Middle Atlantic States I Gravesites

Middle Atlantic States – Delaware, Pennsylvania, & New Jersey

We hope you will join us to celebrate and honor the men and women of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade by visiting their graves, placing a flower and a Republican Spanish flag at the grave of one or more veterans of the International Brigades.

The middle Atlantic states sent a significant proportion of the volunteers who served in the International Brigades.  Most of these volunteers have Find-a-Grave entries that provide information on cemetery and burial site. If you are near any of the graves of these veterans and can visit their graves, we ask that you do so. We would like to get as many volunteers as possible out to visit their gravesites this year.

After you visit a gravesite, please share your photographs on social media and provide a copy to us so we can post them on both our WordPress and Facebook sites.  For additional information on finding the graves or to download a flag contact us at albtribute@gmail.com.

A full list of VALB veterans with graves in New York follows a short spotlight on a handful of volunteers.

Andrew Borysko (1914-1997) was born in NYC. He was working as a mechanic when he volunteered to serve in the International Brigades. Borysko arrived in Spain in March 1937 and served in Service Sanitaire and as a Transport, Driver. He returned to the US in December 1938. During World War II he enlisted in the US Army. Borysko died Spring Hill, Hernando, Florida He was cremated and his ashes buried in Bedminster, Somerset County, New Jersey.

Robert Garland Colodny (1915-1997) was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and was a chemist and student when he volunteered to Serve in Spain. Colodny arrived in Spain in March 1937 and trained and served with the George Washington Battalion. He was wounded in action during the Brunete Offensive. After recovering from his wounds, Colodny was attached to the Chemical Warfare School as an instructor and interpreter. He returned to the US in February 1938. During World War II he served in the US Army his last assignment was in the Advance Command Headquarters, Aleutian Islands. Colodny went on to a distinguished career as a college professor. He was the author of The Struggle for Madrid: The Central Epic of the Spanish Conflict, 1936-1937. Colodny died in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and is buried in Jefferson Memorial Park, Pleasant Hills, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Spoke English and French.

Joseph Michael Dougher (1896 [1897-1978) was born in Archibald, Pennsylvania. Dougher’s education ended after the 4^th grade. During the first world war he joined the Navy and after two years enlisted in the Army serving for an additional 4 years. When he volunteered to serve in Spain he was working as a coal miner and union organizer. Dougher arrived in Spain in April 1937. After training with the George Washington Battalion for a month he was selected for officer training school (OTS). He remained in Tarazon to train the newly formed Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion and took command of the Battalion’s 3^rd Company. At Fuentes de Ebro he was promoted to Adjutant Battalion Commander before being wounded on the second day of the action. Dougher was in hospital until repatriated.  He arrived in the US in December 1938. Dougher died in Archibald, Pennsylvania and is buried in the Archibald Protestant Cemetery, Archibald, Pennsylvania.

Joseph Hecht (1906-1945) was born in Brooklyn, New York. He trained and worked as a pharmacist before volunteering to serve in Spain. Hecht left for Spain in February 1937. In Spain he attended officer training school (OTS) and graduated in January 1938. Hecht was assigned to the Estado Mayor of the XV Brigade. He returned to the US in December 938. During World War II he enlisted in the US Army. He served with the 65^th Infantry Division, 260^th Infantry Regiment as a Tech Sergeant. Hecht was killed in action March 18, 1945, in Saarlouis, Saarland, Germany. He is buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, Hamm, Canton de Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

Oscar Christian Neef (1905-1959) was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a seaman and a former member of the International Workers of the World (IWW). Neef was living in Chicago when he volunteered to serve in the International Brigades. He arrived in Spain in September 1937 and went on to serve in the XVth Brigade. He was wounded in action and still in hospital awaiting repatriation in October 1938. Neef returned to the US in November 1938. He is buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Eugene Victor Nolte (1909-1986) was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He had a high school education and worked as a salesman, clerk and union organizer. Nolte joined the International Brigades arriving by boat in May 1937. He trained with the Instruction Battalion in Tarazona before joining the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion, Plana Mayor, as clerk, paymaster and observer. Nolte progressed through the ranks with promotions to Sargento and Teniente. He served with the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion from Fuentes del Ebro through the Ebro Offensive. Nolte was repatriated in December 1938.  He died in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

Harry Benjamin Patterson (1901-1956) served in the first world war for 18 months in the Canadian and English Armies. He appears to have had two years college and worked as an Engineer and construction worker. He left for Spain in July 1937 and served in the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.  He was wounded in action in March 1938 during the Retreats. Patterson returned to the US in July 1938. He died in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, and is buried in West Laurel Cemetery.

Stephen Zak (1917-1989) was born in NYC. He served for three years in the New York National Guard’s , 71^st Infantry. Zak worked as a surveyor and was a member of the Federation of Architects, Engineers, Chemists and Technicians Union, CIO. Zak volunteered to serve in the International Brigades and arrived in Spain in August 1937. After training he was assigned to the Lincoln-Washington Battalion’s Company 3. Later he served in XV Brigade Machinegun Company, the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion and finally with the 35^th Division Special Machinegun Battalion. Zak fought at Fuentes de Ebro, Teruel, the Retreats and Ebro Offensive. He returned to the US in December 1938. During World War II he was enlisted in the US Army Air Corps.

