Harlan D. Holm

Harlan D. Holm, 91, passed away January 3, 2016. He was born in rural Irene, South Dakota, on April 9, 1924, the son of Harl and Marie (Danielsen) Holm. He graduated from Irene High School in 1942. Following graduation from high school, he enrolled in the University of South Dakota at Vermillion, where he joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps in September, 1942. He signed up for the U.S. Army Enlisted Reserve Corps on December 10, 1942. He was entered into active service and was sworn into the Army on March 20, 1943 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.

Harlan completed infantry basic training in heavy weapons at Camp Wolters, Texas. Following basic training, he was shipped to Oran, North Africa. From Oran, he was shipped to the Salerno Beachhead where he was assigned to Company D of the 540th Combat Engineer Regiment. There he served for 11 months before participating in the invasion of Southern France on August 15, 1944. While in Italy he took part in the invasion of the Anzio Beachhead on January 22, 1944. He earned the Bronze Arrowhead for the “D Day” participation in the invasion of the Anzio Beachhead, and also for the “D Day” invasion of Southern France.

In addition to the bronze arrowhead, he earned six battle stars for serving in the following battle zones: Naples Fogia, Rome-Arno, Southern France, the Rhineland, Alsace-Ardennes, and Central Europe. He also participated in the building of a pontoon bridge across the Rhine River on the Seventh Army front at Worms, Germany. He qualified to be decorated by the government of France as a Knight of the Legion of Honor for risking his life during World War II fighting on French soil.

He was honorably discharged from the Army at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin on or about November 21, 1945, having attained the rank of Technician 5th Grade. After World War II he became a life member of the American Legion and the Glenn A. Andersen Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, where he served as First Adjutant.

Harlan enrolled at Grand View College in September, 1946 and completed Junior College there in 1948. He enrolled in the Iowa State Teachers College in September, 1948. He graduated there with a B.A. Degree in the spring of 1950. He then enrolled at Colorado State College of Education in the summer of 1950, and graduated with a M.A. degree in the summer of 1953.

Harlan’s lifetime teaching career included Brandon and Pickstown, South Dakota, Dike, Iowa and twenty-seven years at East High School in Des Moines, Iowa. He also served as a sociology instructor for twenty years at Grand View College in Des Moines. He was a Life Member of the Glenn A. Andersen Post (VFW Post 7025) in Viborg, South Dakota, and also a Life Member of the American Legion Highland Park Post (Post No. 374) in Des Moines, Iowa.

On May 23, 1953, he was united in marriage to Josephine Elizabeth Yeager of Green, Kansas. To this union two sons were born.

Harlan is survived by his sons H. Daniel Holm Jr. (Linda) of Cedar Falls, Iowa and Alvin C. Holm (Sandra) of Little Canada, Minnesota; five grandchildren; a sister Harriet Hansen of Centerville, South Dakota; two sisters-in-law, Alberta Smith and Lorraine Bramwell, both of Concordia, Kansas; and one brother-in-law, Robert Pokorny of Hays, Kansas.

Harlan was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Josephine; his brother, Kermit, brother-in-law, Jerald Hansen; six additional brothers-in-law, and five sisters-in-law.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., with funeral service at 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 8, 2016 at Luther Memorial Church, 1201 Grandview Avenue. Burial will take place at 2:00 p.m. Friday at Iowa Veterans Cemetery, Adel, Iowa.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Luther Memorial Church.

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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