Lee Zeigler 1919-1942

ZEIGLER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 9/3/2020 at 07:21:02

10 September 1942 - The Anamosa Journal

Anamosa's first service man casualty of World war II is Ensign Lee Channing Zeigler, 23, who died when a plane crashed in line of duty as a Navy flying instructor near Pensacola, Fla.

Word of his death was received Monday about 3 p.m. by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard W. Zeigler, Anamosa. His father is foreman of the canning factory at the Men's state reformatory.

No date for the funeral has been set pending word from Navy officials following cremation of the body at Jacksonville, Fla. Smykil Funeral home will have charge of arrangements and friends may call there for information.

Cadet David L. Hurst, 21, Jackson, Miss. is reported also to have been killed as the two were flying a plane in maneuvers about 18 miles east of Pensacola. Plane is reputed to have crashed in a salt marsh, although the Zeiglers received few details of the accident and none are expected until the official Navy investigation is completed during the next several weeks.

Ensign Zeigler was home for the last time during the Anamosa Victory day celebration last March when he was a guest of honor of the Anamosa club at a luncheon for the visiting Army contingent.

An only son, he was born Feb. 19, 1919, at Muscatine. He graduated from Anamosa high school in 1936 and attended Iowa State college where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi social fraternity.

Zeigler entered naval aviation April 14, 1941, trained at Glenview, Ill., and was commissioned Dec. 31, 1941, at Pensacola. Navy liked his work so well that he was stationed as a flying instructor since he received his wings and commission as an ensign, rank comparable to a second lieutenant in the Army.

Ensign Zeigler is Anamosa's first service casualty. Donald D. Mershon, who lost his life Aug. 24, 1942, at Patterson field, Ohio, when the airplane motor he was tested exploded, was a civil service employee at the Army air depot.