Our Mission:
My first husband, Capt. Jerry Zimmer, was an F4B Phantom jet pilot, whose aircraft was shot down on August 29, 1969, approximately 20 miles South of Da Nang, Vietnam, after six months in country. Neither Jerry nor his navigator, 1st Lt. Al Graf, was able to eject, before the aircraft crashed into the Que Son Mountains. Initially Jerry and Al were classified as Killed in Action/No Body Recovered (KIA/NBR). Years later, both Marines were listed as MIA, along with other service members whose bodies were never recovered.
Jerry has been gone nearly a half century, and hope for recovering his remains had run out a long time ago. However, in recent years our family became involved with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), now merged with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), and learned that Jerry’s and Al’s remains might, in fact, be recoverable, so we are doing everything possible to support their efforts to make this happen and bring our guys home where they belong.
NOTE: BLOG POSTS ARE NOT UPDATED, SO INFORMATION MAY HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME.
IN HONOR OF ALL VETERANS: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Veterans have been among the most ardent supporters of our family’s efforts to bring home Jerry’s and Al’s remains from Vietnam. And over the years, there have been many veterans, especially Marines, who have been so kind to me, and this short blog is about one that became my inspiration for Veterans Day.
I was deeply honored when the lapel pin, pictured above, arrived a couple of days ago, and even more so when I understood the circumstances. It was sent to me by retired Major Geoff “Jeep” Pomroy, USMC — a career Vietnam War veteran and helicopter pilot, who my husband, Ron, met through a mutual Marine friend. I have never met Geoff, but he has followed my blog, and I appreciate knowing that he’s out there.
Ron had long admired a lapel pin, designed by Maj Pomroy and worn by Col “Pearl” Wederbrook, USMC, (Ret), a former CO of Marine Air Group 11 at MCAS Miramar in San Diego, CA. The original pin depicted the US and USMC crossed flags, topped with a small set of Naval Aviator wings. Through Pearl, Ron contacted Geoff and ordered the same pin, which arrived shortly thereafter.
Ron was so impressed with the quality and simplicity of his new pin, that unbeknownst to me, he asked Geoff if it would be possible to create a similar pin, but with the US and POW/MIA flags set behind the Naval Aviator wings. Geof’s biggest challenge was finding the right size and style of flags to make an attractive, appropriate pin to fulfill Ron’s request. In the meantime, about a month went by, and Ron forgot that he had ordered the special-design pin, until it arrived — just before the 237th Marine Corps Birthday and Veterans Day 2012.
Not only did the one-off pin arrive, but Geof also attached the very kind note posted below. This gift is very special to me and a meaningful tribute to all MIA aviators still unaccounted for.
Thank you, Geoff.
Although I don’t sell anything on this site, I am certain that some readers will want one of these lapel pins, which is roughly the size of a dime and very reasonably priced — it is not made of precious metal. Please contact Geoff at g_w_pegasus@yahoo.com.
Recent Posts: