Julius Ellsberry (1922—Dec. 7, 1941) attended Kingston and Thomas school and Graduated from Industrial (Parker) high School May 13th, 1938. Julius Ellsberry was the first Alabama serviceman to die in Combat during World War II. He was killed aboard the Battleship Oklahoma when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor December 7th 1941. Some web sites and even a resolution by the State of Alabama erroneously state that Ellsberry graduated from Parker High School. Dr. Arthur Harold Parker was the principal of Industrial High School in 1938. Dr. Parker retired in 1939. The school was renamed Parker High School in his honor. There are a number of historical markers honoring Julius Ellsberry. The nearest one is in the southwest corner Kelly Ingram Park. The most interesting marker is in Liberty Park. The Liberty Park marker is a reproduction of a letter written by Ellsberry from the Battleship Oklahoma to his long time classmate Dodson Curry inquiring about a class ring he was unable to get when he graduated from Industrial(Parker) High School. The original letter is in the archives of the Birmingham Public Library.