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Howard Unruh - 1939 High School Yearbook |
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HOWARD UNRUH
First, let it be understood that this page is in no way an attempt to glorify Howard Unruh or the terrible things he did on September 7, 1949. If anything however, this page stands as evidence for each of us that "there but for the grace of God go I."
Howard Unruh has been described as "an odd, withdrawn 'mama's boy' in his neighborhood". He grew up in East Camden, attending Cramer Junior High School and graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in January of 1939.
Unruh served in the United States Army in Europe, and saw considerable combat. After returning home he became increasingly withdrawn. On September 6, 1949 the schizophrenia that had been manifesting itself unknown to his own family and his neighbors overtook him, and he killed 13 people in a shooting rampage that has been inaccurately described as "America's First Mass Murder".
Howard Unruh was never brought to trial, his mental condition being apparent to those who apprehended him. Sent to Trenton State Prison shortly after his arrest, he has been confined to a maximum security hospital for the criminally insane, and will remain confined for the rest of his life. This may well be considered one of the few times that the criminal justice system in New Jersey worked by its very un-involvement in the proceedings.
If there is any possible "silver lining" that can be found in this sad affair, is that the Unruh affair may have spurred the federal government to put additional resources into mental health care for the veterans that came home from World War II. Howard Unruh's rampage was arguably the culmination of a chain of events that had been taking place since the middle of World War II, evidenced by a series of suicides and suicide attempts by soldiers home on leave and discharged veterans.
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Howard Unruh - 1939 High School Yearbook |
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Of
the many on-line articles about Howard Unruh,
the most informative and objective one,
by Katherine
Ramsland
can
be found
HERE.
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Trenton
State Prison
Trenton, New Jersey |