Gallery « Bringing Jerry Zimmer Home

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.

Gallery

Zimmer-Graf Crash Site on 1:50K Map

The last photo of Jerry and Navigator Al Graf, before their deaths on 8/29/69

My Visit To Jerry’s Crash Site — 2012

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Elaine’s Base Camp Visit 8/20/10 (Some site photos included) –

$JPAC Team Leader Capt Joe Hamer, USMC, had his work cut out for him. Jerry\'s and Al\'s crash site was described as being two football fields long.$

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Jerry’s Personal Photos From Vietnam and Other Times

The last photo of Jerry and Navigator Al Graf, before their death on 8/29/69

Jerry & Gene Mares by Danang hooch area bunker

$Jerry & RIO Gene Mares, before a mission. Both guys were childhood friends, and Gene was bestman at our wedding and later roomed and flew together in Vietnam. Four decades later, Gene\'s trip to Vietnam with me was a critical turning point in Jerry\'s and Al\'s case.$

Jerry in flack jacket and helmet at hooch

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Jerry’s Memorial Service

$JPAC\'s LTC Quasz Emoto & Ron Ward paying respects at Arlington$

Jerry's son, Craig, kneels before his father's memorial stone, during the 40th Memorial Service in Arlington Nat'l Cemetery, 8/20/2009

Caisson Led Memorial Procession through Arlington

$USMC Drum & Bugle Corps & Eigth & I\'s Honor Platoon$

$Drum & Bugle Corps from 8th and I at Jerry\'s service$

Marines perform the intricate, ceremonial flag folding process

$USMC Drum & Bugle Corps & Eigth & I\'s Honor Platoon$

As next-of-kin, Craig receives the American Flag during the Memorial Service, Elaine & Beatrice Zimmer (first row), Joann Brown (2nd row), Matt & Nick Zimmer (standing) & Jeanne Kelly (w/ camera)

Craig receives the American Flag from the Commandant's Representative

$The Commandant\'s Asst. extends his condolences to the Craig and Elaine$

Gunny Dixon, Funeral Director of the Marine Corps

$USMC Honor Platoon from 8th and I at Jerry\'s service$

$Jeff Zimmer, Jerry\'s youngest brother$

$Glen Hoover, a High School friend of Jerry\'s$

$Col Jack Gagen. USMC (Ret), Jerry\'s wingman and Jeff McMaster paying respects$

Arlington Memorial Cemetery Memorial Stone section with Zimmer & Graf headstones

Arlintton National Cemetery Reception Area

$Marine Memorial, 300 meters North of Jerry\'s Memorial Stone$

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Jerry’s Memorial Service Reception

Elaine kicking off Memorial Presentation with running slide show in background

Joe Buran, Helen Buran, Helen Zimmer, John & Alissa VanLuvender

Stacy Slack (Pigott) (sitting), Alie Zimmer talking to her dad, Craig Zimmer (dark suit)

Helen Buran, Helen Zimmer & Alissa VanLuvender

$Beatrice Zimmer (Craig\'s wife), Doug Reese & Bea\'s father, Juan Marie Iriarte in background$

Molly Frantz, Mike & Kathy Wholley(from behind), Heather Reames (Hajduk) , Matt Zimmer (shorts), Amy Brazy and Joe Cottone

Col Jack Gagen, USMC (Ret) (against wall), Elaine, Brett Davis (dark suit), Dr David Pigott (yellow tie), Nick Zimmer (kneeling), Bonnie Hajduk & Molly Frantz (foreground)

Bonnie Hajduk, Art Sauer (standing), Molly Frantz, Mike & Kathy Wholley(from behind), Heather Reames (Hajduk)

$Joe Cottone (FBI), Ben Cascio (The One-Eyed Ugly Angel) (USMC), BGen Mike Wholley, USMC (Ret) & Ron\'s Excellent H-34 instructor, Gunny Sachs (USMC)$

