OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
June 8, 2011
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith a congratulatory resolution regarding decorated World War II veteran Louie Zamperini.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Mayor
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st?^-,^ ^'^•'i:-^^ MAYOR'RAHM EMANUEL1 ^
&U VV^riefefifS; >4he>Mernb<ers of this^hamber are" please
The ^Members of th s&@hamber are" pleas€dMo|h©nor|dndf« congratulate'Louis Zampenm "a<.true*Amencan hero and legendary World*War II * vtarSn-fdrhiicoui^^^ \ %
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*\ ^ h WHEREAS ^Bprn in Olean* New^York m?1917 Mr Zampenm moved with his \ family to Torrance California in, the 1>920s growing up in then-tiny*blue^"eo ar ' % , * Torrance Mr Zampenm struggled?with yduthful misbehavior until he channeled his^-* energy into competitive runnmg^and he went on to set the mterscholastiCfecord,"^ for£theftmile1.and'win aischolarshipjo the^University of Southern California and _- C'V
WHEREAS At age 18 Mr Zampenni qualified^for the 19^36'Olympics in Berlin" ^ , + p. Germany^wheVehecoWpetedinthe5 QOuimeter race and two years later he set^ £ the Natiorfal^collegiate mile recford' whichshe held for 15 yeiarTand^* ^ ?
' WHEREAS-In Septemberofl 941 "Mr^Zampermi Unlisted in the United States ! . % ArrnVAir Forces jfte^mpi%ng'li.s tuning he*«aVomfh.3$.onetf i secofid
heutenanf and deployedjo Havvan as aimaster bombardier ond
WHEREAS OnfMay27 1943 Mr Zampenm and ten othercrew members were
iZamperini^PiloteRuss^ 4 ^ „McNamara were the only^survivors and>"s. * - ct, (
WHERE/S Mr* McNaTridra^succurfirSed to^dedth on the 33rdtcla^Ws;SS|
Ti-/ ?»- '?*ff-3S3:^ngS, soft's.* ^^Stf ^ sis' — *f-^ c-gfe > t v i?" Tj*.
**A leaving Messrs ^Zampenm and*Philhps huddled for^a totalrof 47^ays adrift in the oc,ean aboard a^tiny^poorly^roy^sipneo^raft ^subsistmg^nJitHe more^han rgin^ ^ ' waterLand^th^blood of birds,tKeypaOght arid killed barehanded ^feTidihg^off -^ circhng5sharks land!sometiirTres^hgngincrbelow the raft to hide from enemy bullets £ &
> ana <?»jr*» J^ivi-^vW ■^'v1-«_JS.7>'!r?r * «^ f«f* » tr v*-,^ ^ ~»- ^ s** >^ v
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WHEREAS After drifting some 2 000 miles west the bullet-riddled''often patched raft washed ashore on the Marshall Islands where Messrs Zampenm and Phillips were taken prisoner by the Japanese ^and *
f,> WHEREAS^ For^S months Mr^Zampennj was subjected *to unspeakable^ physical andt>sychological torture attjiiehands^qf Japanese prison guards Beaten starved denied medical care regularly whipped 'across the face with a belt7 buckle and forced,to perform demeaning acts including push-ups atop pits of human excrement the unflinching Mr Zampenm never gave in to the demands of his captors anb, his spirit was neve/br<pken and" „ - *-
WHEREAS Liberated from^hissprison camp ^Mr Zampenm,arrived at Long' Beach California on October 5 19,45 where^he was-.promoted Jo the^rankyof captain^and awarded the-Air_Medakwith three oak leaf clusters the Purple^Kjeart with oak letjf cluster the Philippine Liberation Mleldal the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and .^American Cam^n Medal with L&ffle stars' and *
WHEREAS—A recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from Azusa Pacific Umversity and Bryant University Mr Zampenm was honored"for his^extfaordinary sacrifice and resilience irfhis hometown-swhere the City's"airport and a high school -st^dium^weflm^ • * ' ^ 1
WHEREAS A highly acclaimed athlete in^January''1998 for'his 81 ' birthday Mr ZamperiniTran a^leg in the^Olympic Torch relay^for^the Winter Olympics in ^Nagano Japan iii2b04"thelentrance plaza at the University^ SouthTern California was named Louis Zdmperim Plaza and in October 2008 he was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of'Fame in Chicago and & ^ '■
WHEREAS Mr Zampermrcd'-authored two memoirs^about his^experiences ; and he is,also the^subject of a New^Y46rk^Times bestseller biography Unbrpken A; Worhd War lTSiory*of Survival Resihente^and Redemption written by Pulitzer Prize-? winning author Laura Hillenbrand''and * - *
WHEREAS A living American legend Mr Zampenni deserves our admiration and respect forv.his exceptional resolve .unbreakable^spirit and proven fajlor arid his rrianycontributions and service to our Nation are'a source of great inspiration to all Chicagoans now therefore „ -
if:
*
{ BE IT RESOLVED That we the Mayor and'Members of the City Council pf the City of Chicago assembled this eighth day of June 2011 do hereby express our
sincere appreciation to Louis Zampenm for his courageous and extraordinary life
service and accomplishments and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Louis Zampenm as a token of our esteem and good wishes