Biography
Appel, Joseph b. August 22, 1919 (1915) in Odessa, Russia; Arrived to the US in 1929; Naturalized August 29, 1944, District Court Southern District of New York; Russian American; Jewish; father Lyova Appel; mother Ida (Ada) Moskowitz; Power press operator and Polisher in a metal factory; Domicile NYC; YCL 1935, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America CIO (UERMWA); travelled on a Spanish passport under the name José Perez Lago; Arrived in Spain via Massanet on March 6, 1938, traveled on to Albacete on March 11, 1938; Trained with the Battalion of Instruction to March 13, 1938 then student at Anti-Gas School to March 23, 1938 went to the front April 19, 1938; Served with the XV BDE, Lincoln-Washington BN, Co. 3, Ebro Offensive; Rank Soldado; Served in the Ebro Offensive; WIA July 28, 1938 during an attack on a hill near Corbera; Hit in the knee; Hospital No. 9 in Barcelona for one week later to No. 7 Mataro; Returned to the US on December 31, 1938 aboard the President Harding, admitted on a medical waiver after four months refusal; d. November 1982.Siblings: brother Jacob (Jack) Appel (1904-?), sister Florence (Fannie) Appel.
Source: Figueres List; Pay; RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 2, Delo 103, ll. 120, M. Economeides, IB Delegation, Anglo Amer. Sect. Figueras, [March] 10, 1938, to Service of Personnel Anglo-American section Albacete, Additional information on draft of 11th of March 1938; Opis 3, Delo 303, ll. 245; Opis 6, Delo 36, ll. 99; Opis 6, Delo 858, ll. 5-8; Opis 6, Delo 1540, ll. 89; L-W Tree Ancestry. Code A1
Photograph: Joseph Appel in a group photograph of returning AMB and wounded volunteers aboard the President Harding, ALBA 015 Collection.