BGen Gerry Miller, USMC (Ret), Art Sauer & Molly Frantz

The Hairless Horsemen--Jerry & Bill Peters & Gene Mares

Col Bill Peters, USMC (Ret) & Andy Vaart

Jerry Peters & Col Bill Peters, USMC (Ret), LtCol Gene Mares, USMC, (Ret)

Kathy Wholley, Heather Reames (Hajduk) standing, Bonnie Hajduk

Gunny Sachs telling flying story to Joe Cattone (Hidden) Ben Cascio & Mike Wholley

Katie (against wall) & John Westfall, Mason (white shirt) & Stacy Slack (Pigott) & David Pigott

Bob & Joye De Luca and Carol Crockett (Pigott)

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F-4 Crash Site Related Photos – Aircraft Parts Found – Visits to Crash Site

96th Joint Field Activity (JFA) sign on rock at crash site

Major Ed Nevgloski & Ron Ward -JPAC, Det 2-sweating at crash site

Mr Do (in T shirt) being interviewed by JPAC investigator at crash site

Mr Bay & Mr Do (in T shirt) being interviewed by JPAC investigator at crash site

$JPACs Ron Ward (R) and his Vietnamese counterpart hiked to Jerry\'s crash site in 2009 to conduct an investigation, which led to reopening the case. You can see that the site is surrounded by jungle, making the work hazardous -- especially in 100 degree temperatures. These are our JPAC men at work.$

Aircraft or personal safety equipment piece

Aircraft piece on the ground at crash site

View of Que Son Mountains from crash site

Aeroquip-Marman brochure for band clamp, circa1962

SS Clamp w/part number-18787-381-d-1-253kb

$Ejection Seat- mech\'s rotary selector switch$

Seat Harness webbing full piece - back-side

ejection seat webbing - center section close-up

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Elaine’s Vietnam Pictures – March, 2009

Elaine & Mr. Do in Hoi An after hike to crash site

LtCol Gene Mares, USMC, (Ret) starting hike to crash site

Mr Do, Bay and Doug Reese at start of hike

Bay, Do and Doug starting up the incline

$Gene Mares, Mr. Du (foreground) hike to Jerry\'s crash site$

Mr. Do and son in their home following the hike

$Du\'s daughter-in-law & grandaughter- Son Vien Village$

Mr Do offering a hand of friendship to Gene after their hike to crash site

$Elaine\'s Drinking Water Saviors following her hike$

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Craig, Brett & Ron’s Vietnam Trip – January 2009

Ski & Brett outside Son Vien HQ with our van in background

$Craig deciding it\'s time to move$

Doug, Brett, Ski & Craig outside restaurant for lunch stop

Hua & Doug discuss route to crash site, during lunch

Hearding cows on freeway between Danang and Hoi An

Jostling down bumpy road on way to crash site

Edward & aAutumn Nevgloski at Marble Mountain

Edward Nevgloski at War Crimes Museum-Danang

My friend Edward Nevgloski on Marble Mountain

Craig, Doug, Brett & Nevgloski family at Furama Hotel, Danang

Craig and Brett getting linked up with our city guide, at airport in in Hanoi

Major Ed Nevgloski giving JPAC briefing to his boss, , LTC Todd

Craig checking in with the Bea and the kids in yet another aiport bar

Craig recharging his batteries on flight to Danang

$Mr Do\'s house and a field$

Foreign Visitor Police Station sign in Tam Ky

View from top of one of the Marble Mountains

Old stone stairs down from Marble Mountain

Brett enjoying artwork on Marble Mountain

Craig, Doug, Brett and the Nevgloski family at Furama Restaurant--Danang

People on the street in Danang helping us find site of old Stone Elephant Club

Doug, Brett, Ed and Craig at War Crimes Museum-Danang

Craig & Doug looking over rail of large Danang Market, w/ Hua in background shoping

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2014 National POW/MIA Family League Meeting

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Visit to JPAC Hawaii — Jan 2011

$Col John Sullivan, Deputy Commander, JPAC, & Elaine \"prep\" for a photo.$

$Memorabilia from the different wars are displayed throughout the facility. Some of the material comes from Johnie\'s private collections$

$L-R: Anthropologist Sean Tallman, Scientfic Director Dr. Thomas Holland, Deputy Scientific Director Dr. Robert Mann discuss the lab\'s role in the recovery effort$

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Elaine’s Visit to Joint Op Center (JOC) 8/23/10

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2012 National POW/MIA Family League Meeting

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2011 National POW/MIA Family League Meeting

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Nat’l League of Families Meeting July 21-25, 2010

League Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths (center) at the 2010 annual League Meeting in Washingto, D.C.

