Courtney Announces Placement of Memorial Headstone for the Late U.S. Army Captain Arnie Holm of Waterford
April 25, 2015
Holm was killed in action in Vietnam helicopter crash in 1972; His remains were not recovered until 2011
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joe Courtney announced today that Arlington National Cemetery placed the headstone that marks the gravesite of U.S. Army Captain and Waterford native Arnold “Dusty” Holm, who was killed in action in a helicopter crash in the central highlands of Vietnam in 1972. Captain Holm’s remains, along with those of his two comrades Private First Class Wayne Bibbs and Specialist Fourth Class Robin Yeakley, were not recovered from the crash site until 2011, after years of advocacy from family and friends, including Holm’s widow, Margarete, and eastern Connecticut veterans’ groups. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Vietnam War.
“Fifty years after U.S. troops landed in Vietnam, this solemn memorial is a fitting tribute to Captain Holm and his fallen comrades, who gave their lives in Vietnam," Courtney said. "For decades, he was listed as Missing or Killed in Action, leaving his loved ones without the closure that comes with a proper burial. Thanks to the tireless efforts of family, friends, and eastern Connecticut veterans, Arnie and his fellow soldiers were brought home and interred at Arlington in 2011.
“I am pleased that this long uphill battle is finally complete, with Captain Holm receiving the burial honors and memorial he rightfully earned in service to our nation—his memory will live on, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Courtney said.
Captain Holm was finally laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on November 9, 2011, in a joint burial with Private First Class Wayne Bibbs and Specialist Fourth Class Robin Yeakley. Following up on the work of his predecessor, Rob Simmons, to find and return Holm’s remains, Courtney met with the Department of Defense Joint Personnel Accounting Command in 2007 to advocate for excavation of the suspected crash site, and continued to push for the return and identification of the soldiers’ remains.
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Issues:
Veterans & Military Personnel