- During his World War II military service, he was a B-24 bombardier in a plane nicknamed the Green Hornet. While flying a rescue mission May 27, 1943, the Green Hornet had a mechanical failure and fell into the ocean. After 47 days floating in a rubber life-raft at sea with two other crew members (one of the others died after 33 days), he and the plane's co-pilot were rescued/captured by the Japanese, and he spent almost two years, frequently tortured, in a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp.
- For his 81st birthday in January 1998, he returned to Japan to run a leg of the Olympic torch relay for the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano. He was also a torch bearer for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
- He attended Torrance High School, where he was a track star. In 1934, he set the national high school track record for the mile at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. His record time of 4 minutes 21.2 seconds held for 20 years. His efforts earned him a scholarship to the University of Southern California (USC).
- The Torrance airport was renamed Zamperini Field on December 7, 1946.
- For his military service and time as a prisoner of war, he received the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the World War II Prisoner of War Medal.
- In the 1950s, Tony Curtis approached Zamperini, after the release of Zamperini's first book, about making a film with Curtis portraying Zamperini.
- One of his fellow prisoner-of-war camp mates was Gregory H. 'Pappy' Boyington, writer of the book "Baa Baa Black Sheep," upon which Black Sheep Squadron (1976) (later "Black Sheep Squadron") was based.
- The home football, soccer, and track stadium for Torrance High School has been named Zamperini Stadium in his honor.
- He was to be the Grand Marshal for the 2015 Tournament of Roses Parade, held before the football playoff game in Pasadena, California. In response to Zamperini's July 2, 2014 death, the Tournament of Roses committee announced they are "committed to honoring him as the Grand Marshal of the 2015 Rose Parade".
- University of Southern California's track & field stadium's entrance was named Louis Zamperini Plaza in 2004.
- Born in New York, his family moved to Torrence, California in 1920.
- Inducted to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago, Illinois, USA in October 2008.
- His wife Cynthia predeceased him. He was survived by his son, Luke Zamperini, his daughter, Cynthia Zamperini Garris, and a grandchild.
- Zamperini resided in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California at the time of his death.
- He was a first generation American, the son of two Italian immigrants.
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