Below is a very bad photo that is believed to be Julian, I am not sure it is accurate. Do not take me for 100% but it is attached to his memorial page linked to ancestry. Might be him might not be
John Taylor Julian was born in April 5, 1924 in Alabama to Alfred and Leah Julian. He had an older sister, Mary, and older brother, Alfred. His mother would have Walcie, his younger sister, a year after his birth. His younger brother Robert was born the year after Walcie. His parents might have also had two other children, Peggy
Since I cannot find much about his childhood I will leave most of his background empty. I will let you know if I find out more.
Julian was from the small town Sipsey, Alabama, which was a Mining area. Julian had brown hair and blue eyes. He graduated high school and worked in a Coal factory before his enlistment. He was 5′10 when he enlisted on May 20, 1943 in Fort McClellan, Alabama. It is know he was currently living by himself at the time.
During training, he met Edward “Babe” Heffron. The two men thought the other talked funny. Julian had a “strong Southern drawl”. Babe joked around him saying that he was from the “south” too, then explained he was from South Philly. Babe describes him as quiet, handsome, clean cut, believed in God, “believed in everything I believed in” as Babe said, and believed he was going to go home.
Babe and Julian became best friends and figured they better stick together for better or for worse. Julian and Babe made a promise they’d go buy a farm together if they survived the war. Babe, Julian, and J.D. Henderson made a pact that if one of them were hit and died, the other two would be the ones to go visit the parents. “Look, if anything happens to me, make sure you do this or that.”
In Aldbourne, England, Julian was sent to 1st Platoon and Babe was sent to be with another South Philly boy “Wild Bill” Guarnere in 2nd Platoon. Babe and Julian still saw each other. Shortly after their arrival, Julian went on a weekend trip to London with Babe and Jim Campbell. They went to Piccadilly Circus and eventually ended up at an “after-hours club” called Bow and Arrow. There they heard a lady sing “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” for them after they gave her a cigarette.
Julian jumped into Normandy with Easy and didn’t show much to “prove himself” on D-Day.
January 1, 1945. Julian was out on patrol with 1st Platoon. There was only seven or eight men in his group and the were sent to see where everyone, including the enemy was. Julian was front and center of his patrol and had just neared a railroad tracks when the Germans opened fire. He was shot through the neck. No one could reach him, because if they tried to rescue him, Germans opened fire any time someone moved towards the boy. Johnny Martin was sent to find Babe. “No, not Julian,” Babe said before leaving his foxhole, gun, and his squad to find his friend. Babe wanted to get him away from the Germans to get his class ring, wallet, and wristwatch to return home. That was part of his promise to Julian’s family.
Although they made many attempts to get to Julian, no one could reach him. Babe tried to get him from every angle but each time was pushed back. Eventually, another platoon pushed the Germans back and the 1st Platoon rescued Julian’s body. He had bled out while they were trying to rescue him.
When they got his body around nightfall, they asked Babe if he wanted to see it. Babe turned them down because he couldn’t handle seeing his friend that way. He was shaking and left to his thoughts. “I never thought it was gonna be him,” Babe said. “You never get over something like that….Julian was a good kid. We took care of each other,” Babe continued.
After the war, Babe never forgot his promise to Julian. After 12 years, he wrote Julian’s mother a letter. She called him and told him, “Babe. you don’t have to travel to ‘Sipsey’, Alabama.” At first, Babe thought she didn’t want to think about the loss of her son, but she was with her daughter in New Jersey, who had just had a baby.
Babe visited her at her daughter’s house. Babe said that he broke down but that Julian’s mother “was a better soldier than I was. Stiff upper lip. Didn’t show emotion.” Babe gave her the regimental scrapbook, which he only had one of. He told her that she deserved it and that Julian would want her to have it. He believes Julian was looking down at him, saying, “good job, well done.”
Babe was forever effected by Julian’s death. Even during interviews, he was pained to talk about Julian. Every New Year’s Day, Babe thought of Julian, making him hate New Year’s. Both him and Guarnere hated the holidays and just preferred to be left alone during them.
Babe wasn’t open about the war. He never told his wife or daughter about his experiences. He says the only reason he started telling his son-in-law was because of a saying: “If you keep a hero’s name in the public’s eye, the person never dies.” After that he started talking about Julian more and more, trying to keep his legacy from dying.
Around the time Band of Brothers came out, Babe and others went to Europe to visit the graves of their friends. Babe visited Julian’s grave in Luxembourg. Every time he visits, he says a pray, leaves some flowers, and moved on. He went about fifteen times in total.
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