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<em>Julian David Abell </em>was born in Tampico, Indiana on 15 October 1906, the son of Jasper August Abell and Lula Belle Young Abell. His father was a teacher and school administrator.</p>
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Jude enjoyed games and sports of all sorts, which eventually led him to select coaching as his profession. Since coaches were required to be teachers as well, he enrolled in Indiana University in 1923. While there, he earned his “I” in track. He also played cornet in the band and was a member of Lamda Chi Alpha. He graduated in 1927 with an A.B. degree in Physics.</p>
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During a year as mathematics teacher and coach (in basketball and track) at Arcadia High School in Indiana, Jude was invited by his congressman to apply for admission to USMA. When he learned that he would enjoy another three years of eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics at West Point, he decided to take advantage of the opportunity. He was a starting guard on the basketball team from his first varsity game as a yearling and earned letters in both basketball and track. He also served two years as Equipment Manager of the football team, and he sang with the Cadet Chapel Choir. He graduated in the upper 5% of his class. Some years later, he was elected to the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. He chose the Corps of Engineers as his base branch, with a detail in the Army Air Corps.</p>
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On 22 July 1932, in Wheeling, West Virginia, he married Dorothy Anne Manion of Canton, Ohio.</p>
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Jude entered the student pilot program at Randolph Field but was released at the end of A-Stage. He next served in the U.S. Engineer Office in Detroit, Michigan. Then on to Cornell University for a year of instruction in Civil Engineering. He was elected to Sigma Xi, the Honorary Scientific Research Society, for his work in the field of hydrology. In addition, the local ROTC unit awarded him honorary membership in Scabbard and Blade. After graduating in 1936 with an M.S. in Engineering, he attended the Company Officer’s course at Ft. Belvoir. He played on the post basketball team, which won the IHCorps Area championship. He then served in the 11th Engineer Regiment in Corozal, Canal Zone; the Engineer Detachment at Wright Field, Ohio; and the 29th Engineer Battalion, in Portland, Oregon.</p>
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In 1942, he activated the 654th Engineer Battalion at Fort Custer, Michigan and later moved it to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. From 1943, he commanded the 660th Engineer Battalion in London and later in Paris. The battalion produced maps for the invasion and for the drive into Germany. After the war, he was assigned to the office of the Chief of Engineers.</p>
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During the Korean War, Jude served as Chief of the Engineer Intelligence Division of the Far East Command in Tokyo. Among other things, he supervised the production of maps of Korea. In 1953, he assumed command of the Army Map Service. This command was charged with establishment of a single worldwide geodetic datum and production of full coverage of large-scale maps. Joint mapping projects were particularly active in the NATO countries, Central America, South America and the Far East, including Thailand and South Vietnam.</p>
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In 1957, he was assigned as USAREUR Deputy Engineer. His final assignment before retirement was in the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence.</p>
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His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters and the Bronze Star Medal. He was awarded the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre with Palm by the Government of France and the Order of the White Elephant by the Government of Thailand.</p>
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Upon retirement from the Army in 1962, Jude settled in Springfield, Virginia. He became a teacher of mathematics in Annandale, Virginia. So he had come full circle. He spent ten most happy and satisfying years at Annandale High School until he reached mandatory retirement age. Subsequently, he devoted his time to hobbies, including gardening, reading and maintaining his various collections. He was an active tennis player well into his seventies.</p>
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In 1973, he developed cancer of the prostate. An operation to remove the cancerous cells was successful, but in 1991 the cancer returned. Another operation was performed, and again he seemed to have won. Then, later in the year, his lungs were attacked by cancer. This time, no operation could be performed. Although he fought the disease courageously, he gradually weakened, eventually succumbing on 2 February 1992.</p>
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He is survived by his widow Dorothy; four sons: Julian Leo (USMA ‘56), Jon Peter, Michael David, and James Edward; one daughter, Anne Abell Bertrand; two sisters, Alice and Wilma; and six grandchildren.</p>