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Contact Info
Home Town Bangor, ME
Date of Passing May 18, 1953
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates 4 3025
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Vice Admiral Carl Frederick Holden, USN (Ret.)
First Commanding officer of the USS New Jersey
Awarded nine battle stars in the Asia-Pacific Theatre
Born in Bangor, Maine, Holden graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1917. He saw service in World War I on destroyers based in Queenstown, Ireland. Lieutenant Commander Holden was given command of the destroyer Mason in 1920. In 1922-1924 he took a Master's degree in Electrical Communications Engineering from the Naval Academy and Harvard University, and spent the next ten years on communications-related assignments, including a posting with the Naval Mission to Brazil. He commanded the destroyer Tarbell in 1932-34, and in 1935-36 was sent to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as District Communications Officer.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, Holden was serving as Executive Officer with the rank of Commander on the battleship Pennsylvania when it was attacked and damaged by Japanese aircraft at Pearl Harbor. In January 1942 he was made Fleet Communication Officer on the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Fleet, and was then appointed Director of Naval Communications in September 1942, replacing Joseph Redman. In 1943 he became the first captain of the battleship New Jersey, a position he held for most of the war. In 1945 he was made Rear Admiral in charge of Cruiser Division Pacific, and witnessed the Japanese surrender from the deck of the Missouri in Tokyo Bay. He subsequently became Commander of US Naval Forces in occupied Germany, retiring from that position (and the Navy) in 1952.
At his funeral, in their dress blues, were Halsey, Struble, DeLany, Austin, Duncan, Curts, Killenkoetter and Jarrett lined up around the grave, heads bowed. The honorary pallbearers - Navy heroes all of them - had gathered to honor a man from Bangor who was one of their own.
Marshall Islands Operation (1944)/Battle of Eniwetok Atoll (Operation Catchpole)
From Month/Year
February / 1944
To Month/Year
February / 1944
Description The Battle of Eniwetok was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought between 17 February 1944 and 23 February 1944, on Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
Naval bombardment of Eniwetok began on 17 February, and the 22nd Marine Regiment, commanded by Col John T. Walker, landed on Engebi Island, on 18 February at 08:43 the next day. Resistance was light, and the island was declared secure by 1450, though mopping-up continued through the next day. US losses included 85 dead and missing plus 166 wounded.
Intelligence suggested that the defenses on Eniwetok Island would be heavier than planned, though there was a comparatively preparatory bombardment before the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 106th Infantry Regiment went ashore at 0916 on 19 Feb., followed by the 3/22 at 1425. However, the Japanese soldiers had strong spider-hole positions, plus the Japanese concentrated their forces to the southwest, counterattacking the American flank, which forced the Americans to attack through the night. The island was not secured until 21 February. Americans were killed or missing and 94 wounded.
The mistake was not repeated at Parry Island. The battleships USS Tennessee and USS Pennsylvania and other ships delivered more than 900 tons of explosive onto the island. The 104th Field Artillery on eniwetok and the 2nd Separate Pack Howitzer Battalions on Japtan provided additional fire support. The 1/22 and 2/22 Marines landed at 0900 on 22 Feb. At 1930, the regimental commander radioed "I present you with the island of Parry", though operations continued through the next day. US casualties included 73 dead and missing plus 261 wounded.
