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{{short description|United States Air Force general}}
{{Infobox Military Person
{{About|the Air Force general|the NASA Chief Knowledge Architect|Jeanne M. Holm (NASA)}}
|name=Jeanne M. Holm
{{Infobox military person
|born= 1921
|name= Jeanne Holm
|died=
|image=[[Image:Holm j.jpg|250px]]
|image= MajGenJMHolm.jpg
|image_size=
|nickname=
|alt=
|placeofbirth=[[Portland, Oregon]]
|caption= Major General Jeanne M. Holm {{circa}} 1973
|placeofdeath=
|nickname=
|branch=[[Image:Seal of the US Air Force.svg|25px]] [[United States Air Force]]<br>[[Image:Us army air corps shield.svg|25px]] [[United States Army Air Force]]
|birth_date= {{birth date|1921|6|23}}
|serviceyears=1942 - 1946 <br> 1948 - 1975
|birth_place= [[Portland, Oregon]]
|rank= [[Major General (United States)|Major General]]
|death_date= {{death date and age|2010|2|15|1921|6|23}}
|unit=
|death_place= [[Annapolis, Maryland]]
|commands=
|placeofburial=
|battles=[[Berlin Airlift]]
|allegiance= United States
|awards=
|branch= [[United States Army Air Forces]]<br/>[[United States Air Force]]
|relations=
|serviceyears= 1942–1946<br/>1948–1975
|laterwork=
|rank= [[Major general (United States)|Major General]]
|unit=
|commands= [[Women's Air Force]]
|battles= [[World War II]]<br/>[[Berlin Blockade]]
|awards= [[Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]]
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
}}
[[Major general (United States)|Major General]] '''Jeanne Marjorie Holm''' (June 23, 1921 – February 15, 2010)<ref>[https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/Heritage-Calendars/pdf-files/1999.pdf 1999 Women In Military Service calendar]. Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. Retrieved on February 17, 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Face of Defense: Military Community Loses Pioneer |url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=57994 |agency=American Forces Press Service |publisher=United States Department of Defense |location=Washington, D.C. |date=February 18, 2010 |access-date=February 20, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301155815/http://www.defense.gov/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=57994 |archive-date=March 1, 2010 }}</ref> was the first female one-star general of the [[United States Air Force]] and the first female two-star general in any service branch of the United States.<ref name=USAFBio>United States Air Force Biographies: {{cite web|url=http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5838 |title=''Major General Jeanne M. Holm'' |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716223316/http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5838 |archive-date=2012-07-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Holm was a driving force behind the expansion of women's roles in the Air Force.<ref name=Boyne2007/>
{{cleanup}}
Major General '''Jeanne M. Holm''' was director of the Secretary of the [[Air Force Personnel Council]]. In this position, she assures proper administration of the council and functioning of its boards and serves as president of the boards: the Air Force Discharge Review Board, Personnel Board, Board of Review, Physical Disability Appeal Board, Decorations Board and the Disability Review Board. She takes final action for the secretary of the Air Force on the majority of matters referred to the council; advises the secretary, chief of staff, and directorates of the Deputy Chief of Staff and Personnel of personnel trends and recommends policy action when appropriate.


==Early career==
Holm was born in 1921, in [[Portland, Oregon]]. She enlisted in the Army in July 1942, soon after the [[Women's Army Auxiliary Corps]] (WAAC) was established by Congress. She attended Officer Candidate School at [[Fort Des Moines]], Iowa, and in January 1943, received a commission as a "Third Officer," the WAAC equivalent of [[Second Lieutenant]].
Holm was born Jeanne Marjorie Hannes on June 23, 1921, in [[Portland, Oregon]]. She enlisted in [[United States Army|the Army]] in July 1942, soon after the [[Women's Army Corps|Women's Army Auxiliary Corps]] (WAAC) was established by [[United States Congress|Congress]]. She attended [[Air Force Officer Training School|Officer Candidate School]] at [[Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School|Fort Des Moines]], Iowa, and in January 1943, received a commission as a "Third Officer," the WAAC equivalent of [[Second Lieutenant#United States|Second Lieutenant]].<ref name=USAFBio/>


