Alan H. Zimmerman was born on March 5, 1943. His home of record is Midland Park, NJ.
Zimmerman served in the US Army where he attained the rank of First Lieutenant (1LT).
Alan was born on March 5, 1943, to Roland Howard and Violet May (Lozier) Zimmerman at The General Hospital in Paterson, NJ. He grew up in Midland Park where he attended the local elementary and high schools. His interests included music (clarinet and alto sax) and sports (football, baseball and track).
When it came time to select a college, Alan decided on the University of Maine at Orono, where he majored in the natural sciences. He was also part of the ROTC program at U of M. Upon graduation in June 1965, Alan received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and began advanced training (flight school) to prepare himself for a role as a rescue pilot.
During a routine training flight out of Fort Sam in Houston in the fall of 1966, Alan’s helicopter developed engine trouble and he was forced to land at the army base in Atlanta, Georgia. This stroke of fate resulted in Alan being reunited with his high school girlfriend, Margaret (Peggy) Williams, who returned to Atlanta after several years in New Jersey. The flame was rekindled and Alan and Peggy were married on January 6, 1967. The wedding was rushed because Alan had recently received orders to ship out to Vietnam. He actually left the United States at the end of January 1967. By February 2nd he was dead.
In the 10 days between the time that the family was notified that Alan had been killed and the body was returned to us, we were told several stories about what had happened. The common thread suggests that Alan was part of a mission on the way back to base after having completed a successful rescue when the copter came under enemy fire. All aboard were lost in the subsequent crash and fire.
His parents never really recovered from this loss in spite of the subsequent birth of three grandchildren. Alan lives on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him, as well as in the life of his nephew, Stephen Alan Zimmerman and his grand nephew, Alan Richard Zimmerman.
Today Alan is survived by his older brother, Richard, his sister-in-law Andrea V. (Basta) Zimmerman, their children, Stephen Alan Zimmerman, Victoria Clare Zimmerman and Margaret Anne (Zimmerman) Walsh as well as one niece, Stefania Marie Zimmerman and three nephews, Kenneth George Huegel, Alan Richard Zimmerman and John (Jay) Zimmerman Walsh.
Written by Richard F. Zimmerman, brother
September 2005
Sources: Richard Zimmerman (brother) and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024