Delaware

*Hecht, Leo                                                                                New Castle, DE

New Jersey

Beverly

Carroll, George A. R.                       Find-a-Grave #469694           Beverly, NJ

Heagney, Frank Aloysius       Find-a-Grave #117000957              Beverly, NJ

Spiller, Samuel                       Find-a-Grave #1212414                   Beverly, NJ

Wallace, Levin Smith, Jr        Find-a-Grave #2533441                  Beverly, NJ

Fairview

Fritzhand, Nicholas                 Find-a-Grave #172036024     Fairview, NJ

Schneider, Edward August Henry   Find-a-Grave #8638926 Fairview, NJ

Paramus

Friedman, Abraham Irving     Find-a-Grave #228155813       Paramus, NJ

Goldstein, Milton                     Find-a-Grave #219423401       Paramus, NJ

Gross, Joseph Louis               Find-a-Grave #228155547       Paramus, NJ

Kologa, John                           Find-a-Grave #98416019            Paramus, NJ

Kuchersky (Kuch), Abraham (Charles)  Find-a-Grave #236614131

    Paramus, NJ

Peshkin, Irving                         Find-a-Grave #225215234        Paramus, NJ

Rosmarin, Joseph                   Find-a-Grave #224402091         Paramus, NJ

Ziegler, Albert                          Find-a-Grave #234250220         Paramus, NJ

Auerbach, Louis                      Find-a-Grave #194786500             Norma, NJ

Barr, Herman                           Find-a-Grave #69180361              Bergen, NJ

*Borysko, Andrew                   Find-a-Grave #10861242         Bedminster, NJ

Busto-Bango, Lewis               Find-a-Grave #97241790             Colonia, NJ

Dubac, Constantino                Find-a-Grave #199881247               Union NJ

Fuhr  Lini Moehkirk                 Find-a-Grave #194000534         Fair Lawn, NJ

Kenner, Valentin            Find-a-Grave #178456126     South Brunswick, NJ

Kraman, Daniel                       Find-a-Grave #146932971        Cape May, NJ

Levine, Louis Steven                                                            Basking Ridge, NJ

Little, Frederick W.                                                                      Cherry Hill, NJ

McManus, Gerald           Find-a-Grave #163799799         East Hanover, NJ

*Perez, Aurelio                        Find-a-Grave #70033115                Totowa, NJ

Tlustiak, Michal                      Find-a-Grave #42119215              Mahwah, NJ

Vinaccia, Giovanni (John)      Find-a-Grave #101798849              Linden, NJ

Waitzman, Samuel                  Find-a-Grave #125017887   Cedar Knolls, NJ

Williams, Paul Elisha                                                                Pennsauken, NJ

*Zak, Stephen                          Find-a-Grave #228155192         Plainfield, NJ

Zalon Sol,                                 Find-a-Grave #199359410    Woodbridge, NJ

Pennsylvania

Bala Cynwyd

*Patterson, Harry B.                Find-a-Grave #175829987    Bala Cynwyd, PA

Smith, Frank James, Jr.         Find-a-Grave #91220108       Bala Cynwyd, PA

Glenside

de la Casa Barros, Jesus                                                        Glenside, PA

McStravick, James Terrance  Find-a-Grave #147659148          Glenside, PA

Jenkintown

Steinberg, Jacob Jack            Find-a-Grave #146015611          Jenkintown, PA

Weiss, Martin                                                                             Jenkintown, PA

Philadelphia

Magrini Magrine, Peter           Find-a-Grave #163058230          Philadelphia, PA

*Neef, Oscar Christian           Find-a-Grave #143667941          Philadelphia, PA

Posner, John Jacob                Find-a-Grave #144400485          Philadelphia, PA

Pittsburgh

Forsha, Harold George          Find-a-Grave #46545305          Pittsburgh, PA

Winsheimer, Lawrence           Find-a-Grave #91127617          Pittsburgh, PA

Pleasant Hills

*Colodny, Robert                     Find-a-Grave #58697370  Pleasant Hills, PA

Kossert, John                          Find-a-Grave #59282158  Pleasant Hills, PA

York

Kahler, John                            Find-a-Grave #73579667                 York, PA

Layton (Clatterbuck/Clatterbaugh), Paul (Daniel)                           York, PA

Brenner, Samuel Stone          Find-a-Grave #58531301          Gettysburg, PA

Brown, Benjamin                     Find-a-Grave #103274843    Lock Haven PA

Callaghan, Thomas                                                                  Cheltingham, PA

Castronuovo, John Michael   Find-a-Grave #477249                Annville, PA

de la Casa Barros, Joseph                                  Bally, Washington Twp, PA

*Dougher, Joseph                   Find-a-Grave #91022962            Archbald, PA

Harvan (Sulik), Rose Margaret Find-a-Grave #149910035      Tresckow, PA

Herman, Francis J.                                                                   Phoenixville, PA

Isenberg, Robert Woodrow                                                 North Versailles, PA

Kipness, Bertha F.                   Find-a-Grave #191547080          Glenolden, PA

Koneski, Sam                          Find-a-Grave #44173352       Lower Burrell, PA

London, Harry David              Find-a-Grave #145886255          Jenkintown, PA

Nace, George                          Find-a-Grave #73508893          Martinsville, PA

*Nolte, Eugene V.  Find-a-Grave #117823860  Conemaugh Township, PA,

Perez-Fernandez, Angel Amador Find-a-Grave #173117486 Monongahela

Polen , Abraham                                                                        Upper Darby, PA

Russiano, Thomas                  Find-a-Grave #131621874          Allentown, PA

Severdia, George Anthony     Find-a-Grave #90733337          Hermitage, PA

Simon, Sanor                                                                          East Carnegie, PA

Sollenberger, Randall             Find-a-Grave #37669711          Newville, PA

Taub, Julius                             Find-a-Grave #208552043          Bensalem, PA

Thomas, Steve    PA               Find-a-Grave #96714460          Beallsville, PA

Toub, Howard                                                                            Fernwood, PA

Walsh, Edward Leo                Find-a-Grave #77813656       North Braddock, PA

Weaver, William                      Find-a-Grave #67140865          Torresdale

White, William                                                                            Hanover, PA