Biography

Amlie, Hansford b. September 5, 1900 (1898), Cooperstown, North Dakota; Debs Column; Prior military service in WW I, US Army, left the army in 1919; November 1919 he joined the US Marine Corps as a Private and served for two years, total military service 7 years; Single (Married journalist Millie Bennett [real name Mildred Mitchell] on December 1, 1937 in Spain); Mining engineer; Socialist party; Received Passport# 24457, San Francisco series, on February 2, 1937 which listed his address as 4431 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco, California; Arrived in Spain on March 17, 1937; Served with the XV BDE; Attended OTS; Washington BN, Co. 1, Commander; rank Teniente; Promoted to BN Adjutant when CAPT Trail was mortally wounded, Brunete, WIA; After recovery appointed Commander Lincoln-Washington BN, Belchite; WIA; Served at Brunete, Quinto and Belchite; Returned to the US on January 1, 1938 aboard the President Harding; WWII civilian; d. December 14, 1949, Somerton, Yuma, Arizona; Accidentally asphyxiated while clearing a sewer drain at the migrant labor camp he managed; Buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California; Amlie’s brother was a Congressman; he was recruited to command the Socialist Debs Column; His tomb stone indicates he served in WWI as a Marine.

Siblings: brother Thomas Ryum Amlie.

Source: Scope of Soviet Activity; Americans; Repatriation List (December 9, 1937 ll.52); Washington; RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 857, ll. 31-36; USSDA 2:0381, 52:0410; Register of the Milly Bennett Papers, 1915-1960 Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford; Bennet, Milly and ed. and annotated by Tom Grunfeld, On Her Own; Daily Worker January 7, 1938, p. 4; L-W Tree Ancestry; Find-a-Grave#279275. Code A

Biography: Hans Amlie was born in the United States. He worked as a mining engineer and was a member of the Socialist Party of America. Upon the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Amlie helped form the Eugene V. Debs Column. Only 25 members of the party joined, disgusted by their response, Amlie joined the American Communist Party. On his arrival in Spain Amlie joined the other International Brigades at Albacete. He later became a member of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion. Amlie took part in the battle of Jarama River in February, 1937 and was injured at Mosquito Ridge in July, when his commanding officer, Oliver Law was killed. In August 1937 the American forces were reorganized. Steve Nelson was promoted to brigade commissar and Robert Merriman became brigade chief of staff. Amlie, who had now recovered from his wounds suffered at Mosquito Ridge, became commander of the Lincoln-Washington Battalion. The next major action involving the Lincoln-Washington Battalion took place during the Aragón offensive at the end of August 1937. The campaign began with an attack on the town of Quinto. This involved dangerous street fighting against snipers that were within the walls of the local church. After two days the Americans were able to clear the town of Nationalist forces. This included the capture of nearly a thousand prisoners. The Lincoln-Washington Battalion then headed towards the fortified town of Belchite. Once again the Americans had to endure sniper fire. Robert Merriman ordered the men to take the church. In the first assault involving 22 men, only two survived. When Merriman ordered a second attack, Amlie at first refused, saying the task of taking the church was impossible. Steve Nelson led a diversionary attack. This enabled the Lincoln-Washington Battalion to enter the town. The Americans suffered heavy casualties, Amlie, Nelson and Merriman all received head wounds. - Courtesy of Spartacus Educational

Photograph: Colonel Stephen Fuqua, Dave Doran and Hans Amlie. The 15th International Brigade Photographic Unit Photograph Collection ; ALBA Photo11; ALBA Photo number 11-0843. Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives. Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.