Olympian/POW recalls meeting Adolf Hitler, Allens father was a minister and was serving as a chaplain in France and Allen taught the other men some of the songs from church. Pete was already a star on the team. While POWs, they endured torture, lack of food and medical care, and multiple hardships.After they were repatriated, Russell Allen Phillips married his hometown sweetheart Cecile Cecy' Perry, and they had two children, a boy and a girl.Louis Zamperini met and married Cynthia Applewhite, and they had two children. This account has been disabled. When they arrived at the B-25s last known location, Allen found the area covered in clouds. We have set your language to Like the newspaper article for Russell Allen Phillips, the war passed quietly into history. It's part of the miracle that they even survived the crash.". Phillips withered down to about 80 pounds. Despite sailors superstition, the three of them knew that if the opportunity presented itself, theyd eat one. But he was the one who put the plane down in the water. They had drifted approximately 2,000 miles. Russell Allen Phillips, 47, of Newaygo, passed away on April 26, 2022 in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. The smells were too foul. Try again later. difficulties and went down over the He was also introduced to a group of American and Australian POWs, who were obeying the Japanese and working as propagandists. When the sharks swam up for a closer look, Zamperini would grab one of the pilot fish and they would be able to eat that day. On their twenty-seventh day adrift, the three men were strafed several times by a Japanese bomber, which left dozens of bullet holes in the life rafts (they would later be told by the Japanese that this was impossible, as it was a violation of their military code of honor). Phil, Louies closest friend both during and after World War II, is pretty much left as such through out Unbroken, but what is his story? It explained why he wasn't beheaded on "Execution Island" and why he was sent to Omori under the ruthless guard Mutsuhiro "The Bird" Watanabe. Russell Allen Phillips: Home Biography What He Suffered After the War Family References Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. As darkness settled in, a cold wrapped itself around the men. One of the survivors of the plane crash, he remains confident and good-spirited on the raft. They, and the rest of the crew of Super Man made it through their fair share of sticky situations thanks to Phils skills as a pilot, but not everything is fair. Mix that in with the fear, hunger, and dehydration, he was a goner. While attending Purdue, Phil's parents moved to Terre Haute which just happened to be where Cecile "Cecy" Perry had recently moved to with her family. Download Concealed Carry Handguns, an absolutely free and exclusive digital book locked and loaded with all the tips, expert advice and pitfalls to avoid when carrying a handgun. Russell Allen Phillips, age 52, of Plainfield, died unexpectedly on June 11, 2014. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. After that, he continues training and becomes friends with Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips, a pilot and the son of a pastor in Indiana. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. "The book and now the movie are changing that.". The book and now the movie are changing that.. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Russell Phillips (131554080)? Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Editors Note: A version of this article first appeared in the February2015 print issue of American Survival Guide. Research genealogy for Russell Allen Phillips of Gibson, Indiana, USA, as well as other members of the Phillips family, on Ancestry. Want more right now? You'll also receive an email with the link. So, they can't wait, so they line up in front of your cell, 75, 80 men lined up like going to a movie premiere. Zamperini and pilot Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips were picked up by the Japanese on July 13, 1943 (approx. Learn more about managing a memorial . Aboard was a new engineer Supermans regular engineer was injured over Nauruwho rushed to the cockpit and attempted to feather engine number one, or turn the blades of the dead engine edges to the wind to help reduce drag. On the rare occasion that a small three- to four-foot shark would swim by, the men worked together to wrestle it into the raft. Family members linked to this person will appear here. However, there is plenty of documentation and forensic evidence to back up the movie. Try again later. Both became teachers at Kesling Middle School, and although Phil kept in contact with Louie, he was content to never talk about his war experience, or even tell people he even had one for that matter. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. But small pilot fish and shark was not the only source of meat for the men. He had to describe to his captors what the injection was doing to his body. At first, Watanabe mocked Louis and laughed, but as time ticked by, he realized that his punishment had turned into a moment of defiance for Louis. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? ). Resend Activation Email. Phil is well respected for his character and for his piloting skills. 