(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A veterans group in Kane County is looking for relatives of a local World War II veteran to take possession of his military items.
Michael B. Zielinski died in 1997 at the age of 78. He’s buried with his wife at a cemetery in Arlington Heights.
After the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission received a box of military items, including Zielinski’s Navy picture ID, a dog tag, and two Purple Heart medals, it reached out to the county to track down his next of kin.
A county spokeswoman said a search of military records, Purple Heart recipients and other data has not turned up a living relative.
They did learn he was born in Chicago, lived in Elgin, enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and trained at Naval Station Great Lakes before serving on the USS Birmingham.
Anyone who knows Zielinski has been encouraged to reach out to Kane County.
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