A closer look at Arvids’ IRO Application Form (which was written in pencil and is quite hard to read. tells me he may have been in the 7318 Latvian Labor Service Corps. Unfortunately, I can’t find anything about this particular unit… I think it is a misspelling of 7132.
A snippet from Arvids Akerfelds' IRO Application Form
The writing at the bottom may provide some clue as to why he returned to Germany illegally from Belgium as well… but it is barely legible.
According to one of my listed resources on the Labor Service, the following were Latvian units:
8252 LS Co (Engr Const) LATVIAN Bad Nauheim (Janis Akerfelds)
8717 LS Co (Engr Const) LATVIAN Großauheim
8850 LS Co (Engr Const) LATVIAN Großauheim (Arturs Ziverts)
7132 LS Co (Engr Const) LATVIAN Mannheim (Arvids Akerfelds)
7566 LS Co (Engr Dump Trk) LATVIAN Mannheim (Karlis Vinakmens)
8361 LS Co (Engr Const) LATVIAN Mannheim
http://chelli11.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/us-army-labor-service/
My father served with the 7566 Labor Service Co. / 43rd Engineer Dump Truck Company . I also have his Motor Vehicle Operating Permit showing the 6913 Labor Service Company. He served the years from 1947 to 1950.