Part of One of The Busiest Freeways in Southern California Could be Named in Memory of ‘Unbroken’ Athlete and War Hero, Louis Zamperini

California Assemblyman David Hadley, R-Torrance, has announced that he has introduced in Sacramento, a resolution, ACR 157, to name a portion of Interstate 405 in Torrance as the Louis Zamperini Memorial Highway.

"Louis Zamperini was a true American hero, who survived unthinkable treatment as a prisoner of war in World War II," said Hadley. "He inspired millions of Americans as an Olympic distance runner, and later as a Christian evangelist. This extraordinary man showed resilience through all of life's ups and downs, and continues to be an inspiration to all even after his death. Renaming a portion of the 405 in his honor is a fitting way to pay tribute to a remarkable Californian."

Mr. Zamperini was in his early twenties and a track star at the University of Southern California (USC), when he qualified for the US 5,000-meter race in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he placed 8th. He ran so fast in the last lap, that he caught the attention of Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler, who asked to meet him afterwards and Zamperini had the dubious experience of shaking Hitler's land, which he told me was "like shaking hands with a fish!"

According to a news release from the office of David Hadley, Zamperini was set to compete again in the 1940 games in Tokyo, but the games were cancelled due to the start of World War II. Shortly after the United States entered the war, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941. A bombardier, his plane went down and arrived on shore in Japan 47 days later. He was taken as a prisoner of war and tortured for two years.

Mr. Zamperini spent the last 65 years of his life sharing his Christian faith and philosophy of life, and became an inspirational speaker. His dramatic story served as the basis for the bestselling 2010 biography Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, and also the December 2014 film "Unbroken" directed by Angelina Jolie.

Hillenbrand, who described Zamperini in a Facebook message as her "beloved friend" and "surrogate grandfather," wrote that during his trip to Berlin, the Olympian, after drinking a couple of liters of German beer and wearing his Olympics dress uniform, opted to steal a small Nazi flag from Hitler's official residence and office. A guard fired a shot and another asked Zamperini why he did it. He replied that he wanted a souvenir. They gave him the flag and spared his life.

"He is also remembered as a quick-witted, fun-loving, and humble person," said the release.

The freeway memorial designation would include the portion of Interstate 405, from Redondo Beach Boulevard to South Western Avenue in the County of Los Angeles. Hadley introduced this bipartisan resolution along with Senator Ben Allen and Assemblyman Mike Gipson.