80 Years After Death, Bristol Soldier Finally Laid To Rest

NEWTOWN, PA — After being identified almost 80 years after his death in combat, a young Bristol soldier has finally been laid to rest in his home area.

Army Private and Bucks County native Walter G. Wildman, who was 20 years old when he died on Nov. 13, 1944, was given a military burial at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown on Monday. Members of several Bucks County law enforcement agencies were present at the funeral, including Bristol Borough Police Chief Joe Moors and Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie.

One of Wildman's only remaining relatives, Chris Wildman, of Atlantic City, New Jersey, was also present at the burial, being presented an American flag in honor of his long-deceased second cousin by members of the United States Army National Guard.

Members of a local Warrior Watch group arrived at the cemetery with American flags, something Police Chief Joe Moor acknowledged while talking to those at the burial.

"It is definitely an honor and a privilege to be here today to celebrate the coming together (for Wildman's) final services and burial," Moors said, a quote originally published by the Bucks County Courier Times. "We are so blessed for veterans like him, and they're why we live the way we live and have all of these wonderful things today."

"This is something very important to do to honor all of our veterans, but also someone whom, in all the stories I've read about Walter, the sacrifice he made when he was 20 years old and to (identify) his remains now and to have him here for a burial at home, is just so important," Chris Wildman said in a quote originally published by the Bucks County Courier Times. "I think this is incredible, and so happy to see everyone honoring our veterans. And that's why I am here today, for Walter and all of our veterans."

At the beginning of May, the Defense POW/MIZ Accounting Agency confirmed that the unidentified remains of a World War II casualty were that of Walter Wildman, who was declared non-recoverable in December of 1951.

According to the Defense POW/MIZ Accounting Agency(DPAA), Wildman was a member of Company M, 12 Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, and was killed in the Hürtgen Forest offensive near the Belgian-German border. He had previously been injured in France in June of 1944.

One unidentified body, named X-5441 Neuville by researchers, was originally discovered by German demining teams in 1947. A DPAA historian took the remains to be observed by scientists from his organization, who used dental and anthropological analysis in 2019. Scientists were able to positively identify Wildman back in January.

Wildman was one of many soldiers whose name was written on the Walls of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery, located in Margraten, Netherlands. A rosette is set to be placed next to his name, indicating that he had been identified.