Rank: First Lieutenant
Unit: D Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 1203 – Tank Unit Commander
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 18-Sep-1946
Hometown: England, Arkansas
Marital status: Married to Margaret L. Holman
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 2-Jun-1968
Start of tour: 5-May-1969
Incident date: 10-Mar-1970
Date of casualty: 10-Mar-1970
Age at death: 23
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Donald Woods Holman was killed while on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Platoon leader on reconnaissance mission. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Phillip Allen Elliott
1LT Donald Woods Holman
1LT Stuart Bassett Lamkin
SGT Robert Michael Smith
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 387 587
Place of interment: Mulberry Cemetery, England, Arkansas, USA
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SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
FIRST LIEUTENANT DONALD WOODS HOLMAN, ARMOR
10 MARCH 1970
D COMPANY, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
First Lieutenant Holman distinguished himself by gallantry in actions while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 10 March 1970 while serving as a platoon leader with Company D, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Lieutenant Holman led a reaction force into an area of enemy contact. As he reached the area Lieutenant Holman formed his platoon on line and began an assault upon the well concealed enemy positions. Seeing that one of the vehicles in the assault line had been stopped by a rocket propelled grenade which had injured the crew Lieutenant Holman immediately interposed his tank between the wounded men and the enemy fire. As the wounded were being evacuated Lieutenant Holman’s vehicle was hit by a rocket propelled grenade causing the turret to burst into flame and trapping one of the crew. Warning his driver of the impending danger Lieutenant Holman exposed himself to the enemy fire in order to place accurate suppressive fire upon the enemy with his machine gun. In spite of the intense fire and thee enemy rounds, Lieutenant Holman held his position effectively suppressing the enemy’s advance until his crew could evacuate the vehicle and the trapped man could be freed. Lieutenant Holman was then mortally wounded by the hostile fire. First Lieutenant Holman’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, General Orders No. 1751 (May 7, 1970)