Verify and try again. You can always change this later in your Account settings. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Russell deeply enjoyed spending time with his family and many, many friends that he acquired along the back roads, especially his road brother, Charlie and becoming a valued member of the Drexler Family. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Bird"). One afternoon, while the men slept, an albatross landed near Zamperinis head. Want 100 or more? Phil is an Indiana native who trains to be a military pilot. Russell Allen Phillips, known as Phil, is Louies companion throughout his war experiences. Laura Hillenbrand and Unbroken Background. Along with two Try again later. After a crash, they spent 47 days adrift in the ocean on a life raft with tail gunner Francis McNamara, who died on the 33rd day. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? "He didn't talk very much about it," said Joe Otis, who knew Phillips from when he was coaching basketball at LaPorte High School. Age 50s Russell Allen Phillips Poplar Bluff, MO View Full Report May Go By Used To Live In Related To Rusell Phillips There was a problem getting your location. Editors Note: A version of this article first appeared in the February2015 print issue of American Survival Guide. Phil is well respected for his character and for his piloting skills. They also performed the "water cure" method of torture, whereby a prisoner is tipped backwards and water is poured up his nose as his mouth is held shut, causing him to eventually pass out. The Southern California native a long-distance runner known as the Torrance Tornado ran in 1936 Olympics, did not let beatings and abuse break his will in the prison camp, later became a born-again Christian, and went back to Japan to forgive the guards who tormented him. Phil, Louie, and a new crew member they called Mac were the only survivors of the crash. Search above to list available cemeteries. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Russell Allen Phillips: Home Biography What He Suffered After the War Family References Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Despite finishing eighth in the men's 5000-meter event at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, his final lap was an astonishing 56 seconds. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Upon their capture by the Japanese, Louie weighed 67, 79.5, or 87 pounds, depending on the source. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 1 bestseller. What was assumed to be a couple days at sea and then rescue was quietly accepted as a longer stay at sea. The late Russell Allen Phillips, a World War II pilot and longtime LaPorte resident, spent nearly two months eating raw albatrosses and seagulls that happened to land on a tiny life raft that was besieged by sharks, battered by a typhoon, and nearly sunk by a Zero plane's strafing machine gun. As a punishment for stealing fish, Mutsuhiro Watanabe (aka "The Bird") had the thieves and the officers, including Louis Zamperini, stand before the enlisted men, who took turns punching each thief and officer in the face (not just Zamperini). There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Subscribe now. The crew members lost were:Co-Pilot 1st Lt Charlton H. Cupernell of California, 1st Lt. Robert H. Mitchell from Illinois, Sgt Otto Anderson from Wisconsin, Pvt Leslie A. Deane from Kansas, SSgt Frank Glassman from Illinois, SSgt Jay S. Hansen from Idaho, Cpl Michael Walsh from Pennsylvania, and Tail Gunner SSgt Francis P. McNamara (died 6-30-43) from Ohio.McNamara died on day 33 at sea. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. -Unbroken book, Yes. Phillips was a LaPorte High School and Purdue University graduate who went on to become a lieutenant and pilot in the Army Air Corps. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Photo credit: Louie Zamperini. Mix that in with the fear, hunger, and dehydration, he was a goner. However, unlike the movie, Louie's brother Pete told him this as they sat on their bed years earlier, not right before Louie left for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. The men spent days wrestling the raft in storms and ocean swells of over 25 feet and they spent days in the doldrums, drifting on water as smooth as glass with vibrant sunrises and sunsets and the colorful albatrosses coloring the sky above them. The book states the phrase as, "A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain. Its two left engines cut out, and it crashed into the Pacific Ocean 850 miles south of Oahu, Hawaii, killing eight of the eleven men on board. cemeteries found in La Porte, La Porte County, Indiana, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. As darkness settled in, a cold