2024 Update – Additional photographs were located in the three years since this piece was posted.  Other photographs are now in the database.

African Americans in the Spanish Civil War: “This Ain’t Ethiopia, but It’’ll Do” by Danny Duncan Collum was published in 1991.  In the thirty years since the book was originally published researchers have identified additional African American volunteers and removed others added to the list in error. The updated names are listed below along with some brief service information. For additional information on the African American volunteers see the individual data entries on ALBA’s website.

Acronyms

BDE – Brigade   BN – Battalion

Norberto Aldama Borges b. January 18, 1907, Havana, Cuba. Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln BN, Co. 1, Centuria Antonio Guiteras; Injured in an accident and hospitalized. Later worked as an instructor in Tarazona. Returned to the US. Back to Cuba in 1961. d. June 1984

Frank Edward Alexander b. February 8, Sandhills, Grandiland, Nebraska. Served in the XV BDE, Washington BN later with the Lincoln-Washington BN and Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Returned. WW II US Army. d. April 13, 1996 Seattle, Washington

Amos Archer (b. February 16, 1897, Scranton, Mississippi. Archer also claimed he was born in Santiago, Cuba. Served as a cook first for the U.S. training base in Tarazona, and later for the Lincoln-Washington BN. Returned. Killed on March 5, 1939 in Youngstown, Ohio, in an incident related to his relationship with a woman.

Thaddeus Arrington Battle b. February 7, 1915, Nashville, North Carolina. Howard University student. Served in the Premier Regiment de Tren, Second Squadron, driver. Returned. d. December 26, 2000, Bronx, New York

Vernold Masten Beebe b. December 9, 1911 Brooklyn, New York. In August 1938, along with ten other Americans, Beebe arrived at Le Havre, France, as a stowaway aboard the Normandie. Immediately arrested, Beebe and seven of the other stowaways stated that they were going to Spain to join the International Brigades. Jailed in France for two months. Returned. d. May 4, 1976, New York.

José Bridon y Curbie de la Mercedes Gerardo 44-years-old Cuban living in the US. Served in the 24^th Mixed BDE, 9^th BN. Held in a French Concentration Camp after leaving Spain. Survived.

Thomas Brown b. February 5, 1910 Wichita Falls, Texas. Served in the XV BDE, George Washington BN, Later, served as a truck driver in the XV BDE Auto Park. POW, captured in mid-June 1938. He was imprisoned at San Pedro de Cardenas. Brown was freed on April 22, 1939. d. August 1983.

Walter Callion b. November 1, 1919. Callion served as a mechanic attached to the XV BDE Auto Park, Mechanic. Returned. During World War II, Callion served in the U.S. Army, first at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and later at Fort Clark, Texas. d. November 30, 1974, St Louis.

Council Gibson Carter b. February 25, 1885, Hattiesville, South Carolina. Served with the American Medical Bureau, ambulance driver. Returned. d. June 15, 1962 New York City.

Louis Carter b. 1902. Attended Officer Training School in Spain before joining the XV BDE Special Machine Gun Company at the front. Missing in Action March 1938 during the Retreats.

Albert Edward Chisholm b. March 30,1913, Spokane, Washington. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Later to BDE Estado Mayor. Back with the Lincoln-Washington BN during the Ebro Offensive. Returned. WW II Merchant Marine. d. March 25, 1995, Seattle, Washington.

Mack Coad b. October 26, 1894, Blackstock, South Carolina. Attended Officer Training School. Served in the XV BDE Special Machine Gun Company, later with the Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Severely wounded in the right eye during an attack on Hill 481 outside of Gandesa on August 1, 1938, during the Ebro Offensive. Returned. May 9, 1967, Birmingham, Alabama.

Walter Cobbs b. March 2, 1914, Tupelo, Mississippi. Served in the XIV BDE Auto Park before transferring to the Regiment de Tren. Later served with the XV BDE Auto Park as a cook and driver. Returned. May have been killed in a car accident in the early 1950s.

