David Zimms was born on July 6, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York City. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on March 27, 1942, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and award his pilot wings at Marianna Army Air Field, Florida, on March 25, 1943. After completing P-47 Thunderbolt upgrade training, Lt Zimms deployed to England with the 328th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group in August 1943. He flew 82 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 1.33 enemy aircraft in aerial combat before returning to the U.S. in November 1944. Lt Zimms then served as assistant aircraft investigation officer with the 3018th Army Air Force Base Unit at Kingman Army Air Field, Arizona, from January to June 1945, receiving an honorable discharge from the Army Air Forces on June 23, 1945. David Zimms died on October 30, 1966, and was buried at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.