Shachnow Square

Born in Kaunas, Lithuania on March 5th, 1934, Sidney Shachnow was imprisoned as a child in the Kovno concentration camp in Germany, once a ghetto that held 40,000 Jews. When the camp was liberated by the Soviet Army in 1944, only five percent had survived. He had been smuggled out of the camp shortly before all the children were marched to their deaths. After liberation, he was reunited with his mother and younger brother. They spent six years in the ruins of Europe arriving in American occupied Nuremberg, Germany where they hoped to obtain a visa to the United States. In 1950, they finally immigrated to Salem, Massachusetts where Sidney attended school for the first time in his life. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and later entered Officer Candidate School. In 1960, he was commissioned in the Infantry and in 1962 he volunteered for the United States Army Special Forces, also known as the "Green Berets". His status grew as Special Forces grew, rising to the rank of Major General. He traveled the world, from Vietnam to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Korea and back to Germany for the fall of the Berlin Wall. His thirty-two year service with the U.S. Army Special Forces culminated in his position as Commander of the U.S. Army Special Forces Command. He retired in 1994 after 40 years of active military service.

Major General Shachnow’s decorations and awards include two Distinguished Service Medals, two Silver Stars, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, three Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, three Meritorious Service Medals, 12 Air Medals, three Army Commendation Medals with “V” Device, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Special Forces Tab and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. He also received the United States Special Operations Medal for outstanding contributions to special operations and was placed on the honor roll in the Infantry Officers Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was married to the former Arlene Armstrong of Salem, Massachustts and passed away on September 28, 2018.

His square was approved by the City Council on February 23rd, 2018 and is located on the corner of Balcomb and Symonds Streets, dedicated in his honor.