Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs
Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award

Past Award Recipient
October 2009

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Herbert “Herb” T. Zimmer was born in Bear Lake, WI on June 29, 1922 and spent his childhood in Rice Lake, WI. He enlisted in the United States Army in March of 1942 at Wausau, WI, took basic training and advanced training with the 5th Armored Division at Camp Cooke, CA, and was assigned to its Troop D, 85th Calvary Reconnaissance Squad Mechanized; and

WHEREAS, he participated with the 5th Division in pre-deployment desert training at Camp Cooke, CA and maneuvers with the Second Army in TN, followed by supporting the pre-invasion training of other units at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA and debarkation preparations at Pine Camp, NY. He deployed with the 5th Division to the United Kingdom in February, 1944 and landed in France in July, 1944. As a Quad 50 Halftrack driver, he served with the 5th Division in campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. On December 17, 1944 he was wounded in Belgium while engaged with the enemy during the “Battle of the Bulge”, and after four days in the hospital, he returned to duty with his unit; and he returned to the United States with the 5th Division, where it was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, NJ on October 11, 1945. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Technician 5 at Fort Sheridan, IL on October 24, 1945 and his military decorations include the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Europe-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Silver Battle Star, three Overseas Service Bars, and one Service Stripe. He has two brothers who are Korean War Purple Heart recipients and his nephew is currently serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, following the war, he became a United States Rural Route Carrier, serving the citizens of Rice Lake for 37 years, and is a member of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, and was an active member of the Rice Lake Elks Lodge 1441 for 47 years. He served as Volunteer Coordinator and oversaw the solicitation of donations for veterans at the Tomah VA Medical Center and, as a member of the Rice Lake Golden “K” Kiwanis Club, he routinely volunteers his time to beautify the community by planting hundreds of flowers and by weeding and watering the community gardens; and

WHEREAS, he is serving his 31st year as Chair of the Barron County Veterans Service Committee and is always “at the ready” to provide Veteran Aid Funds to needy veterans and to support the work of the Barron County Veterans Service Office. He is a staunch supporter of veterans issues and programs in Northwestern Wisconsin and regularly solicits donations and delivers donated goods to the homeless veterans at the Veterans Assistance Program (VAP) in Chippewa Falls; and

WHEREAS, he is a life member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans and has been an active member of each of these organizations for nearly a half century. He served as Commander of VFW Post 2204 for two years and as its Quartermaster for 27 years, and was the Chief of Staff for the Department of Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars for one year.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Marvin J. Freedman, Chair of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs, proclaim HERBERT T. ZIMMER as the recipient of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs Veteran Lifetime Achievement Award on this 16th day of October 2009.

MARVIN J. FREEDMAN, Board Chair