Colonel Nelson Miles Holderman

SECTIONSECTION 2 History and Background Colonel Nelson Miles Holderman Veterans Home of California—Brief History Medal of Honor Colonel Nelson Miles Holderman 2 Veterans Home of California—Yountville Colonel Nelson Miles this incredible display of unflinching courage, his Holderman exhausted and demoralized men started firing and Medal Of Honor Recipient joining the counter attack. This unexpected action By Nathaniel T. Robertson Regimental Historian, halted pinning down the attackers until they 185th Armor Regiment retreated; thus again preventing the positions from Colonel Holderman entered service in the being enveloped. On 6 October, in a wounded California National Guard as Private, advanced condition and at great personal risk, he rushed to noncommissioned officer, and was later through enemy machinegun and shell fire, and elected as a Lieutenant in Company L, 7th carried two wounded comrades to a place of California Infantry Regiment. In 1916, he served safety. On the afternoon of 7 October, he and one with the Regiment during Mexican Border other man, with only pistols and band grenades Service, and later organized into Company L, alone and single handed, met and dispersed an 160th Infantry, assigned to the 40th Division. He attacking enemy platoon; when they attempted to and his whole company were assigned as close in on the right flank while at the same time replacements to Company K, 307th Infantry making a frontal attack. He killed and wounded Regiment, 77th Division. He was awarded the most of the attacking enemy, thus saving two Congressional Medal of Honor and the machineguns from capture as well as preventing California Medal for Valor for his actions during the envelopment of the position. the period 2-8 October 1918, while Commanding That night the Germans used flame-throwers Company K, 307th Infantry Regiment of the during their last all-out assault against his "The Lost Battalion". He was wounded on 4th, position. Although he was wounded and in a 5th, and 7th October, although suffering great serious condition he remained on his feet, keeping pain and subjected to fire of every character, he the firing line organized, inspiring and leading his continued to personally lead and inspire the men preventing the envelopment of the position officers and men under his command. On 5 by a enemy superior force. He refused to let his October, in a wounded condition he left the wounds interfere with his duty until after relief safety of his position to lead a series of counter was effected. The successful defense of the attacks against a large attacking German force. position was largely due to his courage. He During the last of these attacks, while in great personally led his men out of the position to the pain and bleeding from his wounds; he stood in rear after the relief arrived and before permitting the open so his men could see him moving his wounds to be attended. The courageous towards the aggressors, affixing his bayonet; then optimism and inspiring bravery of this officer blasting away with his rifle, whooping and encouraged his men to a successful resistance in hollering whenever he scored a hit. Inspired by spite of five days fighting, hunger and exposure." Employee Handbook 3 Colonel Holderman and his Company's of the force consisting of six companies of the actions have been credited as the primary 308th Infantry, two platoons of the 306th reason why repeated German attacks failed, Machine Gun Battalion and Company K, 307th and the position was never captured. Infantry, and which force was cut off and surrounded by the enemy for five days and nights Colonel Nelson Miles Holderman, was born in the Forest d'Argonne, France, from October 10 November 1885, died 3 September 1953, 2nd to October 7th, 1918. Captain Nelson M. buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Holderman though wounded early in the siege Bruno, San Mateo County, California. After and suffering great pain continued throughout the the war he returned to California, rejoined the entire period leading and encouraging the officers National Guard and was appointed a Colonel. and men under his command. He was wounded In 1926, the Governor of California appointed on the 4th of October but remained in action him the Commandant of the California during all attacks made by the enemy upon the Yountville Soldier's Home, where he served position, personally leading his men, himself until his death in 1953. The "Colonel remaining exposed to fire of every character. He Holderman Years" was considered very was again wounded on the 5th of October, but successful. He built new dorms, buildings, continued personally organizing and directing the hospital, and expanded the entire facility. defense of the right flank against enemy attacks. Colonel Holderman was considered by many During the entire period he personally supervised as the most decorated soldier of World War I, the care of the wounded exposing himself to shell but never used his fame for personal gain. and machine gunfire that he might help and Many said of him, that he was honorable, encourage his men to hold the position. On generous, selfless, and worked tirelessly for October 6th, though in a wounded condition he veterans and his Country. rushed through shell and machine gun fire and Major Charles Whittlesey 's carried two wounded men to a place of safety. Recommendation: This officer though wounded, continued to direct Major Whittlesey, when making his the defense of the right flank and on the 7th of recommendation for the award of the October was again wounded but continued in Congressional Medal of Honor to Captain action. On the afternoon of October 7th this Nelson M. Holderman, whom he designated officer and one man, with pistols and band to command and conduct the defense of the grenades alone and single handed, met and right wing and right flank of the position, had dispersed a body of the enemy, killing and the following to say: wounding most of the party, when they attempted "While in command of Company K, 307th to close in on the right flank while their forces Infantry which company held the right flank were at the same time making a frontal attack, 4 Veterans Home of California—Yountville thus saving two machine gum from capture as well as preventing the envelopment of the right flank. "Dear Captain Holderman: Again on the evening of the 7th of October and during the last attack made by the enemy upon the To my great delight I have just received a notification of the position, a liquid fire attack was directed or the award to you of the Medal of right flank; though in a wounded and serious Honor. I am enclosing herewith condition Captain Holderman remained on his feet, the carbon copy, although I keeping the firing line organized and preventing know the information will have reached you direct. This is the the envelopment of the right flank. He refused to finest news in the world and I let his wounds interfere with his duty until after am looking forward with relief was effected. The successful defense of the eagerness to passing it on to position was largely due to his courage. He George McMurtry. personally led his men out of the position after I wish I could be on hand to see assistance arrived and before permitting himself to you decorated. be attended. The courageous optimism and Let me hear from you when you inspiring bravery of this officer encouraged his can. men to a successful resistance in spite of five days With best wishes, as ever, fighting, hunger and exposure." Sincerely yours, After Captain Holderman was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Major Whittlesey (Signed) Charles W. Whittlesey." wrote him the following letter: Citation The Medal of Honor Rank at time of receipt: Captain Holderman commanded a com- Captain, U.S. Army pany of a battalion which was cut off and Unit: 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division surrounded by the enemy. He was Place and date: Northeast of Binarville, in the wounded on 4, 5, and 7 October, but throughout the entire period, suffering forest of Argonne, France, 2-8 October 1918 great pain and subjected to fire of every Entered service at: Santa Ana, California. character, he continued personally to lead Born: Trumbell, Nebraska and encourage the officers and men under his command with unflinching courage Medal credited to: California and with distinguished success. On 6 Oc- Authority: War Department General Order 11, tober, in a wounded condition, he rushed 1921 through enemy machinegun and shell fire and carried 2 wounded men to a place of safety. Employee Handbook 5 Veterans Home of California, Yountville A Brief History: In the Beginning Between 1869 and 1870, the Society of Mexican War Veterans first proposed a veterans home for California. The Legislature passed a bill providing a plot of land in San Francisco for a home. The Mexican War Veterans were not a strong enough organization to spearhead construction of a home, and nothing was done until 1877 when the Lincoln Post of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) in San Francisco, inaugurated measures to secure the land in the city and build a veterans home. In 1880, Col. J.J. Lyon stood before the post encampment and proposed that the GAR build a veterans home. Lyon is often credited as the father of the veterans home for his role in bringing plans into reality. A committee was appointed and took title to the San Francisco site donated by the Legislature in 1877, but then decided it would be a poor location. They wanted the home to be in the country where the members could have work as well as enjoy the beauty of the countryside.

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