COMANCHE COUNTY KSGENWEB 2008: HISTORY & GENEALOGY

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The Western Star, December 15, 1944.

Clayton Zimmerman Dies a Jap Prisoner

Former Comanche County Soldier Captured on Corregidor

Mrs. Fenton Zimmerman of Rocky Ford, Colo., a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. R. Jackson, now both deceased, visited in this county recently. While in the Star office she revealed that Robert Clayton Zimmerman, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman, had been officially declared dead by the War Department, after having been a prisoner of the Japanese since the fall of Corregidor in the Philippines.

Clayton was born in Freedom, Okla., and lived in this county most of the time until he was 10 years of age, at which time his parents and the children moved to Rocky Ford, Colo. He enlisted in the army March 4, 1941, at Denver, Colo., at the age of 24 and landed at Manila in the Philippine Islands 48 days later. His parents never saw him again. He continued to serve with the U. S. Infantry in the Philippines until the fall of Corregidor in May, 1942, at which time he became a prisoner of the Japs and was listed as missing.

The last letter received from him by Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman was dated November 15, 1941. Information received indirectly by the parents led them to believe that Clayton was sick in a Japanese hospital in August, 1942, and that his limbs were swollen due to the dreaded disease, Beri Beri, caused by malnutrition.

Clayton was still carried by the War Department in 1943 as missing, but in July, 1944, Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman received word from the War Department that they had information which led them to believe that he was no longer alive, and he was, according, officially declared dead. Pvt. Zimmerman would have been 29 years of age, had he lived until next June.

He is survived by his parents and five sisters, Mrs. Lorene Stephenson of Chico, Calif., Mrs. Mary Spurlock of Alvarado, Calif., Mrs. Ruth Edgecomb of Altural, Calif., and Wynette, of the home; also two brothers, Marion of Rocky Ford, Colo., and Dave, of the home. Robert S. Jackson of Coldwater is an uncle of the deceased soldier.

The heartfelt sympathy of the entire community goes out to the sorrowing relatives.

Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!

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