Cleveland H. Moland Colbert b. October 6, 1906, Old Spring Hill, Alabama. Assigned to the XV BDE, Lincoln BN Colbert deserted shortly after arriving on February 10 1937. He told the American Consulate he went to Spain to served as a commercial pilot and deserted because they put him in the infantry. Did not get back to the US until July 2, 1937. d. January 23, 1962, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Leroy Collins b. September 2, 1899, Danbury, Connecticut. Served in the XV BDE and was severely wounded at Fuentes de Ebro. After his recovery he was assigned to Benicasim hospital as the postmaster. Returned. d. July 14, 1968.

James Cox b. October 4, 1893, Decatur, Alabama.  In Spain, Cox worked as a cook at Madrigueras. Later to the XV BDE, Estado Mayor, Quartermaster Section. Last unit was the Lincoln-Washington BN. Returned.

Basilio Cueria y Obrit b. June 14, 1898, Marianao, Cuba. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN at Jarama. Transferred to the Spanish 46^th “Campesinos” Division, where he commanded the Division Special Machine Gun Company. Cueria y Obrit returned to Cuba after the war. d. May 8, 1959, Cuba.

Tomás “Thomas” Díaz Collado b. Caney, Oriente, Cuba. Served in XV BDE, Lincoln BN. Wounded in action at Villanueva de la Canada, during the Brunete Campaign. Due to complications in his leg, he was hospitalized in Spain for over a year. Repatriated to the United States. Díaz Collado later returned to Cuba.

Walter Dicks b. October 20, 1898, Blackville, South Carolina. Served in the Albacete Auto Park and later with the 1^st Evacuation Group as a truck driver and ambulance driver. Last unit 15^th Corps, 35^th Division Sanidad, Evacuation Group. Returned. d. March 16,1967, Cleveland, Ohio.

Nathaniel Dickson b. August 14, 1905, Okemah, Oklahoma. Served in the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Severely wounded at Fuentes de Ebro and worked in the rear after a prolonged recovery. Repatriated in October 1938. d. January 16, 1975, Chicago, Illinois.

Arnold Bennet Donowa b. December 10, 1895, Port of Spain, Trinidad. Oral Surgeon. Traveled to Spain with the American Medical Bureau. Initially served on the Teruel Front in a surgical unit. Later appointed Head of the Dental Department at the Villa Paz Hospital. Final post was with the Military Hospital #12 La Garriga. Returned. d. 1963 (or 1964) Trinidad.

Larry Stratford Dukes b. April 6, 1917, East St. Louis, Illinois. Believed to have been aboard the City of Barcelona when it was sunk on the way to Spain. Initially served as a truck driver with the Albacete Auto Park and the 45^th Division, 14 BDE. Transferred into the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. His last unit was the Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Returned. During World War II he attempted to enlist in the U. S. military but was rejected. d. November 6, 1981, St. Louis.

Ramon Durem b. January 30, 1915, Seattle, Washington. Served in the XV BDE, George Washington BN and was wounded in action during the Brunete Offensive. While recovering at the American base hospital at Villa Paz, Durem met, courted and married nurse Rebecca Schulman. During the Retreats Durem returned to the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN and served through the withdrawal of foreign volunteers. Returned. d. December 17, 1963, Los Angeles, California.

Pierre DuValle (also known as Gerald Goldwyn) b. April 14, 1912, France. Served in the John Brown Artillery Battery. After leaving Spain he was placed in a French concentration camp.  Returned. In 1941 Duvalle volunteered for the U.S. Army but was turned down for medical reasons. d. March 28, 1985, San Francisco, California.

Charles Frank Foster b. September 18, 1900, New York. Served with the XV BDE, Transport. Returned. d. December 28, 1987, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.

Lawrence Foy b. March 5, 1909, Montreal, Canada. Foy was living in Harlem, New York when he volunteered to serve in Spain. He served in the 35^th Division, XV BDE. Returned.

Kanute (Oliver) Frankson b. April 13, 1890, Parish of St. Catherine, Old Harbor, Jamaica. Came to the US in 1917. Served in Spain with the Albacete Auto Park where he was appointed Chief Mechanic at the International Garage. Later transferred to the No. 1 Hospital Albacete. Returned. d. March 17, 1941, Brighton, Michigan, in an auto accident.