wrapped itself around the men. Biography Lt. Russell Allen Phillips Russell Allen Phillips, the first one on the left, is pictured here with his crew. Every morning we woke up and we expected, well this is the day, this is the day they're going to kill us. Resend Activation Email. Wild Rose, Waushara County, Wisconsin, USA, Plainfield, Waushara County, Wisconsin, USA. the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Try again later. When Watanabe was transferred to Naoetsu, the most hellish POW camp in Japan, Louis Zamperini was eventually transferred there too as punishment for not doing the Radio Tokyo propaganda broadcast. LAPORTE, Ind. First, Mutsuhiro Watanabe tried to pin a goat's death on Louis Zamperini, then he set out to punish Louis for going to the camp doctor without permission for severe dysentery. Working as a farm hand for Madden Farms, as a mechanic for Plainfield Trucking and then spreading his wings wider, he hit the road as a truck driver. They become crewmates and close friends. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. This infuriated him and made him bitterly jealous of officers, including Louis Zamperini. Resend Activation Email. Oops, something didn't work. He never talked much about what he endured or his wartime service at all. ), just before reaching an atoll in the Marshall Islands. He was also introduced to a group of American and Australian POWs, who were obeying the Japanese and working as propagandists. Overnight I became fanatical. a movie to be released in 2015 based on the book will feature James Franco as Louie Zamperini and Matt Damon as . Olympian and WWII hero Louis "Louie" This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Louie was then asked to do a second broadcast. Its part of the miracle that they even survived the crash.. This browser does not support getting your location. Zamperini dressed Allens wounds and rowed the small raft after a second one that was drifting in the currents nearby. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. They had no food. "In grateful memory of First Lieutenant Louis S. Zamperini, A.S. No. August 1, 1916 marked the beginning Phils life. moment his ongoing nightmares of his Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? We can't wait to send you the latest tips, trends and info. Obituary Russell Allen Phillips, 47, of Newaygo, passed away on April 26, 2022 in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. Louis Zamperini died on July After he was found and returned home, Russell Allen Phillips married Cecile Perry, who never gave up on him, and they had two children. The beam fell and struck Louis in the head, momentarily knocking him out. Free trial is available to new customers only. A LaPorte schoolteacher couldn't stomach chicken ever again, but that was one of the few telltale signs that suggested what he had endured. There was a problem getting your location. He graduated from Newaygo High School in 1993. Now, here I'm an athlete, I remember myself when I was a powerful, physical athlete, and now I'm just skin and bone and a skeleton, that's all, and that brought tears to my eyes." This is a carousel with slides. Phillips, who was an educator in LaPorte for decades before dying in 1998, and bombardier Louis Zamperini, survived a number of combat missions, including one where nearly 600 rounds riddled their plane. was a self employed builder. Eventually the two men drifted toward an island that looked to be under siege by the Japanese, still, the men decided to row to shore. Born August 1, 1916. We caught rainwater. we offer free help to anyone looking to learn the details of . Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Japan. WHAT BEGAN AS A SIMPLE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION IN THE PACIFIC BECAME A 47-DAY FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPRISONMENT IN TWO OF JAPANS WORST CAMPS.. He joined the U.S. air corps a month before the attack at Pearl Harbor. Other names that Russell uses includes Russel Phillips, Russell Gray Phillips, Russell G Phillips, Russel G Phillips and Russell Gray Phillips. The Super Man crew heads to Hawaii to await orders. Less than two minutes elapsed and the Green Hornet tumbled left wing and nose first into the ocean. Quickly, without warning, the number one engine (left outboard) sputtered, shook violently, and died. cemeteries found in Plainfield, Waushara County, Wisconsin, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie directed "Unbroken," an adaptation of "Seabiscuit" author Laura Hillenbrand's New York Times No. Russell Allen Phillips, 47, of Newaygo, passed away on April 26, 2022 in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. He had to describe to his captors what the injection was doing to his body. Thanks for your help! The book and now the movie are changing that.. They told stories of their past: Allen told about life in Indiana about the Indianapolis 500 and how hed pack a lunch for the family and spend the entire day. "He was quiet and reserved," said Jerry Williams, who taught with Phillips. It wasn't until Mr. Burns started talking with Cecile Phillips, Russell's wife, that the remarkable story came out. The Bird reasoned that the officers should have had control of the men, therefore they should be punished too. After drifting more than 2,000 miles and washing up on the Marshall Islands, Phillips and Zamperini were captured by the Japanese and imprisoned for two years. