A move again - Omori Prisoner of War Camp (sep 30, 1944 – mar 1, 1945)

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“Louie had met the man who would dedicate himself to shattering him.” (Hillebrand, Ch 23). Here, he meets the designated disciplinary officer, "the bird", Mutsuhiro Watanabe. Just like the other camps preventable diseases like beriberi and famine tore through the camp. For Louie, it wasn't the diseases he had to fend off, it was the relentless beatings from "the bird" that worried him most. “Though there were hundreds of POWs in camp, this deranged corporal was fixated on Louie, hunting the former Olympian, whom he would call “number 1 prisoner.” Louie would try to conceal himself in groups of men, but the bird would always find him." (Hillebrand, Ch 24). It was during his time in Omori that a Tokyo propaganda radio station gave word to the world that Louis Zamperini was alive and a Prisoner of War. Louis was given the opportunity to support this propaganda by reading scripted passages, in return, he could live a "free life" within the compound as other Australian and American soldiers had done. Louie would not comply, was returned to Omori and the relentless beatings of "the bird" intensified. In December came some salvation, "the bird" was transferred to a different camp. Louis may be spared.

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