Born in 1920 in Pennsylvania, Wilbert J. Zimmerman was a high school graduate and railroad brakeman before enlisting in the Army in December of 1942. Newspaper articles from 1945 note him as a Sergeant of General Chennault's "Flying Tigers" with the "Hawkeye Photo Squadron"; this likely means the 35th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron, which operated P-38 and F-5 Lightning photo recon aircraft in the China-Burma-India Theater under General Chennault's command following his return to the Army Air Force. Further records note a return to civilian life and the railroad business by 1946, later branching out into education, spending most of his post-war life as a teacher before passing on in 1999. In the grouping are a pair of dogtags and a bracelet bearing Zimmerman's name and service number, four pictures (unlabeled, but showing the same man in Army uniform with visible AAF/CBI insignia), a large patch for the 35th Photo Recon Squadron (leather on leather, red hawk with camera on blue and gold background, hand marked "Zimmerman" on the back) and 23rd Fighter Group (embroidered silk, winged tiger diving with lightning in background, unmarked), smaller "flying tiger", CBI and AAF patches, three 23rd FG pins, two CBI pins, Air Corps Technical Training Command pin, Nationalist Chinese pin, Good Conduct Medal with bar (medal engraved to Zimmerman), Victory over Japan commemorative medal, Presidential Unit Citation bar with oak leaf, two ribbon bars (one with American Campaign, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (3 stars), and World War II Victory ribbons, the other with Asiatic-Pacific Campaign (3 stars), World War II Victory and an unidentified third ribbon) and a small ring with Army Air Force themed decoration. Provenance: The Putnam Green/Sycamore Collection

Good overall, with minor wear and handling marks. The ring has a break in the band, some of the ribbons show minor bleeding, and the 23rd FG patch some stains.