Glen C. Holder

Glen was born 27 November 1918, in Holiday, Missouri. He graduated From Duncan’s Bridge High School as Valedictorian in 1937. Glen entered the U.S. Army 1 July 1940 and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. Glen’s assignment was as a Gunnery Sergeant in the 31st Field Artillery.

Glen entered the service with the intentions of getting into flight training, but his commanding officer at Fort Ord, wanted him to go to OCS and become an Officer in the Field Artillery. Glen had to hand carry his papers to the flight acceptance office at Moffit Field, Ca. where he gained admission to flight training.

Primary training was done at Ontario, Ca. in the PT-17, Basic training at Gardner Field, Taft, Ca. in the BT-13, and Advanced training at Luke Field, Ar. in the AT-6. Glen received his wings March 1943 at Luke Field, and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Force. From Luke, Glen went to Fighter training at Hamilton Field, Ca., and Tonopah Field, Na. Flying P-39D’s.

June 1943 Glen was transferred to the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, and 5th Air Force. Capt. White of the 35th FS trained Glen at Townsville, Australia in combat fighter tactics. He was then sent to the 35th FS at Port Moresby’s 3-mile (Kila) airdrome flying the Bell P-39D Aerocobra in August 1943 and began a new round of combat with the Empire of Japan. The 35th Fighter Squadron was under the command of Major Emmett S. “Cyclone” Davis, one of the most respected combat leaders in the SWPA.

Glen first flew in combat 17 August 1943 at the controls of a P-400 (the export version of the P-39) his records show 2:00 hr / Escort of C-47’s.Glen only flew 10 combat missions in the P-39/P-400 before the 35th FS transitioned into the new P-40N-5 (25) “Warhawk”. In his first few missions Glen made an impression on his superior’s and due to his excellent vision (20\10), and strict radio discipline, Cyclone gave him the nickname “Gabby”.

Glen’s first combat mission flying the P-40N was on 18 August 1943, 4.5 hr / Escort of B-25’s. Glen flew many Escort, Patrol, Strike, and Intercept missions during September, October, and November, and Glen “Gabby” Holder made 1st Lieutenant October 1943.

25 December 1943 on a Patrol Fighter Sweep of West New Britain near Arawe “Gabby” claimed his first confirmed Air Combat Victory, a Ki-46-III “Dinah” Reconnaissance aircraft. The next day 26 December 1943 Glen was in combat again during the invasion of Cape Gloucester where he claimed a “Zeke” as a probable.

The next Air Combat for the 35th Fighter Squadron would set the World War II record for a VFC Squadron during a single engagement with the enemy. The date was 16 January 1944, on what was to be just another Patrol Convoy mission without much enemy action anticipated. As it turned out 35th FS mission # 5-52 would produce 19 confirmed Air Combat Victories, and 3 Probables. “Gabby” would claim two confirmed Air Combat Victories a Ki-61 “Tony”, and a Ki-43 “Oscar”. The Tony was piloted by W/O Takashi Noguchi, 3rd Chutai, 68th Sentai, of the JAAF a 14 Air Combat Victory Ace who parachuted from his “Hien” and was recovered by a RAN destroyer. Holder also claimed another “Oscar” as a probable during this historic mission, the last Air Combat for the 35th FS while flying the P-40N “Warhawk”.

The 35th Fighter Squadron transitioned to the LOCKHEED P-38 “Lighting” starting late February 1944 and by April combat missions were beginning with the new twin engine wonder. Glen scored his only confirmed Air Combat Victory flying the P-38 over the active volcano Mount, New Britain on 18 April 1944 the enemy aircraft was unusual in that it was a completely black A6M3-22 “Zeke”.

“Gabby” and the 35th FS flew numerous Dive Bomb, Strafe, and Strike missions, and the usual Patrol flights the months of April, May, and June during which the enemy was rarely seen in the air. Air Combat was not seen much until the Escort missions picked up in July 1944.

The months of August, September, and October were spent on long-range escort missions of 5:00 – 8:00 hr. duration. Charles Lindberg had come over to show the P-38 Combat Pilots of the VFC how to get even more range out of their long-legged “Lightning” Fighters. “Gabby” had many long range/duration missions the longest being an 8:15 / Escort B-24 Strike.

Holders last combat mission of World War II was on 9 October 1944 a 4:00 hr / ship hunt & Patrol, during this mission Glen and his fellow flight members attacked and sunk a Japanese Cargo ship and its escorting corvette.

Rotated back to the states and promoted to Captain Glen became a P-38 combat Flight Instructor in California. During Glens 18 months in combat he flew 164 combat missions, and 400 combat hours.

During Glen’s 32-year military carrier in the U.S. Army, USAAF, and USAF he had many varied jobs and numerous stations, from the Philippines, the Pentagon, Greenland, and Vietnam, to Germany, and bases in California, New Mexico, Texas.

Captain Glen Holder commanded P-51D squadrons in the Philippines 1946-47, was assigned to the Air Force Chief of Staff at the Pentagon 1948. In 1965 now Lt. Col. Glen Holder was assigned to the staff of the Commanding Officer 7th Air Force in Vietnam. In November 1966 now Bird Colonel Glen Holder was assigned as Vice Commander USAFE stationed at Wiesbaden, West Germany.

On 1 July 1972 Colonel Glen C. Holder retired from the USAF at Bergstrom AFB, Austin, Texas. Glen Holder now lives in San Antonio, Texas with his wife Ann. Their two children Jessica, and John with his wife Kathy, live in Austin, Texas with “Colonels” grandchildren Tyler (Jessica), and Chelsea & Glen (John & Kathy).