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BIOGRAPHIES - Class of 1943
Julia Margaret HILTS
Source: JLS/OLS WAVE 50th Reunion Book - 1993.
"Hilts, Julia Margaret, Commissioned Ensign,
WAVES, Nov. ‘43
Born 11/21/22. Two years, U of Washington,
Chinese Studies.
Why JLS?
Desire to serve; Hindmarsh recruiting trip,
Spring ’43. Arrived
Boulder, July ’43. Billeted 1005 Broadway; Ens.
Hinds OIC. We were a small but
congenial group of disparate backgrounds. She
permitted house pets: a collie,
Nami-san, a stray kitten, Leonard, and she
purchased a Packard of some vintage,
Machigai for house transportation. She helped us
brighten our drawing room with
a coat of Kemtone. There was a reasonably in-tune
grand piano, and a pantry
with hot plate for late snacks. We were a
privileged group.
Assigned S-10, students of varying Chinese
backgrounds. Misses Tomita,
Morita, the two Suzukis, Sano-san, among my
favorites. Requested and received
waiver for heart condition, failing to consider
emphasis on undo in all kinds
of Weather. After two bouts of pneumonia, the
first contracted in January, the
2nd at the late SEC NAV Knox March-past, I’d
fallen behind all women’s classes.
That, together with Dr. Donlavy’s urging that I
should return to my sea level
origins and a summer clime, influenced my
decision to resign, which he
favorably endorsed, and in due time was accepted
under honorable conditions.
The following January, I enrolled in USC’s Honor
Program in Chinese,
using my Boulder credits for a Japanese minor.
Graduated with my B.A. magna cum
laude, a Nationalist Fellowship (later declined),
Phi Kappa Phi Honors, Feb.’46.
Hammond Rolph, JLO, returned to Los Angeles,
Christmas Eve, ’45. He
served primarily with the 7th Fleet, SW Pacific,
New Guinea, Philippines, and
Bombing Survey. He spent a few days with my
family before returning East for
TDY.
Spring of ’46, assigned Asst. Naval Attache,
U.S. Embassy, Nanking, the
Far East Section Head gave him 10 extra days on
travel orders, so we changed
our wedding plans, and were married in May. I
followed three months later.
First year, I worked at the Embassy as Biographic
Officer. Then I took on the
renovation of a newly acquired legation house,
turning it into two separate
dwellings. We moved into the downstairs unit.
Boulderjin Harry Allen and wife
upstairs, Numerous Boulderites passed thru
Nanking on way to CLS, Peking.
Daphne Shaw Steigmeier, the only WAVE we was in
Shang-hai. When our two year
tour was up, I was expecting, the Civil War was
deteriorating, so our daughter
Rebecca was born at Bethesda instead of Drum
Tower!
Hammond’s ONI tour followed by orders as ANA,
Tokyo, after the
ratification of the peace treaty. I was finally
able to make good use of my
Nihongo! We both found it amusing and frustrating
to hear our three yr. old
speaking colloquially and fluently in no time,
while we sounded bookish!
Ham retired from the Navy in ’64, immediately
joined the School of
International Relations at USC. (I had been
handling NDEA Title VI for my
elderly Prof up till then.) I’ve served as
Faculty Wives’ President and Chaired
Town & Gowns scholarship efforts.
Kay Clauset, Lucie Porterfield, Marcia Prestrud,
Helen De Simone, and
Eleanor Well Swanson attempted to revive EBB
Tidings. Marcia enjoyed a
distinguished career in aero-space at JPL and
elsewhere. Lucie’s Rebecca’s
Godmother. Last year’s reunion was an enormous
success, saddened for us by
Marcie’s death a month previous. I know this one
will be special. Have a great
time! You deserve it!!"
In 2005, although quite frail, she lived with her
husband in California.
This information was graciously provided by:
David M. Hays, Archivist
University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries
184 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0184
(303) 492-7242
[JLS]
These pages are dedicated the history of the graduates of the US Navy
Japanese / Oriental Language School, University of Colorado at Boulder,
1942-1946 and also attended USC.
This information has been made possible by
David M. Hays Instructor/Archivist of University of
Colorado at Boulder.
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