James Henry Garrett b. January 28, 1916, Anderson, South Carolina. In August 1938, along with ten other Americans, Garrett arrived at Le Havre, France, as a stowaway aboard the Normandie. Immediately arrested, Garrett and seven of the other stowaways stated that they were going to Spain to join the International Brigades. After serving a sentence of two months in a French jail they were deported. Garret returned to the US on October 31, 1938. d. December 14, 1988 in Englishtown, New Jersey.

Domingo Gamiz y Cabrera b. August 4, 1892, Havana, Cuba. Later, Gamiz y Served in the John Brown Battery. May have served initially in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN, in the Cuban “Guiteras” section. Returned to Cuba after the war.

Walter Benjamin Garland b. November 27, 1913, Brooklyn, New York. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN. Garland was appointed section leader and was wounded on February 27, 1937. After recovery attended the Officer Training School. Garland took command of the George Washington BN, Machine Gun Company shortly before the Brunete Campaign.  Garland was wounded a second time during the battle. After recovery he was appointed commander of the Mackenzie-Papineau BN in training. Returned. During WW II he served in the U.S. Army. d. 1974, Columbus, Ohio.

Eugene Victor Gavin b. June 1, 1909, McCloud, Oklahoma. Eugene was the younger brother of fellow volunteer Robert Owen Gavin. Served briefly in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN. Then to the 46^th “Campesino” Division Special Machine Gun Company. In July 1937 he served in the 8^th Division. Later he was with the 6^th Division 43 Mixed BDE, 172 BN. Gavin was severely wounded in action at Teruel and was repatriated. He returned to Ohio at the end of July 1938. WW II Merchant Marine. d. May 15, 1988, Los Angeles, California.

Robert Owen Gavin b. May 5, 1908, Oklahoma. Served in the XV BDE as a medic attached to Lincoln-Washington BN and later the Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Wounded in action March 10, 1938 in Belchite during the Retreats. Returned. WW II Merchant Marine.  d. December 1970, Camden, New Jersey.

Henry George b. July 15, 1906, Alabama. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN, Co. 1. Sent to the NCO Communication and Observation School as a clerk. During the Retreats he rejoined the XV BDE. Returned. d. August 1978, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Theodore Gibbs b. February 12, 1906, Fort Worth, Texas. Served with the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Wounded in action he became a driver after his recovery. Returned. d. March 12, 1962, Chicago, Illinois.

Harry Haywood b. Haywood Hall on February 4, 1898, South Omaha, Nebraska. A high-ranking member of the American Communist Party, Haywood was appointed Regimental Commissar for the Anglo-American Regiment of the XV BDE.  Following a dispute with other members of the leadership, Haywood was ordered back to the United States in the fall of 1937. WW II Merchant Marine. In 1978, he published his autobiography, Black Bolshevik. d. January 4, 1985, NYC.

Milton Herndon (family name Braxton) b. March 9, 1908, in Wyoming, Ohio. Brother of Angelo Herndon a Communist organizer who came to national notice after he was charged with “incitement to insurrection” and sentenced to death in Georgia in 1932. Served in the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN, Section Leader.  Killed in action, October 13, 1937 at Fuentes de Ebro.

John Porter Hunter b. 1906, Bessemer, Alabama. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. A machine gunner he served from Brunete through the Ebro Offensive. Fate unclear likely missing in action July 1938.

Oscar Hunter b. May 22, 1908, Orange, New Jersey. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN, “Tom Mooney” Machine Gun Company. Wounded in action at Jarama, Hunter was sent to the American hospital in Murcia. After recovering he became political commissar for the hospital, responsible for the morale of English-speaking patients. Later Hunter transferred to Barcelona as Commissar of an International Auto Park. Returned. d. January 1, 1983, New York.

Jack Hutchins b.1909. Hutchins attended Officers Training School before joining the XV BDE. Killed in action in April 3, 1938 during the Retreats.

Bert Edward Jackson b. November 22, 1914, New Jersey.  Attended Officer Training School. Served in the XV BDE, Headquarters as a topographer. Later transferred to the 15^th Corps, Estado Mayor, Topographical. Later returned to XV BDE, Estado Mayor as Chief of the Topographer Section. During World War II U.S. Army Air Corps as the chief of ordnance for the 99th Division’s Air Cobras. D. September 30, 1996, buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Aaron Bernard Johnson b. December 18, 1912, Greenville, Mississippi. Served in the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Wounded in action at Fuentes de Ebro. After recovering Johnson attended Officer Training School. He contracted tuberculosis he was again hospitalized. During the Retreats Johnson volunteered to return to the front and served during the Retreats. Repatriated for medical issues. In the US he was elected national Adjutant Commander of VALB. d. September 25, 1941, Los Angeles, California.

