World War II Honoree

George Arthur Zimmerman

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Mt. Vernon, New York

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

Relationship

Shipmates

FIREMAN THIRD CLASS. KILLED ONBOARD USS R-12 (SS-89) WITH THE LOSS OF 42 OFFICERS AND MEN, INCLUDING 3 BRAZILIAN OFFICERS. USS R-12 WAS SUNK ON JUNE 12, 1943 OFF OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA AT LATITUDE 24 DEGREES, 24 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS, NORTH AND LONGITUDE 81 DEGREES, 38 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS, WEST IN 600 FEET OF WATER. R-12, WHILE UNDERWAY TO CONDUCT A TORPEDO PRACTICE APPROACH, SOUNDED HER LAST DIVING ALARM. AS SHE COMPLETED PREPARATIONS TO DIVE, THE FORWARD BATTERY COMPARTMENT BEGAN TO FLOOD. THE COLLISION ALARM WAS SOUNDED. ORDERS WERE GIVEN TO BLOW MAIN BALLAST AND CLOSE THE HATCHES, BUT THE SEA WAS FASTER AND R-12 SANK WITHIN 15 SECONDS. THE PERSONNEL ON THE BRIDGE, 2 OFFICERS INCLUDING THE COMMANDING OFFICER, AND THREE ENLISTED MEN WERE THE ONLY SURVIVORS.