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<em>James Russell Holmes</em> was born in Pennsylvania. As a youngster, he moved with his family to Chicago, where he was raised. During his high school days, he developed a love for the Army. Upon gradua­tion from high school, he matriculated to Texas A & M in order to pursue his military interests.</p>
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After a year there, Jim was ap­pointed to West Point from the State of Illinois.</p>
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For Jim, West Point was the per­fect fulfillment of a dream. He was a born soldier and cared nothing about anything else. At West Point, he was serenely happy and consid­ered that he was being trained in a perfect way to enter the Army, his first and only love. He had all the earmarks of a soldier of fortune.</p>
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As a cadet, he had no stripes on his sleeve nor stars on his collar. He was, however, a fine student, standing in the upper third of the class. He was diligent. He studied hard and con­centrated on academics in an ambitious, serious way He had an especially great interest in tactics, and he excelled.</p>
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Always pleasant, laid-back, and easy to know, he made friends easily because he was a good friend. Everyone loved the guy. His nature was al­ways cheerful. He was a solid character. Everyone felt comfortable with him.</p>
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Jim was a thespian. He felt at home on the stage and had a fine role in the <em>100th Night Show </em>First Class year. He also was a great skier and a member of the Ski Club during his Second and First Class years. Jim also was a camera buff and a member of the Camera Club during his First and Second Class years. And he shot sharpshooter with a pistol.</p>
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Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the Coast Artillery Corps. Within a year of gradua­tion, he was ordered to the Philippines and sta­tioned on Corregidor, assigned to Headquarters, 60th Coast Artillery Battalion. His leadership was a significant factor in the defense of Corregidor.</p>
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He was all over the island inspiring people to fight to the end. He was wounded by shrapnel and eventually captured by the Japanese, along with the entire Corregidor bastion.</p>
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Jim was on a Japanese POW ship that was sunk by a U.S. submarine that had no knowledge that U.S. personnel were aboard.</p>
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Jim received the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions on Corregidor.</p>
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Information on other aspects of Jim’s military career is not available, because his records were among thousands of others destroyed by fire at the National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO, on 12 Jul 1973.</p>
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Jim was a gentle son of God, dedicated to his country a perfect gentlemen, loving, and loved by everyone. He was a West Pointer in every sense of the word. The United States was the big loser when Jim’s life was snuffed out on a Japanese POW ship at the age of 29.</p>
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His family and his classmates will cherish his memory, his easy-going manner and his undying, loving friendship as long as we all shall live. You were one of a kind, Jim. God bless.</p>
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<em>Merton Singer, D Co., Class of ‘38</em></p>