HOLDEN, HAROLD C.

BEND, OREGON –Mst/Sgt Harold Clive Holden, USMC, passed away Sunday, January 17, 2010. He was born in Schenectady, N.Y., son of Joseph and Bessie Holden. Harold attended Draper High School in Schenectady, and went on to attain two careers: USMC in April 2, 1939, retiring as a Master Sergeant April 20,1960; Retail sales at various San Diego County Vons Markets 1960 to 1980, working for Vons in many North Country stores. Harold joined the USMC in 1939, and served in WWII as an original member of the famed Edson’s 1st Raider Bn. of 1st Marine Division. He was in the first wave to hit Tulagi Island on August 8, 1942. He was credited with capturing the first Japanese flag of WWII, which was located on a government building on Tulagi in August 1942. In 2006, a native on Tulagi found Holden’s WWII dog tag in an old Jap Machine Gun position! This native took the 64-year-old dog tag to John Innes, an Australian Government Official, who gives historic tours of Tulagi and the next door island of Guadalcanal. Innes researched the owner and was able to contact Harold, then living in Oceanside, and returned his old dog tags to Holden’s surprise and delight. He recalled having lost his tags but did not know if it was Tulagi or Guadalcanal. He was in all the Solomons Island campaigns and in 1943 he was given a battlefield promotion from Cpl. to Staff Sgt. Harold earned the Combat Action Ribbon and other various medals as a Marine. He retired from USMC in 1960 as a Master Sgt. Harold married Roseland Wilson on March 19, 1944. They had been married 65 years at his passing. They lived in Oceanside for 54 years from 1950 until 2004, when he and Roseland moved to Bend, Ore. Survivors include his wife, Roseland; son, Butch Holden of Bend, Ore.; and daughter, LuAnn Green of Spokane, Wash. His son, Greg, passed away in 1984. A Family Memorial Service will be held in Bend, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, please support Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside.