Political Radical: The Northwesterner Who Fought in The Spanish Civil War
Robert L. Reed, a Texan who came to the Pacific Northwest via the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39, was proud to be a political radical. He had no regrets about his youthful communist affiliation. Despite his pacifism, Reed knew that joining the International Brigades in 1936 to fight against Franco fascism was the right decision.
The Spanish Civil War was precipitated by a clique of generals in league with Monarchists, Catholic rightists, and the Falange Party which rebelled against the popularly elected government of the Spanish Republic. As fighting spread, world-wide opinion galvanized. “Volunteers” were recruited from the democracies to fight against the rebels, while Fascist governments in Germany and Italy sent troops and heavy armaments to help Franco and company.
Approximately 3,300 Americans joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, and more than 1,600 of them did not return. Seattle’s Bob Reed, an American, found himself in the Mackenzie-Papineau Canadian Battalion. Despite seeing action in almost every battle, he escaped without serious injury. He later became involved with “VALB and Friends” – “Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.” In 1944 there were about 250 surviving VALB vets nationwide; eight in the Pacific Northwest.
Bob Reed almost drowned in Mediterranean waters. His transport to Spain was sunk at night by an Italian ship, taking 53 comrades to their deaths. Reed pulled off his clothes, grabbed his passport, and waved down a Spanish fisherman. After drying out, he underwent military training near Valencia. The International Brigades were meant to be “shock troops” – thrown into the maw of battle with light arms. As a result, they suffered heavy losses.
https://www.postalley.org/2024/03/03/political-radical-the-northwesterner-who-fought-in-the-spanish-civil-war/