Schmidt, Norman James.

Biography

Schmidt, Norman James. b. January 10, 1912, Chicago, Illinois; Loyola University of Chicago, BA 1932 and a certificate from the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris in 1934; Writer; No party affiliation (CP); Received Passport# 487416 on December 1, 1937 which listed his address as 192 North Clark Street, Room 713, Chicago, Illinois; Sailed December 11, 1937 aboard the Vollendam; Arrived in Spain via Massanet on December 26, 1937; Served with the Defensa Contra Aviación (DECA) attached to Fuerces del Airt, International Anti-Aircraft B, with the German Dimitrov Battery; Per the biographical sketch from the James Norman Schmidt Collection, he went to Spain as a journalist and later decided to join the International Brigades; After being wounded in action he worked on a short-wave radio; WWII US Army, military correspondent, PTO, Leyte, Philipines, and occupation of Japan, rank Lieutenant; d. September 26 (16), 1983, Columbus, Ohio.  [Note the biographical sketches from the two sources listed below conflict on several counts.]
Sources: Sail; Scope of Soviet Activity; Figueres List; RGASPI Fond 545, Opis 6, Delo 982; Ohio University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Manuscript Collection, James Norman Schmidt Collection, Manuscript Collection No. 52.; Rue Morgue Press, James Norman http://www.ruemorguepress.com/authors/norman.html
Photograph: Yanks in the Dimitrov Battery, standing Sam Slipyan, Conlon Nancarrow, Ed Lending, Charles Simpson (?), Delmer Berg, Norman Schmidt, kneeling two Spanish Chauffers, Ed Lending Collection.