Don Holleder

The New York Giants selected Holleder in the 1956 NFL Draft college draft. However, Holleder was not interested in a professional football career.

In 1967, Holleder, now a major, requested to be sent to Vietnam, where he became the Operations Officer for 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division.

During the Battle of Ong Thanh on Tuesday October 17, 1967, he and his commanding officer were overflying the battle in a helicopter. They observed the entire command unit on the ground had been killed and the remaining men were in serious trouble. Don volunteered to organize a rescue effort. Upon landing, Holleder secured three volunteers and rushed to the battle site. Running far in front of his volunteers, he was shot by a sniper. The volunteers who accompanied him pulled him into cover behind a tree. Before they could apply emergency first aid, Holleder died.[2] He is interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Infantry) Donald Walter Holleder (ASN: 0-73723), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action. On 17 October 1967, during Operation Shenandoah II, Major Holleder was serving as Brigade Operations Officer while accompanying his Brigade Commander in the aerial supervision of ground elements. At approximately 1100 hours, the 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, became heavily engaged with elements of two Viet Cong battalions. The fire of the well positioned enemy caused a loss of key personnel, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the friendly unit. The Brigade Commander elected to command the embattled battalion from the ground and landed his helicopter. They then moved forward to reestablish effective command and control of the unit. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Major Holleder braved the vicious enemy fire to move through the ranks of the fighting and wounded soldiers, offering them words of encouragement and helping to establish orderly evacuation for the casualties. When the intense sniper fire impeded the evacuation of the wounded, Major Holleder unhesitatingly moved forward to reconnoiter the evacuation route. He refused to take seek cover from the deadly volleys of insurgent sniper fire and continued to assess the enemy situation until he was mortally wounded by the heavy ground fire. His tremendous courage and poise in the face of overwhelming odds had a stabilizing effect on his men and was instrumental in saving many lives. Major Holleder's unquestionable valor in close combat against numerically superior hostile forces, was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Military Service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 1st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.[3]

Citation:

For distinguishing himself by outstanding meritorious service in connection with ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam during the period July 1967 to September 1967. Through his untiring efforts and professional ability, he consistently obtained outstanding results. He was quick to grasp the implications of new problems with which he was faced as a result of the ever changing situations inherent in a counterinsurgency operation and to find ways and means to solve those problems. The energetic application of his extensive knowledge has materially contributed to the efforts of the United States mission to the Republic of Vietnam to assist that country in ridding itself of the Communist threat to its freedom. His initiative, zeal, sound judgement and devotion to duty have been in the highest tradition of the United States Army and reflect great credit on him and on the military service.[4]