Wallace Morgan Holt

"Wally"

Marine Corps Reserve | Service Number 824479

Born

May 24, 1923
in Grafton, ND

Parents

Ole Holt
Lillian (Aase) Holt

School

Grafton Central High School

Pre-War Employment

Clerk
S&L Department Store

Entered Service

May 15, 1943
at Minneapolis, MN

Joined First Battalion

August 26, 1943
from Infantry Battalion, Camp Elliott

Left First Battalion

July 25, 1944
Wounded and evacuated from Tinian

Left Service

October 2, 1945
Discharged as result of medical survey

Home Address and Next of Kin

Grafton, ND – address of mother, Mrs. Lillian Holt

Service & Campaigns

Before joining battalion

Enlisted at Minneapolis, Minnesota on 15 May 1943; boot camp at MCRD San Diego and advanced training with Infantry Battalion, Camp Elliott. Joined Able Company, First Battalion, 24th Marines at Camp Pendleton on 26 August 1943.

Roi-Namur

Outfit: A/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private
MOS: 745 (Rifleman)

Campaign Narrative

Saipan

Outfit: A/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private First Class
MOS: 745 (Rifleman)
Important Events:
June 16, 1944 – wounded in action (shrapnel, right arm); evacuated to unknown hospital
July 12, 1944 – returned to duty

Campaign Narrative

Tinian

Outfit: A/1/24th Marines
Rank: Private First Class
MOS: 745 (Rifleman)
Important Events:
July 25, 1944 – wounded in action (traumatic amputation, right arm); evacuated to USS J. Franklin Bell

Awarded Silver Star Medal for actions on July 25:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Wallace M. Holt (MCSN: 824479), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company A, First Battalion, Twenty-fourth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division during operations against enemy Japanese forces on Tinian Island, Marianas Group on 25 July 1944. When a live hand grenade was thrown into a foxhole that sheltered him and a severely wounded companion, Private First Class Holt boldly picked up the missile and, attempting to throw it back at the enemy suffered serious body wounds and the loss of his hand when it exploded. By his daring initiative, selfless efforts and indomitable courage, Private First Class Holt upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Campaign Narrative

After leaving battalion

Evacuated to US Naval Hospital #10 (Aiea Heights). Transferred to US Naval Hospital Mare Island, California on 30 September 1944. Under treatment at this hospital through October 1945.

On 2 October 1945, promoted to corporal and honorably discharged for disability.

Individual Decorations

Medal
Silver Star
Purple Heart
– with Gold Star

Campaign
Tinian (July 25, 1944)
Saipan (June 16, 1944)
Tinian (July 25, 1944)

Citation
“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity…”

We dug a three-man foxhole with two men from my squad, Wallace Holt and Leon Roquet. Everything was quiet until 12:30 A.M., when the Japanese at our front started yelling at us. They even threw rocks. It was obvious that there were a great many of them, and they were getting drunk.... At 2:00, all hell broke loose; they started the most devastating artillery and mortar attack we had ever been under. I remember shells coming so close to our foxhole that we all three were covered with dirt and pieces of shrapnel. I remember Roquet asking me if I was all right. I told him yes, but about that time, a big explosion took place on the edge of our hole. Holt turned to me and held up his arm and said, “I won’t be able to play baseball anymore, my hand is gone.” Holt got up and ran back to a first aid station. That’s the last time we heard from him.