Word Celebrity Blog

Everett Wayne Holstrom


Everett Wayne (Brick) Holstrom was born on May 4, 1916, in Cottage Grove, Oregon. He graduated from Pleasant Hill High School, Pleasant Hill, Oregon. In 1934, and attended Oregon State College.






















He enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard on August 7, 1934, and was trained as a radio operator. Everett Holstrom entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the Army Air Corps on December 26, 1939, and was commissioned and awarded his pilot wings on August 30, 1940.






















In the week before Christmas, 1941, a group of Japanese submarine attacks hit the west coast of the United States. Eight American merchant vessels were attacked, and two ofthem were sunk and two more severly damaged. Later in the week of attacks, eight Japanese submarines patrolling off the west coast surfaced and shelled select targets as a deadly Christmas present, then return to Japanese bases






















On Christmas Day a B-25 Mitchell bomber from McChord Field, Washington, flown by Second Lieutenant E. W. Holstrom attacked the submarine. "We saw the sub on the surface under a rain squall," wrote Brig. Gen Holstrom, USAF (Ret). "Our top turret gunner reported a hit on our second attack. On turning around we saw some oil and debris in the water."

Information obtained after the war from Japanese records indicated that activities by U.S. anti-submarine forces on the west coast had become "very severe," and thus the shelling was canceled.




















ON April 18, 1942,  Second Lieutenant Holstrom  piloted a B-25 as a member of Jimmy Doolittle's raiders when the mainland of Japan was first bombed by United States aircraft.




















Takeoff No.4 - Target Tokyo
AAF Serial No. 40-2282 (Bail Out) SE Shangjao, China
Crew from 95th Squadron, 17th Group
Pilot - Lt. Everett W. Holstrom
*Co-pilot - Lt. Lucien N. Youngblood (Killed in crash Feb. 28, 1949)
Navigator - Lt. Harry C. McCool
*Bombardier - Sgt Robert J. Stephens (Died April 13, 1959)
Flight Engineer/Gunner - Cpl. Bert M. Jordan























Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, Crew No. 4
Crew No. 4 (Plane #40-2282, target Tokyo): 95th Bombardment Squadron, front row: Lt. Everett W. Holstrom, pilot; and Lt. Lucian N. Youngblood, copilot; back row: Lt. Harry C. McCool, navigator; Sgt. Robert J. Stephens, bombardier; and Cpl. Bert M. Jordan, flight engineer/gunner. (U.S. Air Force photo)


After his rescue in China in April of the following year, "Brick" Holstrom assumed command of the 11th Bomb Squadron at Kinming, China, a position he held from May 1942 until the end of 1943. His commanding officer at Kinming was Claire Chennault of Flying Tigers fame.

Following World War II, Everett Holstrom was assigned to Strategic Air Command Headquarters as an operations staff officer.


























From 1950 to 1953 he was a member of the 91st Bomb Wing as director of operations and also as deputy wing commander and moved with the wing from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., to Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio.From 1953 to 1955 the general was assigned to Second Air Force headquarters as director of operations.

For the next two years he commanded the 301st Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and then returned to SAC headquarters from 1957 to 1959 as chief of the Operation Plans Division.


























On Sept. 4, 1959, he assumed duties as commander of Second Air Force's 4130th Strategic Wing, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. General Holstrom assumed command of the 43d Bomb Wing, Strategic Air Command's first supersonic bombardment wing, in June 1961. He was promoted to brigadier general March 1, 1964.




















Everett W. Holstrom decorations include:
The Silver Star,
Legion of Merit,
Two Distinguished Flying Crosses,
Five Air Medals,
Two Commendation Medals.
He holds the U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating of command pilot and is also entitled to wear the United States Air Force Missile Badge.

Oregon Army National Guard 1934-1939
U.S. Army Air Corps 1939-1941
U.S. Army Air Forces 1941-1947
U.S. Air Force 1947-1969
World War II 1941-1945
Cold War 1945-1969
Vietnam War


























Everett W. Holstrom retired at the rank of brigadier general on July 1, 1969. Shortly after settling in Carmel, California, General Everett W. Holstrom  died there on Dec. 2, 2000.

His remains have been inurned June 25, 2001, at Arlington National Cemetery, Memorial Drive, Arlington, Virginia





















Columbarium, Section 6-T, Row 9, Site 3