Throughout the text, the most important characteristic that Louie has is his strength and resilience. Louie survives throughout the text, living to almost one hundred years old, because of his fortitude. He battles valiantly through each challenge that he faces.

After Louie finally discovers his love for running, which gives him direction in life and allows him to connect with his family and his hometown, his dreams are quickly torn away from him with the outbreak of World War II. However, instead of despairing over his loss, he decides to join the war effort instead. Once there, he faces the challenges of two different bombing runs: in one their plane malfunctions, leaving them little fuel to return, and in the other they are attacked by Japanese planes, leaving Louie to care for the injured soldiers and to help Phil pilot the plane safely. After he survives these attacks, he is then stranded on the ocean with Phil and Mac. He immediately takes command of their situation on the raft, rationing food and water, then finding ways to collect water and feed the men as their situation becomes more dire. Through his strength and resilience, he and Phil survive, only to be thrust into several different POW camps.