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. SparkNotes PLUS The three men had two rafts between them, six bars of chocolate (each meant to last a week and fortified with vitamins, minerals and protein), and eight half-pint tins of water. Phil Russell Allen Phillips, known as Phil, is Louie's companion throughout his war experiences. Russell was a member of Kingsway Christian C Failed to delete memorial. He didnt talk very much about it, said Joe Otis, who knew Phillips from when he was coaching basketball at LaPorte High School. Get our best outdoor and self-reliance tips, delivered right to your inbox! Oops, we were unable to send the email. In its place, there was a pair of pliers. They only stopped when he told them that he was on the verge of passing out. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Unbroken tells the story of louis zamperiniocean survivalocean survival storiesRussell Allen Phillipssurvival stories. Also growing up Phils household was extremely religious. On occasion, the waves would toss small fish into their raft. He was born on June 5, 1962 in Wild Rose to Gene and Betty (Baker) Phillips. He enlisted in the Air Corps at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana on. Olympian/POW recalls meeting Adolf Hitler, The next morning the men were greeted with two Japanese zeros in combat practice overhead and what looked like an island with two trees. Our investigation into the Unbroken true story confirmed that, in an act of panic, tail gunner Francis "Mac" McNamara ate all of the chocolate bars (approximately 6) as the other men slept in the two rafts during the first night. After leaving school his life travels started from there. He is taken to Zentsuji POW camp and does not communicate with Louie for a long period of time. When the war ends and he and other prisoners are rescued from that camp, he returns home to Indiana, where he soon weds his dedicated girlfriend, Cecy Perry Phillips. The two were sent Kwajalein which was also known asExecution Island. "Just Living The Dream." The real Louis Zamperini was in Japan in 1998 to carry the Olympic torch in Nagano to celebrate the start of the Winter Games. We caught a shark and tore it up and ate the liver out of it. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Try again later. He also had a penchant for stealing and fighting. On November 7, 1941, Phil enlisted in the Air Corps near his home at Fort Benjamin Harrison during his engagement to Cecile Perry. 1900-1954. When we all came home, we got together again.. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Please reset your password. The Unbroken movie true story verifies that they were taken to the atoll of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! "Because of my own personal feelings, I treated the prisoners strictly as enemies of Japan. ). Like in the movie, Fitzgerald never gave up any information. In this Louis Zamperini interview, the "The next thing you know another albatross landed," said Louie, "and I told the guys, 'We got to try to eat it.' The men smacked the sharks away with oars or their bare hands. Phillips, Russell AllenRussell Allen Phillips, age 52, of Plainfield, died unexpectedly on June 11, 2014. This account has been disabled. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Thanks for your help! Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. "Pete told me I had to quit drinking and smoking if I wanted to do well," Louis told Running Times Magazine, "and that I had to run, run, run." ", Yes. Louie, Phil, and other crewmates name their original B-24 Super Man. As Zamperini took inventory of the supplies he realized they were without a knife. You go from 150 mph to zero in a moment. He was known for his calm, cool, and quiet character.The tail number is unknown for the B-24D Green Hornet, which was ditched and lost at sea on 27 May 1943 in the Pacific. He was born on June 5, 1962 in Wild Rose to Gene and Betty (Baker) Phillips. Their unbelievable but true-life tale hit movie theaters nationwide on Christmas. 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