ARIZONA NEWS

Pearl Harbor survivor, WWII hero Jack Holder dies in Chandler at age 101

Feb 27, 2023, 11:11 AM | Updated: Apr 10, 2023, 9:44 am

Jack Holder (Photos via Facebook/Pearl Harbor National Memorial)...

Jack Holder (Photos via Facebook/Pearl Harbor National Memorial)

(Photos via Facebook/Pearl Harbor National Memorial)

PHOENIX — Jack Holder, a Pearl Harbor survivor and World War II hero who settled in Chandler, has died at age 101.

Holder died Friday at the Chandler Regional Medical Center, according to a post on the Pacific Historic Parks Facebook page by Darlene Tryon, a close friend of Holder and executor of his estate.

Pacific Historic Parks is a nonprofit group that supports several historic sites, including Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii. The Pearl Harbor National Memorial Facebook page also posted about Holder’s death.

Holder was born to a farming family in East Texas and joined the Navy in 1940 when he was 18. He was on duty at Ford Island within Oahu’s Pearl Harbor when Japanese aircraft bombed the U.S. naval base there on Dec. 7, 1941.

“I saw the [USS] Oklahoma turn turtle-up, I saw guys swimming through burning oil in the water,” he told KTAR News 92.3 FM in 2020.

“I guess the most vivid remembrance I have is thinking ‘God, please don’t let me die in this ditch.’”

More than 2,000 U.S. military personnel, including more than 1,000 aboard the USS Arizona, were killed in the attack, prompting the U.S. to enter World War II.

Holder went on to fly more than 100 missions during the war, including at the Battle of Midway.

“Jack was an incredible man, a patriot who served his country with distinction and honor,” Tryon wrote. “After surviving the Pearl Harbor attack, he fought in key Pacific battles that turned the tide of the war.”

Holder published a memoir titled “Fear, Adrenaline, and Excitement” in 2016.

In December 2021, Valley nonprofit Grounded No More took the war hero on an honor flight out of Mesa’s Falcon Field to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Holder will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be announced, Tryon said. A memorial service is being planned for Phoenix in early April.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

A crash between a vehicle and a group of bicyclists in Tempe on Sunday leaves three people injured....

Bailey Leasure

Crash in Tempe involving bicyclists injures 3

A crash between a vehicle and a group of bicyclists in Tempe on Sunday left three people injured.

1 hour ago

Phoenix reaches a daily heat record for a 13th consecutive day on Sunday. (Pixabay photo)...

Bailey Leasure

Phoenix reaches daily heat record for 13th consecutive day

Phoenix reaches a daily heat record for a 13th consecutive day on Sunday.

2 hours ago

Phoenix excessive heat warning extends through Oct. 8. (Pixabay photo)...

Bailey Leasure

Phoenix excessive heat warning extends through Tuesday

As record-high temperatures continue in the forecast, the ongoing excessive heat warning for Phoenix has been extended at least through Tuesday.

5 hours ago

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a rally at the Dort Fina...

Bailey Leasure

Presidential nominee Kamala Harris to campaign in Arizona this week

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris plans to campaign in Arizona this week ahead of the Nov. 5 general election.

6 hours ago

A Silver Alert for Alexis Brady was issued on Friday. (Arizona Department of Public Safety photo)....

KTAR.com

Silver Alert canceled after 17-year-old girl found safe

A Silver Alert for a 17-year old Mesa girl has been cancelled after she was found safe on Saturday.

8 hours ago

Iconic resort Phoenix...

Angela Gonzales/Phoenix Business Journal

Phoenix developer invests $100M to buy and renovate iconic resort

Phoenix-based Pivotal Group is investing $100 million to purchase and renovate the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak, an iconic property developed in 1977.

10 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Collins Comfort Masters: Leading the Way in HVAC and Plumbing Services in Arizona

Tempe, AZ – Since its inception in 1985, Collins Comfort Masters has been a cornerstone in the HVAC and plumbing industry in Phoenix and the surrounding Valley.

...

Collins Comfort Masters

Here’s how to be worry-free when your A/C goes out in the middle of summer

PHOENIX -- As Arizona approaches another hot summer, Phoenix residents are likely to spend more time indoors.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Beat the heat, ensure your AC unit is summer-ready

With temperatures starting to rise across the Valley, now is a great time to be sure your AC unit is ready to withstand the sweltering summer heat.

Pearl Harbor survivor, WWII hero Jack Holder dies in Chandler at age 101