Vietnam War MIA Soldier buried at Arlington

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Lisa Ferdinando | Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Lewis presents a flag to the family of Master Sgt. James W. Holt, who went missing and was presumed killed in action during the Vietnam War. Holt, 26, of Hope, Ark., was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 14, 2015. (Army News Service photo by Lisa Ferdinando)  

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VA, UNITED STATES

05.14.2015

Story by Lisa Ferdinando           

Defense Media Activity - Proper         

ARLINGTON, Va. - With full military honors, Master Sgt. James W. Holt, who was missing and presumed killed in action during the Vietnam War, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, May 14.

The flag-draped casket was carried on a caisson and escorted by Soldiers, from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). The solemn procession moved past the neat rows of white headstones before stopping at the burial site on a grassy hill overlooking the nation's capital.

Holt, 26, was assigned to Company C, 5th Special Forces Group. He was last seen, Feb. 7, 1968, when his unit was attacked by enemy forces near Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam.

Survivors of the attack reported that Holt was manning a 106 mm recoilless rifle in a mortar pit near the camp of Lang Vei, when he depleted his ammunition destroying an enemy tank. The survivors also reported he was last seen running toward the ammunition bunker.

After the battle, Holt was reported as missing in action. A military review board later amended his status to presumed killed in action.

His remains were recently identified and returned to his family for burial.

SOLEMN REMEMBRANCE

The tribute to Holt included a colors team, the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," and a firing party, which shot off three rifle volleys.

Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Lewis presented flags to Holt's widow, Linda Winslow, and daughters, Rebecca Holt and Jessica Holt. Capt. John Scott, chaplain, presided over the funeral.

Holt, who was from Hope, Arkansas, was laid to rest in Section 57.

REMAINS IDENTIFIED

Vietnam turned over remains believed to be those of a U.S. service member June 21, 1989. Due to the technology at that time, the remains could not be identified.

Scientists, from the Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory, used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools, including two forms of DNA analysis, in the identification of Holt's remains.

According to the Department of Defense, 1,627 U.S. service members remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

• Date Taken: 05.14.2015
• Date Posted: 05.15.2015 14:28
• Story ID: 163465
• Location: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, VA, US
• Hometown: HOPE, AK, US