John Noble Holcomb

He rallied wounded soldiers while resisting repeated attacks

John Noble Holcomb was born on June 11, 1946, in Baker, Oregon. He served in the United States Army as a sergeant with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War.

After graduating from Eagle Valley High School in 1964, Holcomb attended college in Oregon. He enlisted in 1966 and served with the 3rd Armored Division in Germany before beginning his Vietnam tour on March 23, 1968.

On December 3, 1968, near Quan Loi, his company was attacked from three sides after landing by helicopter. Holcomb moved among his squad, encouraged the men and directed their fire. When his machine gunner was incapacitated, he took the weapon forward and helped force the attackers back.

He treated and moved the wounded, then repelled another assault. A rocket destroyed his machine gun and seriously wounded him. Despite the injury and a spreading grass fire, he continued moving his men to safer positions. As the platoon's last surviving leader, he reached its radio and reported a third attack. Supporting fire broke the assault.

Holcomb died that day. President Richard Nixon presented his posthumous Medal of Honor to his family on February 16, 1971. He is buried at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland, Oregon.

Official citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Holcomb distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader in Company D during a combat assault mission. Sgt. Holcomb's company assault had landed by helicopter and deployed into a hasty defensive position to organize for a reconnaissance-in-force mission when it was attacked from three sides by an estimated battalion-size enemy force. Sgt. Holcomb's squad was directly in the path of the main enemy attack. With complete disregard for the heavy fire, Sgt. Holcomb moved among his men giving encouragement and directing fire on the assaulting enemy. When his machine gunner was knocked out, Sgt. Holcomb seized the weapon, ran to a forward edge of the position, and placed withering fire on the enemy. His gallant actions caused the enemy to withdraw. Sgt. Holcomb treated and carried his wounded to a position of safety and reorganized his defensive sector despite a raging grass fire ignited by the incoming enemy mortar and rocket rounds. When the enemy assaulted the position a second time, Sgt. Holcomb again manned the forward machine gun, devastating the enemy attack and forcing the enemy to again break contact and withdraw. During the enemy withdrawal an enemy rocket hit Sgt. Holcomb's position, destroying his machine gun and severely wounding him.

Despite his painful wounds, Sgt. Holcomb crawled through the grass fire and exploding mortar and rocket rounds to move the members of his squad, every one of whom had been wounded, to more secure positions. Although grievously wounded and sustained solely by his indomitable will and courage, Sgt. Holcomb as the last surviving leader of his platoon organized his men to repel the enemy, crawled to the platoon radio, and reported the third enemy assault on his position.

His report brought friendly supporting fires on the charging enemy and broke the enemy attack. Sgt. Holcomb's inspiring leadership, fighting spirit, in action at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.