the camp. The man despite beatings would tell the prince of Watanabe’s cruelty. After enough times of hearing this “the Bird” was sent away. There were no more beatings for Louie, and there was a celebration in the whole camp.
Phil and Allen, both of which people Louie had met on this journey were still alive. This was a beacon of hope for Louie though his mind was being shaken from the constant beatings from the Bird. And after the months of keeping the Red Cross boxes to the officers ONE was finally allowed to be handed out to the POWs. That was a tremendous day for them all, Louie getting an 11 pound crate to himself which was opposite of the usual limited rations. With the Red Cross coming in more and more often one man – a Prince Yoshitomo Tokurugawa – would talk to one of the POWs about how things were in the camp. The man despite beatings would tell the prince of Watanabe’s cruelty. After enough times of hearing this “the Bird” was sent away. There were no more beatings for Louie, and there was a celebration in the whole camp.
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