Randolph M. Holder

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Randolph Mitchell Holder
20 September 1918 – 5 June 1942
Place of birth	Jackson, Mississippi
Place of death	Midway Atoll
Allegiance	United States of America
Years of service	1940–1942
Rank	Lieutenant (j.g.), USN
Unit	Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6)
Battles/wars	Battle of Midway
Awards	Navy Cross (posthumous)

Randolph Mitchell Holder was born 20 September 1918 in Jackson, Mississippi, and was commissioned Ensign 10 April 1940 following flight training. Reporting to Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6) in the famous aircraft carrier Enterprise (CV-6), he took part in the early carrier operations in the critical months following the attack on Pearl Harbor and then fought in the pivotal Battle of Midway, first of the great American successes in the sea war. In the gallant attack of the torpedo planes early on 4 June 1942, Holder and his comrades attacked the Japanese ships without fighter cover. Though Holder and many others were shot down while pressing this attack, they forced radical maneuvers and diverted Japanese air cover so as to make the later raids lethal to the enemy fleet. Lieutenant (j.g.) Holder was presumed dead next day, 5 June 1942, and was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for his heroism.

In 1944, the destroyer escort USS Holder (DE-401) was named in his honor; after DE-401's loss, the destroyer USS Holder (DD-819) received a similar honor in 1945.

[edit] References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.