Born in Baker, Oregon Sgt Holcomb is the only student on this list to have earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. His citation is listed below. While serving with the Company D, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division he was killed in Phuoc Long, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The Holcomb Park in Richland Oregon is named after him and he has a plaque in the Oregon section of the MOH Grove at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He was survived by his parents and brother.
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
JOHN NOBLE HOLCOMB
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 3 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 machinegun, 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 machinegun 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, everyone 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.
http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/23653/JOHN-N-HOLCOMB
https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=278584
https://oregondigital.org/catalog/oregondigital:fx71c095m#page/1/mode/1up (pgs 1, 2, 13-16, 19)
https://www.bakercityherald.com/csp/mediapool/sites/BakerCityHerald/Loca...
https://themedalofhonor.com/medal-of-honor-recipients/recipients/holcomb...
http://www.hawaiireporter.com/another-oregon-hero-sgt-john-noble-holcomb...
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7028072
http://thewall-usa.com/info.asp?recid=23673
http://thewall-usa.com/mohrec.asp?recid=60&servid=23673
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3302/holcomb-john-noble.php