Abraham Lincoln Battalion

Lincoln Battalion Batallón Abraham Lincoln
One of the flags of the Lincoln Battalion
Active	1936–1938
Country	United States
Allegiance	Spain
Branch	International Brigades
Type	Battalion - Infantry
Role	Home Defence
Size	• 2,500 troops
Part of	XV International Brigade (Abraham Lincoln Brigade) (1937-1939)
Garrison/HQ	Albacete
March	Jarama Valley
Engagements	Spanish Civil War
Commanders
Notable commanders	Robert Hale Merriman Milton Wolff

The Lincoln Battalion was the 17th (later the 58th) battalion of the XV International Brigade, a mixed brigade of the International Brigades also known as Abraham Lincoln Brigade (Spanish: Brigada Abraham Lincoln). It was formed by a group of volunteers from the United States who served in the Spanish Civil War as soldiers, technicians, medical personnel and aviators fighting for Spanish Republican forces against the forces of General Francisco Franco and his Spanish rebel faction. The last known surviving member of the Lincoln Battalion, Delmer Berg, died on February 28, 2016 at the age of 100.

Of the approximately 3,015 American volunteers, 681 were killed in action or died of wounds or sickness.

The Spanish Civil War was fought from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939 between the Republicans, who were loyal to the democratically elected Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, a rebel movement led by General Francisco Franco.

Seeking assistance in combating the armed rebellion, the Republicans asked for volunteer fighters from all over the world. Americans volunteered and arrived in Spain in 1937. The Lincoln Battalion was organized in January 1937 as part of the XV International Brigade. The Lincoln Battalion initially fielded three companies, two infantry and one machine gun. Included were sections of Latin American and Irish volunteers, organized as the Centuria Guttieras and the Connolly Column, respectively. After less than two months of training, the Lincolns went into action in February 1937. Many of the volunteers recalled that training as, "They give me a gun and they give me 100 bullets and they send me to fight."