Don Holleder
Encyclopedia
Donald Walter Holleder was an American college football
star and a hero of the Vietnam War
.
and attended high school at the Aquinas Institute
in nearby Rochester
. He was heavily recruited by a number of top college football teams, including West Point's offensive coach Vince Lombardi
.
He elected to enroll at the United States Military Academy
at West Point
. As a junior in 1954, he was named to the All-America team as an end. The following season, Army head coach Red Blaik asked him to move to quarterback. Holleder clearly lacked the skills to be a productive passer, but Blaik felt that his leadership skills were important and would help the struggling team improve. Blaik's move was ridiculed but it paid off. The team finished with a record of 6-3-0, including a rousing upset of Navy
that lead to Holleder's appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated
. One of Holleder's classmates at West Point was Norman Schwarzkopf. They both graduated in 1956.
selected Holleder in the 1956 NFL Draft
college draft, but Holleder was not interested in a professional football career. After graduating West Point, he continued to serve in the Army. Over the next ten years he rose to the rank of Major, serving posts in Korea and Germany, and briefly returning to West Point as an instructor and assistant football coach.
. He was killed in the Battle of Ong Thanh
on October 17, 1967 while attempting to rescue a group of his fellow soldiers who had been ambushed. Holleder battled sniper fire to land his helicopter in a clearing. While he was leading the evacuation, he was struck by enemy fire and killed. The battle is documented in Pulitzer Prize
-winning reporter David Maraniss
’ book They Marched Into Sunlight
. A film of the story is being produced by Tom Hanks
.
in his honor. The stadium was home to his high school Alma Mater's (Aquinas Institutes) football team. In 1985, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
, and that same year, West Point's indoor sports arena was renamed in his honor (The Donald W. Holleder Center). Each year, the Army football team recognizes one of their players with the Black Lion Award, given "to a player who best exemplifies the character of Don Holleder, leadership, courage, devotion to duty, self sacrifice and, above all, an unselfish concern to put the team ahead of himself."
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
star and a hero of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Early life and football career
Holleder was born and raised in Irondequoit, New YorkIrondequoit, New York
Irondequoit is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 census, the coterminous town-CDP had a total population of 51,692...
and attended high school at the Aquinas Institute
Aquinas Institute
The Aquinas Institute is a co educational catholic school Rochester, New York established in 1902. Aquinas Institute was founded as an all boys christian academy, but became an co-educational school in 1982. It is located within City of Rochester. It has stood at its current location on Dewey...
in nearby Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. He was heavily recruited by a number of top college football teams, including West Point's offensive coach Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
.
He elected to enroll at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. As a junior in 1954, he was named to the All-America team as an end. The following season, Army head coach Red Blaik asked him to move to quarterback. Holleder clearly lacked the skills to be a productive passer, but Blaik felt that his leadership skills were important and would help the struggling team improve. Blaik's move was ridiculed but it paid off. The team finished with a record of 6-3-0, including a rousing upset of Navy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
that lead to Holleder's appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. One of Holleder's classmates at West Point was Norman Schwarzkopf. They both graduated in 1956.
Military career
The New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Holleder in the 1956 NFL Draft
1956 NFL Draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was held on November 29, 1955.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
college draft, but Holleder was not interested in a professional football career. After graduating West Point, he continued to serve in the Army. Over the next ten years he rose to the rank of Major, serving posts in Korea and Germany, and briefly returning to West Point as an instructor and assistant football coach.
Battle of Ong Thanh
In 1967, Holleder requested to be sent to Vietnam, where he became the Operations Officer for 2nd Battalion 28th Infantry of the 1st Infantry DivisionU.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
. He was killed in the Battle of Ong Thanh
Battle of Ong Thanh
The Battle of Ong Thanh was fought on the morning of October 17, 1967, in Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam. During the first few months of 1967, the Viet Cong absorbed heavy losses as a result of large-scale search and destroy missions conducted by the United States Army, and it prompted North...
on October 17, 1967 while attempting to rescue a group of his fellow soldiers who had been ambushed. Holleder battled sniper fire to land his helicopter in a clearing. While he was leading the evacuation, he was struck by enemy fire and killed. The battle is documented in Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning reporter David Maraniss
David Maraniss
David Maraniss is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author. As a reporter for The Washington Post he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for his stories about the life and career of candidate Bill Clinton in the 1992 campaign for the U.S...
’ book They Marched Into Sunlight
They Marched into Sunlight
They Marched Into Sunlight: War and Peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967 is a book written by Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author David Maraniss, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for History in 2004 and won the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize...
. A film of the story is being produced by Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
.
Legacy
Holleder left behind a wife and four children. In 1974, the football stadium in his hometown was renamed Holleder Memorial StadiumHolleder Memorial Stadium
Holleder Memorial Stadium was a 20,000 seat football stadium in Rochester, New York.Located on Ridgeway Avenue, at the south east corner of Mount Read Blvd., it was built in 1949 to serve as the home of Aquinas Institute football....
in his honor. The stadium was home to his high school Alma Mater's (Aquinas Institutes) football team. In 1985, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, and that same year, West Point's indoor sports arena was renamed in his honor (The Donald W. Holleder Center). Each year, the Army football team recognizes one of their players with the Black Lion Award, given "to a player who best exemplifies the character of Don Holleder, leadership, courage, devotion to duty, self sacrifice and, above all, an unselfish concern to put the team ahead of himself."
See also
- 1954 College Football All-America Team1954 College Football All-America TeamThe 1954 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1954 college football season...
- Pat TillmanPat TillmanCorporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the...
- Bob KalsuBob KalsuJames Robert "Bob" Kalsu was an All-American tackle at the University of Oklahoma and an eighth-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League in 1968....
External links
- Holleder biography and tribute
- Entry at Arlington National Cemetery
- Holleder Center at USMA
- Bio at College Football Hall of Fame
- Holleder in high school football Hall of Fame
- They Called Him Holly - biography by Harvey Shapiro
- Photo of Holleder in Army-Navy game from Sports Illustrated
- Army press release on Black Lions Award
- Article on Black Lions Award
- A Salute to Our Local Heroes