Biography
Shafran, Jacob Joseph. (Jack), December 25, 1917, NYC; Jewish; 3 years James Monroe in the Bronx and the New York Institute (technical school); Single; Department Store clerk, Sheet Metal Worker, and Truck Driver; CP 1933 and YCL 1933, Department Store Employee’s Union Local 1250; Received Passport# 452808 on June 28, 1937 which listed his address as 2000 Daly Avenue, NYC and 3017 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn [passport carried a false address], New York; Sailed July 3, 1937 aboard the Mauretania (Berengaria); Arrived in Spain via Setcases on July 21, 1937; Trained at Tarazona in 2nd BN of instruction Co. 5, trained with Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion, sent to front as a replacement August 7, 1937; Served with the XV Brigade, Lincoln-Washington Battalion, Co. 1 and Co. 3 to September 20, 1937 then shifted to BN Transmissiones; February 7, 1938 moved to Tarazona, BN of Instruction, Estado Mayor, personnel section; Training moved to Olot May 20, 1938; May 29, 1938 returned to XV BDE, Mac Paps, Co. 2; Transferred to Lincoln-Washington BN Transmissions on July 15, 1938; Last unit was Lincoln-Washington, Co. 3; Rank Soldado; Served at Quinto, Belchite, Fuentes de Ebro, and the Ebro Offensive (Gandesa, Sierra Pandols); Contracted Typhus at Fuentes de Ebro; Wounded again August 29, 1938, Sierra Pandols, carrying a stretcher, wounds to both hands, in hospital Valls 3 months, Fortune, 2 weeks, Ville-Franco 1 week, and Olot 3 weeks; Returned to the US on December 15, 1938 aboard the Paris; WWII US Army, Engineers, Europe, rank Staff SGT; d. November 15, 2008, Connecticut.
Sources: Sail; Scope of Soviet Activity; Cadre; Figueres List; Pay; RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 986, ll. 3-12; ALBA 215 Jacob (Jack) Shafran Papers (primarily letters to his girlfriend); (obituary) Steve Dinnen, “Jack Shafran, 1917-2008,” The Volunteer, December 2008, Volume 25, No. 4, December 2008, p. 22.
Photographs: Leo Price and Jack Shafran. Photograph courtesy Harry Fisher.; Jack Shafran, April 26, 1997, by Richard Bermack.
Sources: Sail; Scope of Soviet Activity; Cadre; Figueres List; Pay; RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 986, ll. 3-12; ALBA 215 Jacob (Jack) Shafran Papers (primarily letters to his girlfriend); (obituary) Steve Dinnen, “Jack Shafran, 1917-2008,” The Volunteer, December 2008, Volume 25, No. 4, December 2008, p. 22.
Photographs: Leo Price and Jack Shafran. Photograph courtesy Harry Fisher.; Jack Shafran, April 26, 1997, by Richard Bermack.