Jerry Sellers was born on April 27, 1935, in Altha, Florida. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force on April 1, 1955, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings on July 14, 1956. Lt Sellers next completed B-29 Superfortress transition training and then KC-97 Stratotanker transition training before serving as a KC-97 pilot with the 26th Air Refueling Squadron at Plattsburgh AFB, New York, from August 1957 to September 1964. After completing KC-135 Stratotanker transition training, Capt Sellers served as a KC-135 pilot with the 904th Air Refueling Squadron at Mather AFB, California, from December 1964 to June 1967, followed by O-1 Bird Dog Forward Air Controller (FAC) training. He deployed to Southeast Asia in September 1967, and served as an O-1 and O-2 Milirole FAC with the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron at DaNang AB, South Vietnam, from September 1967 until he was killed in action on December 25, 1967. Maj Sellers was buried at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

His Air Force Cross Citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Major Jerry Alan Sellers for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a Forward Air Controller and O-2 Pilot in action near Con Thien, Republic of Vietnam, on 25 December 1967. On that date, Major Sellers, while flying a night reconnaissance mission, received a call for assistance from a United States ground patrol. This patrol had been attacked by a superior hostile force and was in imminent danger of being overrun. Weather and terrain conditions made target acquisition virtually impossible. Major Sellers elected to turn on his lights to locate the target and his aircraft was immediately bracketed by anti-aircraft fire. He then attempted to direct an AC-47 gunship to the area from which fire had been received but the pilot could not see the target. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety, Major Sellers illuminated the target with his landing lights and directed accurate fire into the hostile positions. His aircraft was struck by hostile fire and crashed. By deliberately exposing himself to the hostile fire, Major Sellers enabled the patrol to be withdrawn, ultimately saving their lives by the sacrifice of his own. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Major Sellers reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.