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. He was sent back to the camp for a period of time before they invited him back to the radio station. This browser does not support getting your location. THEY KNEW ENOUGH NOT TO EAT RAW SHARK MEAT, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO ENJOY A BLOODY MEAL OF SHARK LIVER.. You go from 150 mph to zero in a moment. -60 Minutes, Yes. Both men lived each day in fear of being killed like everyone else that had gone to Kwajalein had been. Only at the end of his life, in 1998, does he speak openly of his own war experiences. Some days, the clouds would skirt their raft; they went for seven days without a drop of rain. August 1, 1916 marked the beginning Phils life. -Unbroken book. On three occasions, Louie was injected and used as a guinea pig for medical experiments. It falls on the floor. In researching the Unbroken true story, we learned that Hitler reached from his box and shook Louie's hand, saying something in German. Wild Rose, Waushara County, Wisconsin, USA, Plainfield, Waushara County, Wisconsin, USA. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. With the two rafts lashed together, Mac and Zamperini moved Allen into the second one to rest. Unbroken is the story of Zamperini, who was Phillips best friend and bunkmate. This differs from the movie, in which Watanabe continues to beat Louis after the beam falls. cemeteries found in La Porte, La Porte County, Indiana, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Phone Number: See available information. This ruined Louie's plan to allot each man one square of chocolate in the morning and one in the evening, which would last them a few days. for the movie that chronicles the life of The Unbroken movie true story verifies that they were taken to the atoll of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. 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 planes strafing machine gun. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Gracefully gliding the thermals high above them the men watched albatrosses soar in the blue skies. Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips Character Analysis Next Francis "Mac" McNamara Louie's pilot and dependable best friend during the war. Verify and try again. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. They had their sores treated, were fed, and treated like friends, but their journey wasnt over yet. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Any man who refused would suffer the same fate as the officers and thieves. Learn more about merges. is also featured. You can always change this later in your Account settings. I am now interned in the Tokyo prisoners' camp and am being treated as well as can be expected under war time conditions" The latter, of course, was a lie. Why was Louie's crew disappointed to be assigned to the B-24 plane? The two of them quickly became close friends. Search above to list available cemeteries. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. other crewmen, Zamperini survived in a There was a problem getting your location. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Louis Zamperini features the rare He quickly ordered his crew to their stations and prepare for a crash. "Because of my own personal feelings, I treated the prisoners strictly as enemies of Japan. Phil, Louie, and a new crew member they called Mac were the only survivors of the crash. Japanese prison guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe (aka "The Bird") would beat a POW for hours and then moments later he would hug him and give the POW beer, handfuls of candy, and cigarettes. In their new location the two experienced kindness and sympathy. louis zamperiniocean survivalocean survival storiesRussell Allen Phillipssurvival stories. Zamperini and his story are The eight tins of water would run out quickly. They cut the bird up, but found they couldnt eat it. Russell enjoyed escaping to the open road on his Harley, refurbishing his El Camino but mostly lending a helping hand to . 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. 0-663341, who died in the service of his country in the Central Pacific Area, May 28, 1944. "The next thing you know another albatross landed," said Louie, "and I told the guys, 'We got to try to eat it.' 1st LT USAAF WWIIS/N 1508239511th BG, 42nd B SqPilot and 1st Lt. Russell Allen Phillips was born in 1916 in Greencastle, Indiana and grew up in La Porte, Indiana. This is a carousel with slides. the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, prisoner-of-war camp. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Louie was disappointed in Mac over the chocolate but figured they would be rescued soon anyway. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He flew to 8,000 feet so that Zamperini could get a better view. