A Hero Of The Good Fight

My friend Matt told me that a wobbly sailor who fought Franco in Spain was buried in my neighborhood. First thing in the morning, I asked about him at the cemetery office. With the director's kind help I easily found the grave.

Oscar Christian Neef (1905-1959)
Merchant Seaman, Antifascist Warrior
Member, Industrial Workers of the World
Machine Gunner, Abraham Lincoln Brigade 1st Company
Veteran of the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War
Section GI-1, Row 7, Grave 13
Woodlands Cemetery, West Philadelphia

Oscar's nephew gave information to Matt about this hero:

"Oscar was my uncle. He grew up in Chicago and left home around 1929-30 to join the deep sea Merchant Marine. [...] I heard from my dad that Oscar only visited once while I was a child but I do not remember the occasion. He returned to Chicago for the funeral of his father in the early 1950's. At that time I heard him say he had been many months "behind a machine gun" during the Spanish Civil War.

"Oscar also stated he sailed in World War II convoys carrying war material supplies to England, Russia and the Mediterranean. When the war ended in Europe, he sailed in the Pacific until some time after Japan capitulated. Oscar indicated he obtained officer certification of Captain during the war. He continued to sail in a rapidly diminishing United States Merchant Fleet until his untimely death in 1959. Oscar sent me a few military and other types of souvenirs from various parts of the world during the mid to late 1940's. As a youngster, I was greatly fascinated by these artifacts.

"Many years ago I read an FBI report on Oscar obtained by a Freedom of Information Act Request. It was heavily redacted and appeared to be an investigation into Oscar's purported Leftist leanings stemming from his contribution in the Spanish conflict of the 1930's and included interviews with various people. I have also observed his name on an "official" list of those volunteers for the conflict and another document of ship passengers returning to the United States after serving in the conflict. Likewise, I have also viewed Merchant Marine crew lists of the 1930's through the 1950's to verify Oscar's participation as a seaman and as an officer during those years."

Some of my local friend hold an annual birthday celebration at Woodlands, and Oscar's grave happens to be very near the customary picnic spot. This coming Saturday, the hero's memory will be showered with love.