Factual error: Early in the movie, a young Louis Zamperini throws a roll of bills into a wooden box. The outer bill is a $5 with a HAWAII overprint. This bill was issued in June 1942; this is several months after Louis enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941. (00:10:05)
Factual error: In the Japanese prison camp, the Japanese flag shown is the post war flag consisting only of a red circle. (01:08:05)
Factual error: When the American prisoners are allowed by the Japanese to finally bathe in a local river, a B-29 flies over, but it has Army Air Force insignia under both wings. To be correct, the insignia should only appear on the upper left, and the lower right wing. (02:05:25)
Factual error: The plane that returns some of the troops to the USA in the last scene is displaying the registration VH-HID - this is a current Australian aviation registration number, not a US plane. (02:09:05)
Factual error: At the end of the movie, when Louis Zamperini returns home from captivity by the Japanese, the plane he emerges from has the early World War II American insignia with the red "meatball" dot in the center of the white star. This was quickly removed when the Japanese entered the war, because the red dot could easily be confused with the "rising sun" emblem on Japanese aircraft. By the time Zamperini was released (1945), the American star had no red dot. (02:09:05)
Other mistake: At end of movie where there are captions describing how the lives of everyone turned out, for Louie it says "after years of SERVERE PTSD..." instead of "severe." (02:10:25)
Other mistake: When the airmen are in the life rafts for 47 days, how are 2 of them virtually clean shaven?
Factual error: In the opening scene, two individuals display patches for the 13th Air Force on the left shoulder of their jackets. Zamperini and his crew were part of the 7th Air Force.
Continuity mistake: In long shot where Lou is holding a railroad tie over his head it is turned long edge pointed up, then when the shot returns to a close up it is flat.
