CHANDLER, Ariz. — Jack Holder, a 101-year-old survivor of Pearl Harbor, has died, according to his caretaker.
"It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of our dearest friend and esteemed member of the Greatest Generation, Pearl Harbor survivor and Navy Flight Engineer Jack Holder," Darlene Tryon said.
"I was with Jack as he took his final breath on February 24 at Chandler Regional Medical Center, Chandler, Arizona, at the age of 101."
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial also shared news of his passing on Sunday.
"After surviving the attack, Holder flew over 100 missions, many of which turned the tide of war in favor of the United States in the Pacific Theater including several battles, at Midway, Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, and the English Channel," the memorial said in a Facebook post.
"Holder earned many titles and distinctions including two Distinguished Flying Cross Medals and one Presidential Citation. He was honorably discharged in 1948."
Holder was honored in April by a congressional delegation in Arizona. See our coverage of it here:
Holder, who lived in Chandler, made it a priority to share his story with as many people throughout the Valley as possible in the last few years of his life after the outpouring of support he received after visiting the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.
"The positive reception [Holder] and other World War II veterans receive triggered a desire to tell the stories of World War II," Tryon said.
"[Holder] became a regular at Pearl Harbor Commemorations, museums, schools and multiple other events around the country that I have been honored to accompany him on. It is his message that he continued to spread that inspired both young and old alike the meaning of courage and bravery."
In 2021, he shared the events of WWII with students in Gilbert on the anniversary of the Battle of Midway and told heroic stories during a Veterans Day celebration.
Holder also got to take one last flight on his 100th birthday, thanks to the nonprofit Grounded No More.
"Jack Holder was 101 years old; you will be forever missed , and we want to thank you for your service to our great nation," the memorial said.
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