==World War II==
During [[World War II]], Holm was assigned to the Women's Army Corps Training Center at [[Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia]], where she first commanded a basic training company and then a training regiment. At the end of the war, she commanded the 106th WAC Hospital Company at [[Newton D. Baker General Hospital]], West Virginia. She then left active military duty in 1946 and attended [[Lewis and Clark College]] for two years, returning in 1956 for her Bachelor of Arts degree.
During [[World War II]], Holm was assigned to the Women's Army Corps Training Center at [[Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia]], where she first commanded a basic training company and then a training regiment. At the end of the war, she commanded the 106th WAC Hospital Company at Newton D. Baker General Hospital, West Virginia. She then left active military duty in 1946 and attended [[Lewis and Clark College]] for two years, returning in 1956 for her Bachelor of Arts degree.<ref name=USAFBio/>


[[File:CaptainJeanneMHolm.jpg|thumb|left|Captain Holm, company commander, 1948]]
In October 1948, during the [[Berlin Blockade]], Holm was recalled to active duty with the Army and went to [[Fort Lee (Virginia)|Camp Lee in Virginia]], as a company commander. The following year she transferred to the Air Force and was sent to [[Erding Air Depot]], Germany. There she served as assistant director of plans and operations for the 7200th Air Force Depot Wing, and later was War Plans Officer for the 85th Air Depot Wing, during the [[Berlin airlift]] and the early phases of the [[Korean War]].
In October 1948, during the [[Berlin Blockade]], Holm was recalled to active duty with the Army and went to [[Fort Lee (Virginia)|Camp Lee in Virginia]], as a company commander within the Women's Army Corps Training Center. The following year she transferred to the Air Force and was sent to [[Erding Air Depot]], Germany. There she served as assistant director of plans and operations for the 7200th Air Force Depot Wing, and later was War Plans Officer for the 85th Air Depot Wing, during the [[Berlin airlift]] and the early phases of the [[Korean War]].<ref name=USAFBio/>


==Cold War==
Holm returned from overseas in 1952 and became the first woman to attend the Air Command and Staff School at [[Maxwell Air Force Base]], Alabama. She was then assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, DC, as a personnel plans and programs officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel.
Holm returned from overseas in 1952 and became the first woman to attend the [[Air Command and Staff College]] at [[Maxwell Air Force Base]] in Montgomery, Alabama.<ref name=UPI>{{cite news |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/02/18/First-female-Air-Force-major-general-dies/UPI-40851266534199/ |title=First female Air Force major general dies |date=February 18, 2010 |publisher=United Press International |access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref> She was then assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, DC, as a personnel plans and programs officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel.<ref name=USAFBio/>


Her next assignment was as chief of manpower in Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, a [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] headquarters, in Naples, Italy, where she served for four years. She returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in 1961 and was assigned as congressional staff officer for the director of manpower and organization. For her work in this assignment, she was awarded the [[Legion of Merit]].
Her next assignment was as chief of manpower in Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, a [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] headquarters, in Naples, Italy, where she served for four years. She returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in 1961 and was assigned as congressional staff officer for the director of manpower and organization. For her work in this assignment, she was awarded the [[Legion of Merit]].<ref name=USAFBio/>


==WAF==
Holm was appointed director, Women in the Air Force, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, in November 1965. Her appointment was extended twice. She was responsible for overall staff cognizance of and advice on matters concerning military women in the Air Force. During her tenure, policies affecting women were updated, [[Women in the Air Force (WAF)]] strength more than doubled, job and assignment opportunities greatly expanded, and uniforms modernized. She has been an active proponent for expanding the opportunities for women to serve in the Armed Forces and a catalyst for changing their roles and career opportunities within the Air Force. For her exceptionally meritorious service in this assignment, she was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Medal]].
In November 1965 Holm was appointed director of [[Women's Air Force (WAF)]], in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel. Her appointment was extended twice, making her the longest-serving WAF director. She was responsible for overall staff cognizance of and advice on matters concerning military women in the Air Force. During her tenure, policies affecting women were updated, WAF strength more than doubled, job and assignment opportunities greatly expanded, and uniforms modernized. She was an active proponent for expanding the opportunities for women to serve in the Armed Forces and a catalyst for changing their roles and career opportunities within the Air Force. Historian [[Walter J. Boyne]] acknowledged her "enormous influence on the role of women in the Air Force".<ref name=Boyne2007>{{cite book |title=Beyond the Wild Blue |last=Boyne |first=Walter J. |author-link=Walter J. Boyne |year=2007 |publisher=Thomas Dunne Books |isbn=9781429901802 |pages=251–252 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PdftdS24WVQC&pg=RA1-PA251 |edition=2nd }}</ref> For her exceptionally meritorious service in this assignment, she was awarded the [[Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]].<ref name=USAFBio/>


