Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Chapter 35: Coming Undone


1 Garrett upset over rice: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview.

2 Toll of captivity: Norman S. White, MD, letter to the editor, Hospital and Community Psychiatry, November 1983; Bernard M. Cohen and Maurice Z. Cooper, A Follow-up Study of World War II Prisoners of War (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1955); D. Robson et al., “Consequences of Captivity: Health Effects of Far East Imprisonment in World War II,” JM: An International Journal of Medicine, vol. 102, no. 2, 2009, pp. 87–96; Robert Ursano, MD, and James Rundell, MD, “The Prisoner of War,” War Psychiatry (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Surgeon General, 1995), pp. 431–56.

3 Nightmares, sleeping on floors, ducking, hallucinations: Knox, pp. 461, 463, 478–79.

4 McMullen speaking Japanese: Milton McMullen, telephone interview, February 16, 2005.

5 Weinstein’s urges to scavenge in garbage cans: Weinstein, p. 316.

6 Weinstein housing complex: “Georgia: No Shenanigans,” Time, January 2, 1950.

7 Halloran’s experience: Raymond Halloran, email interview, March 3, 2008.

8 Former POW spitting at Asians: Burke, p. 184.

9 Former POWs try to attack hospital staffer: Knox, p. 465.

10 McMullen after Japan: Milton McMullen, telephone interview, February 16, 2005.

11 “a seething, purifying”: Jean Améry, At the Mind’s Limits: Contemplations by a Survivor of Auschwitz and Its Realities (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998), p. 40.

12 “You must look”: Louis Zamperini, letter to Cynthia Applewhite, May 4, 1946.

13 Louie’s torment, resumption of running: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

14 Louie injured: Louis Zamperini, telephone interview; Louis Zamperini, letter to Edwin Wilber, May 1946; John P. Stripling, “Striptees,” Torrance Herald, November 28, 1946.

15 Louie’s nightmares, drinking, decline, resolution to kill the Bird: Louis Zamperini, telephone interviews.

Chapter 36: The Body on the Mountain


1 Manhunt: Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331, NACP.

2 Officer’s visit: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

3 Watanabe’s flight and quotes in this section: Ibid.

4 Conviction rates: John W. Dower, Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II (New York: Norton, 1999), p. 447.

5 Ofuna convictions: “Jap Officers to Be Hanged for POW Brutality,” San Mateo (Calif.) Times, October 13, 1948; William R. Gill and Davis P. Newton, “A Compilation of Biographical Source Documents Concerning Major William Herald Walker, U.S. Army Air Force (1919–1945), a Prisoner of War in Japan During World War II,” 1999; “8th Army Commission Court Gives Sentence to POW Torturers,” Pacific Stars and Stripes, February 29, 1948.

6 Naoetsu convictions: Lyon, pp. 49–51.

7 Sasaki’s capture, trial, imprisonment: Kunichi Sasaki and James Kunichi Sasaki records from RG 331, RAOOH, WWII, 1907–1966, SCAP, Legal Section, Administration Division and Prosecution Division, NACP: Kunichi Sasaki, Isamu Sato, Kazuo Akane, 1945–1948, Investigation and Interrogation Reports; Nakakichi Asoma et al., trial, exhibits, appeal, and clemency files; Nakakichi Asoma et al., 1945–1952, POW 201 File, 1945–1952, Charges and Specifications, 1945–1948.

8 Kano: Martindale, pp. 230, 240; Gamble, p. 339; Yukichi Kano, “Statement of Yukichi Kano, Tokio P.O.W. Camp H.Q. (Omori),” undated, from papers of Robert Martindale; Yukichi Kano, SCAP, Legal Section, Administration Division (10/02/1945–04/28/1952), File Unit from RG 331: RAOOH, WWII 1907–1966, Series POW 201 File, 1945–1952, NACP.

9 Kato accused of kicking a man nearly to death: Martindale, p. 141.

10 “Cross my heart”: Yukichi Kano, “Statement of Yukichi Kano, Tokio P.O.W. Camp H.Q. (Omori),” undated, from papers of Robert Martindale.

11 “I thought I”: Yukichi Kano, letter to Robert Martindale, December 23, 1955.

12 Watanabe in hiding: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

13 Intensified manhunt: Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331, NACP.

14 Watanabe goes to Tokyo: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

15 “You have plenty of room”: Ibid.

16 Watanabe approached for arranged marriage: Ibid.

17 “if she liked books”: Ibid.

18 “a burden which would make her unhappy”: Ibid.

19 Watanabe becomes cowherd: Ibid.

20 Bodies found on Mitsumine: “From Chief of Hyogo Prefectural Police Force,” November 21, 1950, report, from papers of Frank Tinker; Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Sgt.), vols. 1–3, 1945–1952, POW 201 File 1945–1947, SCAP, Legal Section, Administrative Division, RAOOH, RG 331, NACP.

21 Shizuka taken to body: Mutsuhiro Watanabe, “I Do Not Want to Be Punished by America,” Bingei Shunjyu, April 1956, translated from Japanese.

22 Watanabe’s death announced: Ibid.

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