Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/98

 ��THE FORT SHERIDAN ASSOCIATION

��FIRST LIEUTENANT VERNON ALANSON HOLDEN

Company D, 9th Machine Gun Battalion, Third Division. Killed in action near Mezzy, France, on July 15, 1918.

��1st Lt. VERNON A. HOLDEN

��Lieutenant Holden was born in Merril- lan. Wis., on October 3, 1876. He was educated in the public schools of Eau Claire, Wis., and was a graduate of Chi- cago Veterinary College. He enlisted in the army in 1905 and was assigned to Panama, where his w^ork as sanitary in- spector elicted much commendation. He rose to the rank of first lieutenant before resigning from the army. He also or- ganized the first volunteer militia com- pany of Neenah, Wis. At the outbreak of the war he applied for and was ad- mitted to the Second Officers' Training Camp at Fort Sheridan, where he was commissioned. He wras then ordered to the 9th Machine Gun Battalion at Camp Greene, N. C, with which organization he sailed for France in March, 1918. it was while Lieutenant Holden was bring- ing up a relief platoon that the troops ran into a terrific barrage, and he was hit by a piece of shell, causing instant death. He w^as unmarried. His parents Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Holden, who survive him, reside in Neenah, Wis.

��SECOND LIEUTENANT ALVIN HOLEN

Company H, 23rd Infantry, Second Division. Killed in action near Chateau Thierry on July 18, 1918.

��Lieutenant Holen was born in Westby, Wis., on October 24, 1892. After a pub- lic school education he entered Michigan State Normal College at Ypsilanti, wrhere he graduated in 1915, and was appointed to the superintendency of schools for Galien, Mich. He was admitted to the Second Officers' Training Camp at Fort Sheridan and assigned to the Fifteenth Company. Upon receiving his commis- sion he was ordered overseas, sailing on January 15, 1918, as a casual officer. Upon arrival in France he received fur- ther military instruction in the A. E. F. schools and was then assigned to Com- pany M of the 9th Infantry. He was later transferred to the 23rd regiment. Lieu- tenant Holen w^as in action at Bouresches, Belleau Woods, Vaux and Chateau Thierry, and it was near the latter place that he met death while leading his men. He was married to Miss Theda Shaw of Burr Oak, Mich., on December 25, 1917. Besides his w^idow he is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. August Holen of Big Rapids, Mich.

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��2nd Lt. ALVIN HOLEN

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