Edward Johnson b. February 10, 1891, Lynchburg, Virginia. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. POW, captured on March 10, 1938, during the Retreats. Johnson spent the next year as a prisoner at San Pedro de Cardenas before being released on April 22, 1939. Returned. d. January 29, 1963, Columbus, Ohio.

Salaria Kea b. July 13, 1913, Georgia. Served in the American Hospital at Villa Paz. Married Irish volunteer Pat O’Reilly in Spain. Returned to the United States on a Fund-raising tour. WW II Army Nurse Corps. d. May 18, 1990, Akron, Ohio. 

Admiral Kilpatrick b. February 20, 1898, Denver, Colorado. Served in the United Garage No. 1, before being appointed Head of Transport for Denia and Benisa hospitals. Later, Kilpatrick served a driver in General Transport. His final position was with the 5^th Army Corps, as an ambulance driver. Twice wounded in action. Returned. d. February 20, 1982, Cleveland, Ohio.

Oliver Law b. February 4, 1900, Texas. Law is the first African American to lead an integrated military force in the history of the United States. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN, Machine gun Co., Section Leader. Law rose through the ranks becoming Company Commander, Adjutant BN Commander and finally BN Commander. Killed in Action on July 9, 1937 during an assault on Mosquito Ridge, Brunete Offensive.

Abraham Lewis b. February 12, 1906, Ferrides, Louisiana. Among the highest-ranking African-American volunteers. Served in the International Brigades Commissary Services before being transferred to the XV BDE. In the XV BDE Lewis served as Adjutant BDE Commissar. Injured in a truck accident, Lewis was attached to the Headquarters of the International Brigades in Albacete where he served in the Commissariat Department and was responsible for personnel. d. 1948, Cleveland, Ohio.

Charles Howard Lewis b. February 6, 1913, Montgomery, Alabama. Served in the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN wound at Fuentes de Ebro. Returned to the BDE and was assigned to the BDE Machine Gun Company. Killed in action, January 1938, Teruel.

Norman Lisberg b. February 10, 1911, Abita Springs, Louisiana. Served with the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN in training and transferred to the Lincoln-Washington BN. Killed in action January 25, 1938, Teruel.

Vaughn Costine Love b. December 5, 1907, Dayton, Tennessee. Served in the XV BDE, George Washington BN, Co. 3, section political leader. Remained with the Lincoln-Washington BN after the merger. After Brunete he attended the Officer Training School. Love rejoined the Lincoln-Washington BN as a section leader. Wounded at Teruel. He rejoined the XV BDE after the Retreats and served in the Ebro Offensive. Returned. WW II U.S. Army. Love wrote a memoir that remains unpublished. d. October 27, 1990.

Eluard Luchell McDaniels b. April 16, 1912, Lumberton, Mississippi. Initially assigned to the 1^st Evacuation Group, in he later transferred to the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Later to the Lincoln-Washington BN. During the Ebro Offensive McDaniels received the nickname “El Fantastico” due to his ability to throw grenades with either hand. Returned. WW II Merchant Marine. d. December 6, 1985, Sacramento, California.

Andrew Mitchell b. December 27, 1902. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Wasington BN. Attended Officer Training School and served as cadre for the school after graduation. Went to the front with replacements from the training camp. Killed in action between March 30 and April 2, 1938, during the retreat from Gandesa, Retreats.

Crawford Morgan b. November 4, 1910 in Rockingham, North Carolina. Served with the XV BDE, Washington BN. Later with the Lincoln-Washington BN. Wounded in action at Quinto he returned to his unit after Fuentes de Ebro. Complications from his wound resulted in a transfer to the BDE Transport. Returned. WW II U.S. Army d. August 27, 1976, Norfolk, Virginia.

Youngblood Nance b. May 1, 1912, Greenwood, South Carolina. Arrived in Spain on August 31, 1938. After brief training he joined the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Wounded in action on September 22, 1938. Returned. WW II seaman. d. September 29, 1965, buried at sea.