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JPAC Ops Center Briefing 3-23-10

Ron Ward, Det2 Casualty Resolution Specialist

$Army MSG Kevin Connor (JPAC Team 6, for this JPAC field operation. Air Force MSgt Tung \"Joe\" Nguyen (Det 2 Operations NCO).$

MSG Connor explains the daily field operations process, as outlined on the white board.

LTC Emoto kicked off the briefing, introducing the team members.

Navy P2 Curtis Matthews (JPAC Life Support Investigator augmentee), SFC Randy Posey (Det 4 Team Sergeant).

Mr. Daniel Young (Det 2 Supply Management Specialist).

$A proud American citizen, MSgt Nguyen is Amerasian. He left Vietnam in \'75, and his story is extraordinary.$

The JPAC Op Center Crew for 3-25-2010 Field Operations: L-R: SFC Randy Posey; MSG Kevin Connor; PR2 Curtis Matthews; MSgt Joe Nguyen

$SFC Posey\'s job is to assist leadership on his assigned team, which generally consists of a civilian anthropologist and military team leader.$

PR2 Matthews, a military augmentee for the 3-25-2010 field operations, sustained a serious blow to the head when hit by a piece of flying debris when a helicopter landed. He received several stitches and was back on the job the next day!

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Visit to a JPAC Excavation Site (not Jerry’s) 3-25-10

Capt Ernest Nordman USMC team leader discusses his current excavation assignment with VFWs Adjutant General Gunner Kent and Senior Vice Commander Richard Eubank

Elaine learned that finding remains was not an easy task.

This excavation site had easy accessibility, compared to most locations.

Temporary quarters for JPAC team during the exacavation

Visitors were careful not to cross the perimeter of the excavation site

This excavation site is outside of Saigon.

Det2's Ron Ward stops to talk (in Vietnamese) to village leaders near the excavation site.

Wild boar and lots of Vietnamese toasting for lunch.

Elaine tried her hand at sifting for remains with a little assistance from Deputy Secretary General Bui Van Nghi.

Anthropologist Kristen Baker gave Elaine a quick lesson on digging for an excavation.

Elaine uses a makeshift hiking stick, following Dan Tucker's lead.

JPAC leadership and visitors pose for a photo before departing the excavation site.

VVA and JPAC leadership: L-R: Dan Tucker; Gary Jones; Maj Rafael Candelario, USMC; LtCol Todd Emoto, USA; Capt Ernest Nordman, USMC; Jack Devine, Bill Duker; Grant Coates; and Bui Van Nghi

Capt Ernest Nordman and Kristen Baker are the primary leaders of the excavation at this site.

The village locals erect a temporary camp for excavation workers.

Maj Rafael Candelario, USMC, discusses the excavation with the Vietnamese leadership.

VFWs Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Richard Eubank

A rubber plantation surrounds the excavation site; however, four decades ago, this was totally enveloped by jungle.

Elaine has a better understanding of JPACs field operations.

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Son Vien Village – 3-2010

Grabbing a bite in Hoi An, before traveling to the village: L-R: Gerard Sasges, Gene Mares, Bill and Anh Ervin

Gerard and Gene are standing next to tapioca chips drying on the side of the road.

A quick shot of Du, Cuong and Bay before the hike began.

L-R: Du, Anh & Bill, Gerard, Bay, Cuong, Gene

Anh, Gerard, Cuong, Du, Elaine, Gene, Bay

$Du handed Elaine more parts that he\'d collected last year, but she declined accepting and asked that he not collect anymore, but rather to help protect the site.$