The former athlete, whose life inspired the 2010 book Unbroken by author Laura Hillenbrand and the upcoming Angelina Jolie-directed film adaption being released later this year, died peacefully after battling pneumonia for 40 days.

"His indomitable courage and fighting spirit were never more apparent than in these last days," his family said in a statement.

Jolie said Zamperini's death was "a loss impossible to describe", but said she "so grateful for how enriched our lives are for having known him".

"We will miss him terribly," she added.

Zamperini began running competitively at high school and the University of Southern California.

He went on to compete in the 5,000 metres at the Berlin 1936 Olympics, finishing in eighth place after running the last lap in 59 seconds - a time that saw Adolf Hitler shaking his hand.

He then enlisted in the United States Army in 1941, serving as a bombardier in World War Two.

However, he was soon involved in a crash on the Pacific Ocean.

Eight of the 11 men on board were killed but Zamperini survived 47 days adrift on a raft, collecting rainwater and catching fish to eat.

He was then picked up by a Japanese patrol and spent two years in prisoner of war camps, where he faced solitary confinement, threats of execution and abuse.

The US even declared him killed in action as his whereabouts were unknown by those back at home.

Following the war, he returned home and met his wife, Cynthia Applewhite, who died in 2001.

Zamperini, who ran a leg of the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympic Torch Relay, is survived by daughter Cynthia, son Luke and his grandchildren.

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