Don Holleder
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Donald Walter Holleder (born August 3, 1934, died October 16, 1967) was an American college football star and a hero of the Vietnam War.
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[edit] Early life and football career
Holleder was born and raised in Irondequoit, New York and attended high school at the Aquinas Institute. Although he was heavily recruited by a number of top college football teams, he elected to enroll at the United States Military Academy at West Point. As a junior in 1954, he was named to the All-America team as an end. The following season, Army head coach Red Blaik asked him to move to quarterback. Holleder clearly lacked the skills to be a productive passer, but Blaik felt that his leadership skills were important and would help the struggling team improve. Blaik's move was ridiculed but it paid off. The team finished with a record of 7-1-1, including a rousing upset of Navy that lead to Holleder's appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
[edit] Military career
The New York Giants selected Holleder in the 1956 National Football League college draft, but Holleder was not interested in a professional football career. After graduating West Point, he continued to serve in the Army. Over the next ten years he rose to the rank of Major, serving posts in Korea and Germany, and briefly returning to West Point as an instructor and assistant football coach.
[edit] Battle of Ong Thanh
In 1967, Holleder requested to be sent to Vietnam, where he became the Operations Officer for 28th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division. He was killed in the Battle of Ong Thanh on October 16, 1967, while attempting to rescue a group of his fellow soldiers who had been ambushed. Holleder battled sniper fire to land his helicopter in a clearing. While he was leading the evacuation, he was struck by enemy fire and killed. The battle is documented in Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Maraniss’ book They Marched Into Sunlight. A film of the story is being produced by Tom Hanks.[1]
[edit] Legacy
Holleder left behind a wife and four children. In 1974, the football stadium in his hometown was renamed Holleder Memorial Stadium in his honor. In 1985, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and that same year, West Point's indoor sports arena was renamed in his honor (The Donald W. Holleder Center). Each year, the Army football team recognizes one of their players with the Black Lion Award, given "to a player who best exemplifies the character of Don Holleder, leadership, courage, devotion to duty, self sacrifice and, above all, an unselfish concern to put the team ahead of himself."
[edit] Trivia
- The coach who recruited Holleder to West Point was Vince Lombardi, then an assistant coach who oversaw the team's offense.
- One of Holleder's classmates at West Point was Norman Schwarzkopf. They both graduated in 1956.
