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<em>Harry Appleton Julian</em> was born in New York City to Celestin Louis Emile and Joanna Agnes Egan Julian. In 1914, the family moved to a small farm in Crotin, NJ. Harry attended local schools and graduated from Flemington High School in 1925. A few months later, in August, he was a member of the 3rd Platoon, Company C, CMTC, in Plattsburgh, NY. From June until August 1926, he took summer courses at Rutgers University. In September 1927, he became a teacher at Independence School, a one-room school in Kingwood, NJ, where he taught for the next two years. Harry enjoyed teaching and later coached cadets while at West Point.</p>
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Representative Charles Eaton, from the 4th District of New Jersey, appointed Harry to the United States Military Academy, and Harry entered in 1929. As a cadet, Harry participated in football, lacrosse, cross country, and boxing, and fired expert in rifle and pistol. Harry’s family still has the Colt Ace he used for target practice. He enjoyed golf and tennis, as well, and was an excellent bridge player. He was also a horseman, and in 1934 at Ft. Monroe, VA, he won the silver cup in the jumping class at the annual post horse show. As for his career, Harry had wanted to be a journalist but, in June 1932 at Ft. Monroe, Harry met his future wife, who helped him decide on a military career in the Coast Artillery.</p>
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On 9 Aug 1933 in Elizabeth City, NC, Harry married Annabel Carswell, daughter of MAJ and Mrs. Robert Carswell. Harry and Annabel became the proud parents of two sons—Robert Harry and Emile Edward. Robert was born in 1935 in Manila and graduated a star man, Class of ’58. Emile was born in 1938 at Ft. Monroe and received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of California-Irvine. Bob now works for Northrop Grumman, formerly TRW, as a facilities engineer. Emile has his own company, CAM F-X, which does special effects for still cameras and computer imaging for architects.</p>
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Harry served two tours at Ft. Monroe; a tour at Ft. Barrancas, FL; a tour at Ft. Hancock, NJ; and two tours on Corregidor in the Philippine Islands. At the beginning of WWII, Harry was on Corregidor, a small, rocky island strategically located at the entrance to Manila Bay. After the Japanese invaded the Philippines in December 1941, Corregidor became the Allied headquarters. Harry was with the 59th Coast Artillery (Sea Coast) and helped with the defense of the island by setting up a spotting section. A “Central Command Fire Control Spotting Post” was established to coordinate all retaliating fire against the Japanese. Harry, along with Harry Schenck, a classmate, established procedures and communications with the observers to triangulate the “puffs” and establish firing coordinates on the plotting table. Harry’s commanding officer was COL Paul Bunker. In his diary, published posthumously as <em>Bunker’s War,</em> COL Bunker mentions Harry many times and obviously greatly depended on him for his ingenuity and resourcefulness.</p>
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Corregidor was defended an additional 27 days after the fall of Bataan, an impressive feat considering the overwhelming numerical superiority of the advancing Japanese forces. Their rations depleted, the Allies were forced to surrender on 6 May 1942, and the Japanese took Harry as a prisoner of war. He was interned in Bilibid Prison in Manila and later at Cabanatuan. In prison camp, his desire to be a journalist was fulfilled as he became a secret “clearing house” for news and war information as he interviewed POWs as they circulated through camp on daily work details or on longer assignments to areas such as Clark Field. Mainly, he was able to deduce much information about the progress of the war in the Pacific. This was a dangerous activity because of the possibility of Japanese discovery. We have been told that Harry put what he wrote in a glass jar, which he then buried in the camp when he learned he was to be sent to Japan.</p>
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On 11 Oct 1944, MAJ Harry Julian was one of 1,775 POWs put on the Arisan Maru to be taken to Japan. The Arisan Maru was a hell ship, which was an unmarked Japanese freighter used to ferry POWs. On 24 Oct 1944, the vessel was torpedoed and sunk by a U.S. submarine in the South China Sea, over 200 miles from the nearest land. There were only nine survivors.</p>
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PVT Joseph della Malva, an enlisted man who was a plotter for Harry in the spotting section, wrote this of Harry: “A true West Pointer, he was an excellent officer, fair in his authority, fair in his execution of it, and always respectful and compassionate towards his fellow soldiers.” Harry earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.</p>
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His wife, Annabel; sons Emile and Robert; mother; brother Emile and his wife, Louise; and a niece and nephew survived Harry. He was a loving husband, a devoted father, and a dedicated officer. I think we can say “Well done; be thou at peace.”</p>
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<em>Annabel Julian Aude</em></p>