DOB/DOD: July 2, 1917 (New York City) – November 25, 1996 (Norwalk, CT); 79 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married Alice Hetwich Frieda Dittmar (1919-2014) of Young America, Minnesota; she served as an Army nurse during WWII and met Edwin Safir when she cared for his injuries in England
CHILDREN: Two sons, Edwin T. (1948-) and Thomas F. (1953-). Two daughters, Mary Anne Safir Michon (1946-) and Jane M. Safir Kennedy (1961-).
LOCAL ADDRESS: 19 Elmwood Avenue and 311 Silvermine Avenue, Norwalk
ENLISTMENT: July 18, 1941
SERVICE NUMBER: 31049253
UNIT: 45th Infantry Division
FAMILY: Born to Harry (1876-1940) and Fannie Goldschmidt Safir (1884-1964). One sister, Dorothy M. Safir Caldwell Marella (1919-1967).
DECORATIONS: Silver Star Medal (citation below), Purple Heart Medal, Fidelity Honor Efficiency, American Defense Service Medal, European African and Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Exemplary Conduct Medal
Norwalk High School, Class of ’34
University of New Hampshire, Class of ’39
Citation to accompany the award of the Silver Star Medal. From 45th Infantry Division General Order #267, November 15, 1944. Retrieved from the National Archives by the webmaster.
From The Norwalk Hour July 24, 1942
Corporal Edwin Safir, son of Mrs. Fannie Goldschmidt Safir of 19 Elmwood Avenue, arrived home yesterday morning from the Territory of Hawaii, where he has been serving with the U.S. armed forces since last autumn. After induction late last summer, he was sent from Fort Devens, Mass., to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, being assigned with the engineers. Later, he was sent with a picked group to Hawaii and was at Schofield Barracks at the time of the Pearl Harbor bombing on December 7. In January, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and, a few months ago, was assigned to the Officers’ Mess at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. Back in the good old U.S.A. once more, Corporal Safir — deeply tanned by the Hawaiian sun — will be home until next Thursday when he reports to Fort Belvoir for Officer’s Training in the Engineer Corps. He is being happily greeted by a legion of friends. He is a graduate of Norwalk High School and the University of New Hampshire and is a well-known baseball player. Corporal Safir is the nephew of Judge of Probate Louis Goldschmidt, Charles Goldschmidt, and Mrs. Frederick Goldstein of this city, and the brother of Mrs. Leonard Abramson, whose husband is with the Army at Camp Croft. His cousin, E. Frederick (“Toot”) Goldstein, will be inducted into the service next month.
From The Norwalk Hour February 14, 1945
BRAVES DEATH, SAVES SOLDIER
Lieutenant Safir Helps Haul Casualty to Safety Under Nazi Fire
With the 45th Division of the Seventh Army, France:
Members of a combat engineer battalion formed a grim audience recently when two of their officers risked death to save the life of another soldier while fighting with the veteran 45th Division in France, one of the officers being First Lieutenant Edwin Safir, son of Mrs. Fannie Safir of 19 Elmwood Avenue, and the other, Captain Alvin L. Frank of Adams Run, South Carolina. While working under fire, trying to remove a German roadblock that was holding up our advance. One of the engineers stepped on a mine. A second later, he was a helpless casualty lying alone under heavy German fire. The two officers realized that to save the man involved a great risk, but they set out. While other members of the unit looked on, the two officers crawled across 40 yards of open ground, raked by heavy German machine gun fire, until they reached the man’s side. Then, while the German lead whistled over their heads, Captain Frank and Lieutenant Safir administered first aid. When the Germans saw what was going on, they increased their fire, so it was necessary to evacuate the casualties. Back across the open field crawled the two officers, dragging the helpless man between them. In a sheltered spot, the man was given the necessary medical treatment that saved his life. Lieutenant Safir was a brokerage clerk before he entered the service with the armed forces on July 18, 1941, at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He was serving at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, at the time of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. On October 28, 1942, he received his commission into the Engineers at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and served there and at Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter in Hawaii before being transferred to the European theater. On December 29, 1944, he received the Purple Heart Medal, having been wounded in action in Italy. At the time of his injury, he wrote home saying that he had “a little argument with a German mine and wound up a candidate for the Purple Heart. He is a graduate of Norwalk High School and the University of New Hampshire and is a well-known baseball player. Lieutenant Safir has been awarded the Silver Star Medal for his actions.
From The Norwalk Hour November 26, 1996
NORWALK — Edwin Safir, 79, a resident of Norwalk, died Monday at Norwalk Hospital. He was the husband of Alice Dittmar Safir. Mr. Safir was born in New York City, the son of the late Harry and Fannie Goldschmidt Safir. He was a retired stock broker for Legg Mason and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, earning a Purple Heart, Silver Star, and two battle stars. In addition to his wife, Mr. Safir is survived by 2 sons, Edwin T. Safir of Norwalk and Thomas F. Safir of Oakland, California; 2 daughters, Mary Anne Michon of Ipswich, Massachusetts and Jane M. Safir of Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania; a sister, Dorothy Caldwell Marella of Norwalk; five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Ave., with Monsignor Joseph Kohut, retired pastor of St. Matthew Church, officiating. Interment will follow in the family plot at Riverside Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home. The family would appreciate contributions to the Oncology Department at Norwalk Hospital, 24 Stevens St., Norwalk, 06852, or the University of New Hampshire Alumni Association, J.S. Elliott Alumni Center, Durham, N.H., 03824.
Buried in Riverside Cemetery, 81 Riverside Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut; Section 18
Photo pending
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