Alan's Photo Collection -- West Point
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Julian Vincent Sollohub, Class of '37 (Chuck Sollohub's Dad) in Life Magazine
(Copy provided by the great work of Ex-New Cadet Robert Kellman who would have been the recipient of one of this year's 2002 USMA Distinguished Graduate Awards as a member of the Class of '63 had he graduated. See his "Ex-New Cadet remarks " in a footnote in the gold section below.
 

 

Reads (in part): "The boy, front and center is Manob Suriya of Siam. At left is James Hunter Drum of Michigan (with military haircut); at right Cadet Julian Vincent Sollohub of New York. Cadet Suriya's expenses are paid by Siam, the others get $83 a month from the U.S. Treasury."    SEE FURTHER DOWN ON THIS WEB PAGE FOR MORE ABOUT JULIAN SOLLOHUB AND WHERE HE IS TODAY.

Footnote. The following is an extract from a letter, 7 February 2002, to Alan Lubke from Ex -New Cadet Kellman:
      " Even though I was a Cadet for a short period, it was an important time in my life. Many of the decisions that I have made over the years were influenced by the West Point tradition and the Honor Code.  I made the right decision when I resigned, but I am glad that you and the other men that I encountered at West Point were and are part of my life.  We all have gone our different ways, but we all have that common thread of the West Point experience.  (I do want to point out that it took a Plebe to make the cover of this, the second issue of LIFE Magazine.  The upperclassmen were featured inside.)"
See the   LIFE Cover   to which Bob Kellman was referring.

Julian Vincent Sollohub is now Col. Julian Sollohub, Ret.,and resides at 806 Lothian Dr. , Tallahassee, FL 32312-2841. He and his wife just attended his USMA class of 1937's 65th reunionat West Point with two of their grandaughters, each over 20 years old.  His son Chuck is my (Alan Lubke's) classmate, USMA '61.

An orphan, Julian graduated from high school in Springfield Center, New York, in 1932.  He received a New York State Scholarship to Cornell University with the intent of becoming a civil engineer graduate.  During the year, he received an appointment to West Point, which had been his dream.

He received the Legion of Merit in World War II for exceptionally meritorious service in Luzon, Philippine Islands from March 1945 to June 1945 as Commander of the 114th Engineer Battalion and the 32nd Infantry Division Engineer. In those three months, his battalion constructed a 24 mile road in mountainous, steep-sloped terrain which rose to 6,000 feet while continuing to support the Division with engineer work including alignment of fords across waterways, water supply for the Division and other engineer tasks. The importance of their mission was reflected in a captured Japanese order which showed that the 114th Engineers were on their "must destroy" list.  (Ironically, Colonel Sollohub's first full duty assignment as a 2d Lieutenant was with Company C, 14th Engineer Battalion (Phillipine Scouts) in building roads on the Bataan Peninsula on Manila Bay in 1938).

Colonel Sollohub proudly wears the Silver Star Medal.  His actions are described in his Citation which reads in part:  "for gallantry in action near Agno, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 7 May 1945.  When word was received that a group of the enemy had infiltrated into a division rear area, Colonel Sollohub led a patrol to search out and destroy the hostile party.  The enemy were contacted and a vigorous fight ensued, during which a number of our men were wounded.  In spite of these losses, Colonel Sollohub led the patrol in a direct assault through the thick underbrush.  He came upon three Japanese soldiers, and in an exchange of fire killed all three of them.  Inspired by the courageous behavior of their leader, the rest of the patrol pressed forward and annihilated the entire enemy force."

Colonel Sollohub retired from the Army in 1967 one month short of 30 years of active duty service.  On 12 June 1967, the President of the United States awarded Colonel Sollohub The Distinguished Service Medal through the Secretary of the Army, Stanley R. Resor, for "Exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility from August 1960 to May 1967."

His final official retirement from service as an Engineer was in 1986 when he reached his 70th birthday.  Since his retirement from the Army in 1967, he had served continously with the State of Florida , first as Chief of the Division of Interior Resources, Department of Natural Resources, and later with the Planning Division of the Department of Transportation.