The Spanish Civil War's Volunteers - David "Dave" Epstein

Researcher: Alexei Ostasiewski, Stuyvesant '26

David (“Dave”) Epstein was born on February 18th, 1913 in Montreal, Canada. He was the first of three children, along with his sisters Selma and Betty. His parents, Israel and Anna, were first-generation Jewish immigrants from Russia, and Israel worked as a typesetter. His family immigrated to America in 1916, although his parents had married in America previously. Israel was a naturalized citizen of America, and, as Israel was his father, David possessed United States citizenship as well. He and his family first moved to Jersey City before settling in New York. He and his family lived at 216 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, and he attended Evander Childs High School. After graduating high school, he became a machinist while remaining in the Bronx. Likely due to the economic downturn of the Great Depression, Epstein joined the Communist Party of America in 1933. In 1935, he joined the New York National Guard and served in the E. 258th Artillery Battery until deserting eight months into service for unclear reasons.

Epstein, likely feeling some affinity to the Republican cause of Spain due to his affiliation with the Communist Party of America and animosity towards the Nationalist side due to his Jewish faith and ancestry along with his aforementioned Communist Party membership, volunteered with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade to fight in Spain. He departed for Spain on December 26th, 1936, arriving on January 6th, 1937 aboard the SS Normandie. He was first deployed in the Battle of Jarama as a part of the newly-formed XV International Brigade, in a battle part of the campaign to protect the vital Valencia-Madrid highway. Epstein served in the artillery throughout the battle, and fired across a ravine upon Nationalist positions from Chinchon. At some point during the battle, Epstein and his convoy were returning to Morata from Chinchon, when they were strafed by enemy aircraft fire. The convoy then travelled back to Chinchon later in the day, where two headquarter trucks became separated from the remainder of the convoy, driving into Nationalist lines with all men on the two trucks being killed in action. Later in the battle, Epstein was wounded, like many members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the battle, and was discharged soon after, returning to America due to his wounds.

Following his return to America, he settled in New York, becoming an artist and marrying Sylvia and having three children: Michael, Judy, and Steven. Upon America’s entry into the Second World War, Epstein joined the Merchant Marine as a junior mate, serving in the Atlantic theater aboard Gulf Oil ships as a machinist. Following the war’s conclusion, he returned to New York and continued to be a machinist, living at 5 East 196th Street in the Bronx. During the Red Scare, Epstein’s name was one of many included in the lists used in hearings on the scope of communist activity in the United States. Epstein never spoke publicly about his experience in the Spanish Civil War, although he continued to correspond with fellow Lincolner Carl Geiser. He died on December 5, 1995, at the age of 82. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery due to his Merchant Marine service, in Court 4, Section K, Stack 4, Niche 3 of the columbarium.

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Biographies/David "Dave" Epstein

Tags: Machinist Battle of Jarama Jewish Canadian WWII Veteran Immigrant SS Normandie Member of Communist Party Artist Bronx National Guard Merchant Marine

Researcher: Alexei Ostasiewski, Stuyvesant '26

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