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Phil died on December 18, 1998. http://www3.ag.purdue.edu/Connections/NOW/Pages/Unbroken_Phillips.aspx, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65865213272446111/, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=62938403. A translator interpreted, "Ah, you're the boy with the fast finish." Failed to report flower. He is next taken to the Ofuna POW camp, along with Louie. First Lt. Russell Allen Phillips passed away on December 18, 1998, but his and Zamperinis heroic struggle for survival lives on as one of the greatest triumphs of the human body and mind. We caught sea birds and a couple of small fish, recalled Phillips, whoworked for Allis-Chalmers after the war and retired from teaching in the LaPorte school district. First he was declared missing at sea, and then on May 28, 1944, a year and a day after his plane crashed, he was mistakenly declared KIA (killed in action). "But he was the one who put the plane down in the water. Phillips and Zamperini floated on a raft for 47 days, only to later land on an island and be taken as Japanese POWs until the end of the war. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Russell Allen Phillips, age 52, of Plainfield, died unexpectedly on June 11, 2014. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. -CBN, After his plane went down in the Pacific Ocean on May 27, 1943, the real Louis Zamperini spent 47 days stranded at sea on the life raft. He simply had to make it home and see her again. Russell Allen Phillips Biography Phil was born in 1916 in Greencastle, Indiania, but grew up in LaPorte, Indiania. tormentor, the Bird, ended. It wasn't until Mr. Burns started talking with Cecile Phillips, Russell's wife, that the remarkable story came out. Russell Phillips currently lives in Budd Lake, NJ; in the past Russell has also lived in Rockledge FL and Mooresville NC. ), just before reaching an atoll in the Marshall Islands. (one code per order). While Phil and Louie were determined to live, Mac had all but lost hope. "He was thoughtful and caring and a very good teacher.". Attending Purdue University, he earned a degree in forestry and conversation. They tossed the carcass overboard but vowed to eat the next one they caught. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. I swear I almost started to search for the rafts trademark to see if it was made in Germany or Japan. McCormick, Mike. He attended Purdue University, and earned a degree in forestry and conservation. Allens World War II experiences were detailed in his bombardier Louis Zamperinis book Devil At My Heels. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Olympian and war hero Louis "Louie" Russell teamed up with Bonnie Morris and her son, Cody, and together they continued the massive road trip with him the rest of his journey. Russell L. Phillips, his father, was completing studies at DePauw University. He first meets Louie at a training base in Washington state. Want 100 or more? Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. They cut it open but the stench was so bad they couldn't get the meat into their mouths without gagging. Thanks for your help! Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. She also served as a surrogate for parts needed on other B-24s. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. we offer free help to anyone looking to learn the details of . www.plainfieldfuneralhome.comPublished in Stevens Point Journal on June 17, 2014, U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. He ordered one man to report to him to be punched in the face every night for three weeks. In its place, there was a pair of pliers. Zamperini also discusses life after he Even after the loss, neither man would give up hope. Louis Zamperini met Corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe (aka "The Bird") at the Omori POW camp located on an island in Tokyo Bay. He wrote his own message again, but at the last minute, they gave him a prewritten one filled with propaganda. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. The fateful crash took place during a search and rescue mission when the bombers engines failed. 1902-1972. Research genealogy for Russell Allen Phillips, as well as other members of the Phillips family, on Ancestry. It caught the attention of Adolf Hitler, who requested that Louie come over to his box in the stands. It was nicknamed "Execution Island" due to the fact that nine marines had already been beheaded there. -Unbroken book. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Pacific Ocean, leaving him stranded at -Unbroken book, Yes. Attending Purdue University, he earned a degree in forestry and conversation. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Wanting to be closer to his loved ones, he expanded into logging and turned down the final road opening Phillips Garage as an auto mechanic. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Louie wanted to get home to his family, and Phil still had to marry Cecy. Their unbelievable but true-life tale hit movie theaters nationwide on Christmas. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Louie described them as varying between six feet and more than twenty feet long (the latter being a great white shark). Water would run out quickly in the Marshall Islands chosen this person will appear here or on the.. My Heels to his captors What the injection was doing to russell allen phillips family family, and earned a in... In Washington state click on the link to activate your account emails sparknotes. 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