Sam Dreben aka "The Fighting Jew"

[Spinner]

I have just finished watching the movie And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, which came out on HBO a few years back. Basically tells the story of how D.W. Griffith and the Mutual Film Company paid Villa for the movie rights to come down to Mexico in 1914 and film his actual battles against the Mexican Army.

The actual film they shot, made into a movie entitled The Life of General Villa, has been lost to history. In watching the HBO movie, though, I learned of a little known American, a Ukrainian immigrant by the name of Sam Dreben, an Army veteran who would go on to fight as a paid contractor on Villa's side for some time, as well as many other Central American nationalist causes.

Very interesting fellow, one I had not heard about before seeing this movie.

http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/dreben.htm

[ex]

They couldn't think of a better nickname than that??? :(

[tryxter]

Um...

"Fighting Irish"

[Typhoon]

Spinner, thanks so much for posting that link. I just finished reading the story about Sam Dreben. What an amazing biography; an absolutely incredible life adventure. I wonder if there are any SOCNETers in the Glendale area that could check the Grand View Memorial Park to see if Dreben's grave marker is still there...

It is also very interesting to recall that historically the US had to deal with illegal immigrants who were criminals, border incursions, and a Muslim insurgincy in the PI that lasted a decade...Things haven't really changed all that much in some ways, have they...

[RedDawg_03]

Great read about Sam Dreben. What a stud. Thanks Spinner for the information.

[rgrjoe175]

They couldn't think of a better nickname than that??? :(

And this post added what to the discussion?

[ex]

And this post added what to the discussion?
Nothing, I guess. It's just a shame to brand someone who was so successful in their life with a seemingly derogatory nickname. I can't imagine General Patton being called 'the Fighting Protestant'.
just my .02

[Hoepoe]

Nothing, I guess. It's just a shame to brand someone who was so successful in their life with a seemingly derogatory nickname. I can't imagine General Patton being called 'the Fighting Protestant'.
just my .02

It's complimentary, not derogatory.

Hoepoe
A fighting Jew ;-)

[rgrjoe175]

It's complimentary, not derogatory.

Hoepoe
A fighting Jew ;-)

Thank you Hoepoe. Of course I dont expect civilians to comprehend nicknames given by military personnel.

JP

[ex]

It's complimentary, not derogatory.

Hoepoe
A fighting Jew ;-)
Hi Hoepoe,
My take on it was that as a Jew, when it came to fighting, he was the exception, rather than the rule. And we all know isn't true! But if it doesn't bother you, it certainly shouldn't bother me! :)
D

[Spinner]

He certainly got around, and I'm surprised I had never heard of him until now. It's clear Pershing thought very highly of him.

I thought this was an interesting quote from the site, considering what we're facing today...

Because the struggle against the Moros never seemed to end (the War Department did not close the books on the campaign until 1913), the Army was forced to rotate troops in and out in an effort to keep morale up and fresh recruits on the field. That's why Sammy had to shed his uniform in the summer of 1902, when he picked up an honorable discharge and donned civilian clothes.

[Typhoon]

I just emailed the Glen View Cemetary to see if Mr. Dreben's marker is still there. Maybe a SOCNETer in the area can put some flowers on his grave on Veteran's Day...