J R Holmes, West Point cadet in 1936

[Paul L Murphy]

One of the items in my collection is a West Point dress shako and tunic belonging to cadet J R Holmes and dated 1936. I believe that he served in The Philippines during WWII but would be grateful if anybody out there had more information on him.

I have attached photos of the shako and tunic for those who are interested.

Regards,

Paul

[Khyber]

The West Point Register of Graduates provides the following information;

Class of 1938 graduate 11177 James Russell Holmes. Born PA: accepted from Ill.

Coast Artillery Corps: 60th Coast Artillery Manilla: POW: Killed-POW ship 24 Oct 44. Cpt. A-29. Silver Star and Purole Heart.

V/R

Ron

[Ulsterman]

I think he was on the Arisan Maru.

Probably # 0-021195

see the WW2 on-line memorial

Edited October 5, 2006 by Ulsterman

[Michael Johnson]

He is mentioned here: http://www.west-point.org/family/japanese-pow/Bowen_AM.htm which provides some more detail.

[Paul L Murphy]

Gentlemen,

This is excellent, many thanks. With this information these items have just joined my core collection , and to think that I was thinking of selling them at one point !

Can anybody point me in the right direction as to where I might find a photo of Captain Holmes ?

Paul

[Michael Johnson]

Can anybody point me in the right direction as to where I might find a photo of Captain Holmes ?

Paul

Why not try West Point? There must be the equivalent of a Yearbook. And to have a photo of him in the uniform you own would top it all.

See the print version of the July / August 1997 ASSEMBLY

for memorial articles on these fallen comrades.

James Russell Holmes ?38

18 Mar 1915 ? 24 Oct 1944

It looks like ASSEMBLY, the magazine of the Association of Graduates of West Point had a write-up in 1997 - might be a photo there.

Edited October 5, 2006 by Michael Johnson

[JBFloyd]

The Association of Graduates maintains files on all alumni and they are generally helpful. They will generally provide photocopies of his yearbook page and copies of his obituary. The obit will generally be written by a friend/classmate and may have some interesting personal info that you won't find elsewhere. Some will have full award citations.