==Air Force leadership==
On [[March 1]],[[1973]], Holm was appointed director of the Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council.
Holm was promoted to the grade of brigadier general July 16, 1971, the first woman to be appointed in this grade in the Air Force. She was promoted to the grade of major general effective June 1, 1973, with date of rank July 1, 1970, and was the first woman in the Armed Forces to serve in that grade.<ref name=USAFBio/>


On March 1, 1973, Holm was appointed director of the Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council. In this position, she was responsible for administration of the council and functioning of its boards and served as president of: the Air Force Discharge Review Board, Personnel Board, Board of Review, Physical Disability Appeal Board, Decorations Board and the Disability Review Board.<ref name=USAFBio/>
She is a member of the Board of Trustees, Air Force Historical Foundation; member of the Board of Directors of [[Camp Fire Girls]]; member of Board of Directors of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union; and member of the Air Force Association. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from [[Lewis and Clark College]] in 1968; Citation of Honor from the Air Force Association in 1971; and the Eugene Zuckert Leadership Award from the Arnold Air Society in 1972. General Holm is an accomplished snow and water skier, student of ancient history, scuba diver and skipper of her own power cruiser. Prior to entering military service, she was a professional silversmith.


Holm retired from the Air Force in 1975.
She was promoted to the grade of brigadier general [[July 16]],[[1971], the first woman to be appointed in this grade in the Air Force. She was promoted to the grade of major general effective [[June 1]],[[1973]], with date of rank [[July 1]],[[1970]], and is the first woman in the Armed Forces to serve in that grade.


==White House==
(Taken from U.S. Air Force Biography) <ref>http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5838</ref>
After retiring, Holm consulted for the Defense Manpower Commission. In March 1976 Holm was named special assistant to President [[Gerald Ford]] for the Office of Women's Programs. Holm helped Ford attract more female voters by reaching out to women's groups and making note of women's issues. Holm detailed for Ford a plan for presentation to the Justice Department which would authorize a full re-examination of the [[United States Code]] to determine whether the wording of any law was sex-based and not justified. Ford directed the attorney general to begin the task and announced it to the public on July 1, 1976. At the polls, women voters favored Ford by a small percentage but were outnumbered by a larger male turnout. Males favored [[Jimmy Carter]] just enough to give him 50.1% of the popular vote.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Presidency and Women: Promise, Performance, & Illusion |last=Martin |first=Janet M. |year=2003 |publisher=Texas A&M University |pages=190–201 |isbn=1-58544-245-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vwG6LsaHTdoC&pg=PA190 }}</ref>


== See also==
==Awards and recognition==
Holm was a member of the Board of Trustees, Air Force Historical Foundation; member of the Board of Directors of [[Camp Fire Girls]]; member of Board of Directors of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union; and member of the [[Air Force Association]]. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from [[Lewis and Clark College]] in 1968; Citation of Honor from the Air Force Association in 1971; and the Eugene Zuckert Leadership Award from the Arnold Air Society in 1972.<ref name=USAFBio/>
* [[Ann E. Dunwoody]]
* [[Carol A. Mutter]]