Thomas Page b. September 29,1909, NYC. Initially served in the 86^th BDE, 20^th BN, on the Cordoba Front. Later with XV BDE Auto Park and then to the Lincoln-Washington BN. Severely wounded during the Ebro Offensive. Returned. WW II US Army.  d. April 1985, NYC.

Charles Augustus Parker b. February 16, 1916, Brooklyn, New York. Arrived in Spain on August 31, 1938. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Returned. WW II Merchant Marine.

James Lincoln Holt Peck b. September 8, 1912, Stoops Ferry, Pennsylvania. Licensed pilot. Peck served in the Spanish Republican Air Force. Returned. WW II Merchant Marine. May 1996, San Diego, California.

Claude Pringle b. January 22, 1894, Halifax County, Virginia. Served in the XV BDE, George Washington BN. Later transferred to the Mackenzie-Papineau BN and was wounded in the shoulder at Teruel. During the Retreats Pringle returned to the front. POW, captured and imprisoned at San Pedro Cardenas. Released and repatriated in 1939. d. March 28, 1959, New York.

Alphaeus Danforth Prowell b. August 5, 1904, Boonesville, North Carolina. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Prowell drowned or was machine-gunned as he attempted to swim the Ebro River on April 3, 1938 during the Retreats.

Marcus Ransom b. February 20, 1909, Natchez, Mississippi. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Promoted to Section Leader. Returned. WW II U.S. Army. There is speculation that he may have died during WW II.

Otto Coleman Reeves b. 1914, Cleveland, Ohio.  Served in the XV BDE, 24^th BN, later with the Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Missing in action on March 17, 1938, during Retreats.

Virgil Rhetta b. July 1, 1909, Long Beach, California. Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Killed in action March 10, 1938 during the Retreats.  

Douglas Bryan Roach b. June 1, 1909, Provincetown, Massachusetts. Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln BN and Lincoln-Washington BN. Wounded in action at Brunete. Returned. d. July 13, 1938, NYC.

Sterling Taylor Rochester b. October 15, 1901, Barclay, Maryland. Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln BN, MG Company, Jarama. Wounded in action. Returned to US on propaganda tour arriving on June 27, 1937. d. 1978, Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Julius Rodriguez b. July 4, 1909, Tampa, Florida. In Spain Rodriguez attended Officers Training School and jointed the XV BDE, George Washington BN before the Brunete Campaign. Rodriguez later served as a driver and ambulance driver. During World War II, Rodriguez was a leader of African-American shipyard workers in the Kaiser yards in Portland, Oregon. d. August 1973.

Patrick Roosevelt b. December 5, 1903, Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. Roosevelt had intended to fly for the Republic, but by the time he arrived the Spanish government had stopped accepting foreign pilots. Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. On August 19, 1938 Roosevelt was severely wounded on Hill 666, in the Sierra Cabals. Hit by shrapnel in the head, leg and shoulder doctors were forced to amputate his leg.  His remaining time in Spain was spent in the hospital. d.  March 1982, NYC. [Prone with MG in the photo above]

Conrado Rosario Figueroa b. February 19, 1914, Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Served with the XV BDE, George Washington BN and Lincoln-Washington BN. Killed in action July 9, 1937 during the Brunete Campaign.

Charles Oliver Ross b. June 24, 1911, Baltimore, Maryland. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN, practicante (medic). Fate unclear initially thought to have been killed in action April 1938, during the Retreats his name appears on payroll lists during the Ebro Offensive.

James Bernard “Bunny” Rucker b. April 11, 1912, Roanoke, Virginia. Served in the Regiment de Tren as a driver. Returned. WW II US Army, Rucker initially served in a medical unit and later volunteered for the infantry. He fought in the Rome-Arno, the Northern Apennines, and the Po Valley campaigns in Italy. Rucker was wounded in action in April 1945 spending two years in hospital.  d.  February 22, 1992, Orange, New Jersey.

Joseph Anthony Snead b. July 25, 1912, NYC. Arrived in Spain in August 1938. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN, as a first aid man during the Ebro Offensive. Returned. WWII and Korean War. d. November 10, 1986, Los Angeles, California.

