Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Branch: U.S. Air Force
Unit: 730th Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomber Wing
Military Honors: Air Medal, Purple Heart
Date of Sacrifice: March 22, 1952 - MIA near Kangdong, North Korea, officially presumed dead on February 28, 1954
Age: 29
Conflict: Korean War, 1950-1953

Air Force Captain John H. Zimmerlee Jr. served his country as a bombardier/navigator in both World War II (1939-1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953).

During his tour of duty in World War II, Zimmerlee’s bomber was brought down over the Adriatic Sea. He was plucked from the water by a rescue ship and presumed dead. As he was being prepared for burial, someone noticed signs of life and Zimmerlee regained consciousness.

Following his World War II service, Zimmerlee returned home to start a family. Despite his harrowing combat experience and being a father of two young children, Zimmerlee again answered the call to serve his country at the outbreak of war in Korea.

Serving as the navigator on a Douglas B-26B Invader (#44-34417) with the 730th Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomber Wing, his plane was lost on an armed reconnaissance mission near Kangdong, North Korea. One final radio communication with another aircraft indicated that Zimmerlee’s B-26B had run into bad weather.

The plane was never found. Its crew was declared Missing in Action on March 22, 1952, and officially presumed dead on February 28, 1954.

Captain John Henry Zimmerlee, Jr.’s service and sacrifice are honored on the Wall of Remembrance at the National Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Sources
The Washington Post: The first of 43,000 names of Korean War dead are added to the conflict’s memorial in Washington
Korean War Project: CPT John Henry Zimmerlee Jr
The Augusta Chronicle: Site focuses on Korean War MIAs
Honor States: John Henry Zimmerlee
National Archives: U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Home-State-of-Record: Georgia
Burial Site: Find a Grave