Nelson M. Holderman
| Nelson M. Holderman | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nickname(s) | "Neb" |
| Born |
November 10, 1885 Trumbull, Nebraska, United States |
| Died | September 3, 1953 (aged 67) San Bruno, California, United States |
| Place of burial | Golden Gate National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1916–1923 |
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Unit | 307th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Silver Star Purple Heart Croix de Guerre |
Colonel Nelson Miles Holderman (November 10, 1885 – September 3, 1953) was a United States Army officer, most notable for commanding a rifle company of the Lost Battalion during World War I for which he received the Medal of Honor. He was considered by many to be one of the most decorated American soldiers of the war.
Holderman was born in Trumbull, Nebraska, on 10 November 1885 and named Nelson Miles Holderman after a military officer that his father had served under who had been a hero in the American Civil War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He was the second oldest son in a family which included three older sisters and two brothers. In 1893, his family moved to Tustin, California, where his parents bought 30 acres (120,000 m2) of land to grow oranges, walnuts and apricots.
In 1916, Holderman enlisted as a private in the Santa Ana unit of the California Army National Guard. From June to October of that year, he participated in patrols on the United States–Mexico border during the time of Pancho Villa's raids. Holderman quickly rose through the ranks and by the time of the American entry into World War I, which occurred on April 6, 1917, he was a captain, and a company commander in charge of Company L of his Santa Ana unit.
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