Daniel Bede Taylor b. June 23, 1910, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Arrived in Spain in June 1938 and served with the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN.  Taylor was wounded on July 30, 1938, during the assault on Hill 481, during the attack on Gandesa. Hospitalized for the remainder of his time in Spain. Returned. d. November 25, 1982.

Joseph Taylor b. July 1, 1907, Griffin, Georgia. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Later with XV BDE Scouts. Taylor was wounded during the battle of Belchite. After recovery, he transferred to the Lincoln-Washington BN. During the Ebro Offensive Taylor was wounded again and spent the remainder of the war in hospital. World War II US Army. d. December 24, 1960, Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Ralph Thornton b. June 20, 1902, Pennsylvania. Served with the XV BDE, Washington BN and remained when it merged with the Lincoln BN during the Brunete Offensive. After seeing service Brunete, Quinto, and Belchite Thornton transferred to the American Commissariat in Albacete as a clerk. Returned. d. February 22, 1984, Chicago, Illinois.

k-Herbert Verdier b. August 1, 1909, Savanah, Georgia. Served with the XIV BDE. Killed in action October 1937, Cuesta la Reina.

Frank Warfield b. July 28, 1901, Charleston, Missouri. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. While attending Officers Training School he was hospitalized for tuberculosis. Repatriated and hospitalized. d. December 21, 1938, NYC in hospital tuberculosis.

George Walter Waters b. August 13, 1918, Santiago, Cuba. Trained with the Mackenzie-Papineau at Tarazona. Later served as an ambulance driver attached to the 35th Division and later as personal driver and assistant to Dr. Klein, a dentist and member of the American Medical Bureau. Returned.

Alonzo Watson b. February 4, 1892, Chicago, Illinois. Among the first group of ninety-six who left New York, on the Normandie, on December 26, 1936. Watson served in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN. Killed in action February 25, 1937, Jarama.

John Wesley White, Jr. b. May 1, 1910, Meridian, Mississippi. Sailed August 22, 1938 as a stowaway aboard the Normandie. Arrested he was jailed in France for two months before being deported to the US. d. June 6, 1993, Baltimore, Maryland.

William Edward White b. June 28, 1892, Morton, Pennsylvania. Was among the first group of ninety-six who left New York, on the Normandie, on December 26, 1936. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln BN at Jarama. Hospitalized and treated for ‘shell shock.’ Repatriated. d. February 1979.

Morris Henry Wickman b. September 2, 1902, Holly Hill, Orangeburg, South Carolina. Served in the XV BDE, George Washington BN, Company Political Commissar. Killed in action July 19, 1937, (died in hospital) Brunete.

Thomas Jefferson Wideman. b. May 1, 1906, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Served with the XV BDE, George Washington BN. Transferred to 24th BN and later to the Mackenzie-Papineau BN. In March 1938 he was attached to the BDE MG Company. His final unit was the XV BDE Vigilancia. Returned. WW II US Army. d. January 12, 1989.

Fred Williams b. January 7, 1916, Lexington, Mississippi. After basic training he was selected to attend the Anti-Gas School at Pozo Rubio. Served in the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN. Reported missing between July 25 and August 5, 1938, Williams was likely killed on July 30, 1938 during the Ebro Offensive.

Paul Elisha Williams b. June 17, 1907, Youngstown, Ohio. A licensed pilot in the US, Williams served in the Republican Air Force. Returned. World War II Merchant Marine. d. September 6, 1987.

Samuel Conway Willis b. September 26, 1914, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Served in the XV BDE, Mackenzie-Papineau BN, first as a scout and later as a runner. Missing in action March 17, 1938, Belchite-Caspe sector, during the Retreats.

James Yates b. August 9, 1906, Brown Settlement, Mississippi. Served in the International Auto Park, Usine No. 1 in Albacete. In July 1937 he was assigned as a driver for the XI BDE Transport. Hospitalized in September he was repatriated because of illness. WW II U.S. Army. In the 1986 Yates published his autobiography From Mississippi to Madrid. d. November 7, 1993, NYC.

Charles Youngblood b. December 6, 1914, Kansas City, Kansas. Served in the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN. Killed in action March 10, 1938, the Retreats.

Tags: African Americans, Cuban Americans, Puerto Rican