What’s in a Name – Walter Mierzwa

Can you help us find out more about a serviceman with the 8th USAAF in East Anglia?

A US dog tag was recently found during a metal detector survey  in advance of the construction of Weston Longville Windfarm (TG 10315 14934) The Weston Longville Windfarm construction is on or close to land which once made up the airfield at RAF Attlebridge, home to the 319th & 466th Bombardment Groups during WW2.

The transcription reads:
WALTER MIERZWA

31103589 T-43

And that is all we have to go on! We’d really love to find out more about Walter and need your help to do so.

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We now also know that Walter was born in New York in 1912 and that he was resident in Hartford, Connecticut, at the time of his enlistment in 1942. Interestingly, the T on his dog tag indicates that he has been immunised against Typhus and the C denotes his religion as Catholic. Thank you for all those who have undertaken some fantastic research all ready.

So if you are an expert in researching family history , or  if you know the service history of the station during the war, then drop us a line with what you know. It would be great to bring this memento of Walter’s time in Norfolk and his surviving loved ones back together.

The Eighth in the East would like to formally acknowledge the wonderful support and assistance of Natural Power (Client),  Robert Pollock (Construction Project Manager for Natural Power), CFA Archaeology (Contractor) Jamie Walker (Photo for CFA Archaeology), Philip Moore and Leigh Garth (Discoverers for CFA Archaeology), James Albone (Norfolk County Council Archaeologist).

If you would like further information about this find then please get in touch.

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