Morrison
Julian Knox Morrison, Jr
LT Julian Knox Morrison, Jr., Commanding Officer of the USS Sealion (SS-195) took command on November 27, 1939. The submarine Sealion was turned over to the Navy in New London Connecticut, by the Electric Boat Co., (builders). CAPT Richard S. Edwards, commander of the submarine base accepted the craft for the Navy, while LT Morrison read orders assigning him to command of the boat.
Julian, known as "Joe" to his classmates at Annapolis, was born April 28, 1904 as a native of Mississippi, but he grew up in Memphis, TN. He enrolled at Ole Miss for one year until he received his appointment to the Naval Academy. Never known for his mastery of academics at the academy, Joe gained renown for never quitting, powering through his classes with a resolve that his friends admired. He also gained a reputation as a teller of tall tales, regaling his friends and classmates with his adventures in the Delta country of the deep south. Even though he struggled academically, Joe earned two letters each in Track and Wrestling, and two awards for something known as "numerals". He graduated with the Class of 1925.
Joe married his sweetheart Drucilla Bohrer Hallam in Los Angeles during his senior year at the academy. Son Julian Knox Morrison III was born in 1934. They also had another son, Vance Hallam Morrison.
His first command was the submarine USS S-33 (SS-138) from 1936 to 1937.
Prior to taking command of Sealion Morrison was one of the few officers to be fully trained as a deep-sea diver. He pioneered the use of the newly developed heliox mixed gas Mk 5 Mod 1 and Mod 4 diving rigs, which enabled routine dives to depths far beyond what was capable with the standard Mk 5. In the spring of 1939, he was assigned as the Assistant Diving Officer during the rescue and salvage phases of the sinking of the USS Squalus (SS-192). Morrison made dives to 240 feet to assess if anyone was still alive (there was) and later during the salvage phase he made a dangerous but ultimately futile effort to enter the after torpedo room in order to rig it for the salvage operation. For these dives and his superb leadership he was awarded the Navy Cross, the nation's 2nd highest naval award.
"The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Julian K. Morrison, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Senior Assistant to the diving supervisor during the entire period of the rescue and salvage operations following the sinking of the U.S.S. SQUALUS on 23 May 1939. Lieutenant Morrison's technical diving knowledge and his ability in handling difficult situations in emergencies were outstanding. His calmness, courage and good judgment inspired confidence in his men as well as in the senior officers of the Unit. He made numerous deep dives himself and was the only diver to attempt to enter the SQUALUS while she was on the bottom, failing only due to circumstances beyond his control. His superior and outstanding performance of duty contributed much to the success of the operations and characterizes conduct above and beyond the call of duty."
General Orders: Bureau of Navigation Bulletin 278 (February 10, 1940) Action Date: 1939 Service: Navy Rank: Lieutenant Company: Assistant Diving Officer Regiment: Squalus Salvage Unit Division: U.S.S. Falcon (ASR-2)
With very little rest after the strenuous and dangerous Squalus salvage, Morrison moved on to command of the Sealion and settled into the demanding task of getting the submarine finished, through her trials, and out to the fleet.
In early 1940, with war raging in Europe, Sealion and the other Salmon/Sargo-class submarines received orders to proceed to the Philippines to bolster the defenses there in case of a Japanese incursion. On February 10, 1940, Sealion was on a port visit to St. Petersburg, Florida, having stopped there en route to the Pacific. That evening, Morrison was in the wardroom of the submarine cleaning a .22 caliber target pistol. The weapon accidentally discharged and the bullet lodged in Morrison's upper abdomen. Rushed to the hospital, he tragically passed away the next day. LCDR Richard G. Voge took command of Sealion until her loss from enemy bombing on Dec 10, 1941.
Lieutenant Julian Knox Morrison, Jr. was buried at Arlington National Cemetery U.S. Veterans Grave site, Section 8 Site 5438.
Morrison's legacy lived on through his sons. Julian III pursued a career in the Navy and saw combat operations on the destroyer USS Taussig (DD-746) off Korea in 1952-1953. "Joe" then transferred to submarines and became a 2nd generation submariner by qualifying on the USS Barbero (SSG-317). He was one of the early pioneers in the Regulus 1 guided missile program. He also served as Barbero's Executive Officer.
Vance Hallam Morrison spent his teenage years as a page for the U.S. Supreme Court. He then attended the University of Virginia on the NROTC program. He was commissioned an Ensign upon graduation. Vance had a distinguished 30 year career in the USN as a surface warfare officer, commanding a frigate and a guided missile cruiser. He was also a Chinese linguist and a Naval Intelligence officer, later serving as a U.S. Naval Attache to the Peoples Republic of China.
Note that some references list the month of Morrison's death as January, not February. The webmasters believe that it was February.
Photo in the private collection of Mike Kaup
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