World War II Honoree

Clarence N. Zimmerman

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Holdrege, Nebraska

Honored By

Saroberta J. Zimmerman

Relationship

Spouse

ENTERED INTO ACTIVE DUTY ON OCTOBER 29, 1942. AFTER COMPLETING BOOT CAMP IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, HE WAS SELECTED TO ATTEND AVIATION MACHINIST SCHOOL IN NORMA, OKLAHOMA. UPON COMPLETION OF AVIATION MACHINIST SCHOOL HE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RATING OF AVIATION MACHINIST'S MATE 3RD CLASS. HE THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE NAVY DETACHMENT AT LA GUARDIA AIRPORT, NEW YORK CITY FOR TRAINING BY PAN AMERICAN AS A FIGHT ENGINEER ON PBM-3 AND PB2Y FLYING BOATS. UPON GRADUATION FROM FLIGHT ENGINEERING SCHOOL HE WAS ASSIGNED TO SQUADRON VR-8 IN PATUXENT RIVER, MARYLAND IN THE FALL OF 1943. WHILE STATIONED AT PATUXENT RIVER HE SPENT OVER 1,000 HOURS AS FLIGHT ENGINEER (AMMF-2) ON THE PBM AND PB2Y FLYING BOATS DELIVERING SUPPLIES TO BERMUDA, PUERTO RICO, BRITISH GUIANA, TRINIDAD, BELEM AND NATAL IN BRAZIL. WHEN JAPAN SURRENDERED, HE WAS IN TRANSIT TO SQUADRON VR-2 AT ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA. HE REMAINED THERE UNTIL DISCHARGE ON OCTOBER 30, 1945.