I would like to hear from anyone who may remember my wife's uncle, Captain Gerald 'Jerry' P. Holtom, who was Intelligence Officer for Lt. Colonel Evans F. Carlson's 2nd Marine Raider battalion during the Makin Island raid. Gerald was killed by a sniper's bullet on the morning of 17 Aug 1942, and may have been one of the first to die in the Makin raid.

Gerald was one of five brothers born in Japan, where his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Daniel C. Holtom, were Baptist missionaries from 1910 to 1940. Gerald could read and speak Japanese like a native.

In a letter received by his parents shortly after the raid, Carlson wrote (in part),

"On the morning we landed at Makin Jerry was with me. We captured the postoffice and Jerry came to me and said that he intended to examine some Japanese notices which were posted on the bulletin board. I told him that I would be along the road leading to the right flank of our position. The battle was in progress. He was looking for me along this road when a sniper shot him, the bullet passing through his left chest and emerging behind the right shoulder. He lived only ten seconds."

Two of Gerald's brothers later served in the Navy during WWII and were involved in intelligence operations.

Gerald's parents and brothers are all long since deceased and the events of Makin Island had become faded memories until my wife's brother learned recently that Gerald's dogtag and possible remains had been found and removed to Hawaii for identification.

I find it quite astounding that the Marines would still be looking for their fallen comrades nearly 60 years after the event. The family sends its appreciation and admiration to all who participated in the recovery.

If any of you old Marine Raiders remember Gerald Holtom please contact me.

Noel D. Jones

When the article appears about the Marine remains found on Makin. My brother ask if a Captain Holtom was listed. Capt. Holtom was on that particular mission as an Observer. My brother has Alzheimer's but has a clear memory of Jerry because he knew him well. If you would like to talk with him he would love to hear from you.Best regards & Semper Fi, Tom Early

I am responding to your post about Gerald "Jerry" Holtom, my mother's cousin.

Mom's father--John--was Daniel's brother (Gerald's father).

My sister has severalletters regarding Gerald and his family, and although we never had much contact with them because of the distance, my mother was very fond of Gerald. I believe they were roughly the same age, my mother being born in 1920 in Michigan.

Anyway, I am looking for more infornmation on Jerry, and will probably make a trip to Washington this Augtust when his remains are laid to rest at a ceremony.

I have come in contact with a man whos erved with him at Makin, and am scheduled to see him this week.

if you are interested in the results of that meeting, let me know.

Thanks.

Don

Hello:
My name is Emily Richmond and I am a reporter at the Palo Alto Daily News. I'm looking for anyone who remembers Capt. Gerald "Jerry" Holtom. Please contact me at (650) 327-6397, ext. 310. I appreciate any assistance you can provide.

My name is Don Grigas, and my mother was Gerald's cousin, Beatrice Holtom.

I was born in 1956 and never met Gerald or knew of him, but my mother knew him.

She was the daughter of John Holtom, Daniel's brother (Daniel was Gerald's father).

I believe he may have been a Methodist Missionary, not a Baptist Missionary while living in Japan (Daniel).

Obviously, Gerald's grasp of the Japanese language was a great--albeit temporary--benefit in the Allied presence in the Pacific.

I have come into contact with a former marine who served with "The Captain" at Makin in nearby Chicago. I am hoping to meet with him this week, in fact, and discuss Gerald's last few weeks and service in the Pacific.

(As a small side note, this man apparently grew up next door to my father in the 1930's, before my father met my mother (who was from Michigan, where part of the Holtom family settled).

I do have a copy of the letter that was sent to Gerald's mother and father, and I and one of my brothers may actually make the trip to Washington when they inter his remains in August.

I would welcome you to e-mail me and let me know more, since it is apparent we are somehow related, if your wife was related to Gerald.

Thanks again.

Don Grigas
630-969-0885 xt. 413

Since my sister, Janice, has been heavily involved in genealogy research, we have developed a clearer picture of Gerald and his parents.

He was raised in Japan, the son of a missionary family, and was versed in the Japanese language and writing. Apparently he was instrumental in securing information from Japanese command posts, and on that fateful day was in the process of doing his duty when a sniper cut short his life.

My mother, Beatrice, was born in 1919, and was about the same age, and was his cousin (her father John and Gerald's father were brothers). They were pretty clsoe as cousins go, and she was very distressed by the news.

We still, somewhere, have relics from Japan that made it through the family, such as ivory jewelry and sketches, etc.

Some photos have surfaced of his family recently, and would be glad to pass a few on in which he is in uniform visitng his relatives for the last time in California.

Anyway, please feel free to contact me on the e-mail above.

Don Grigas