Julian B. Baird was born in Texas in 1920 and was a resident of Tarrant County.
According to an enlistment record on the National Archives and Records Administration website, he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet on November 2, 1941. At that time, he had completed four years of college, was single without dependents, and listed musician as his occupation.
After flight training, he was assigned to the 499th Bomb Squadron of the 345th Bomb Group as one of the original cadre of pilots. He went on to become the Squadron Commander and flew at least thirty-eight combat missions during the period July 1943 through April 1944.