Holm was inducted into the [[National Women's Hall of Fame]] in 2000.<ref>[https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/jeanne-holm/ National Women's Hall of Fame, Jeanne Holm],</ref> In 2003, the [[Air Force Association]] conferred upon her their Lifetime Achievement Award. Holm was inducted into the International Women in Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006. A section of [[Air University (United States Air Force)|Air University]] was reorganized in 2008 and renamed the Jeanne M. Holm Officer Accession and Citizen Development Center.<ref>{{cite journal|date=February 18, 2010|title=Ground-breaking Female Officer Dies|journal=Airforce-magazine.com|publisher=Air Force Association|location=Arlington, Virginia|url=http://www.airforce-magazine.com/Features/personnel/Pages/box021910holm.aspx|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref>
== Reference ==

;Military Decorations:
{|
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Legion of Merit]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Women's Army Corps Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Women's Army Corps Service Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=American Campaign Medal ribbon|width=60}}
|[[American Campaign Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=World War II Victory Medal ribbon|width=60}}
|[[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=AirliftDev.jpg|width=60}}
|[[Army of Occupation Medal]] with [[Berlin Airlift Device]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Medal for Humane Action ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Medal for Humane Action]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=60}}
|[[National Defense Service Medal]] with bronze [[service star]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=6|type=oak|name=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Longevity Service Award]] with silver and bronze [[oak leaf cluster]]s
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=USAF Marksmanship ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Marksmanship Ribbon|Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon]]
|}

==Effective dates of promotion==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Promotions
! Insignia !! Rank !! Date
|-
||[[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|36px]]||[[Major general (United States)|Major General]]||June 1, 1973
|-
||[[File:US-O7 insignia.svg|20px]]||[[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]]||July 16, 1971
|}

==Author==
Holm wrote two books about women in the military, beginning with ''Women in the Military: An Unfinished Revolution'' in 1982. Holm updated the book in 1992–1994, filling in American women's combat and military experiences in the invasions of [[Invasion of Grenada|Grenada]], [[United States invasion of Panama|Panama]] and in the [[Gulf War]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Women in the Military: An Unfinished Revolution|last=Holm|first=Jeanne|year=1994|publisher=Presidio Press|isbn=0-89141-513-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ea8MAAAACAAJ|edition=2}}</ref> In 1998, Holm published a history of American women serving in [[World War II]], entitled ''In Defense of a Nation: Servicewomen in World War II'', summarizing the experiences of women serving all of the military arms.<ref>{{cite book |title=In Defense of a Nation: Servicewomen in World War II|last=Holm|first=Jeanne M.|year=1998|publisher=Vandamere Press|isbn=0-918339-43-X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i_yeAAAAMAAJ}}</ref>

In 2003 Holm assisted author Linda Witt in her writing of the book ''A Defense Weapon Known to be of Value: Servicewomen of the Korean War Era'', published in 2005. Holm described for Witt the history of the WAF in the early 1950s and the trials women experienced as they made their way through the male-dominated military.<ref>{{cite book |title=In Defense of a Nation: Servicewomen in World War II |last=Witt |first=Linda |author2=Judith Bellafaire |author3=Britta Granrud |author4=Mary Jo Binker |year=2005 |publisher=UPNE |isbn=1-58465-472-4 |page=266 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B2Axj4NbJ0YC&pg=PA266 }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Holm was an accomplished snow and [[Water skiing|water skier]], student of ancient history, [[Scuba diving|scuba diver]] and skipper of her own power cruiser. Prior to entering military service, she was a professional [[silversmith]].<ref name=USAFBio/>

On February 15, 2010 in [[Annapolis, Maryland]], Holm died from [[pneumonia]] in both lungs.<ref>Vaught, Wilma L., Brigadier General USAF (Retired). President, Women's Memorial Foundation. Email notice to Foundation members, February 17, 2010.</ref> She was survived by her family members such as a brother, nephews, and nieces. Funeral services for Holm were conducted at [[Arlington National Cemetery]] on March 29, 2010, with full military honors.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=jeanne-m-holm&pid=139892802|title=Jeanne M. Holm|date=February 21, 2010|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 22, 2010}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of female United States military generals and flag officers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=q-9LAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA8-PA40 ''The Lady Is a General''], by Robert P. Everett (Airman Magazine, Vol.XV No.9, Sep 1971)
* {{cite book|last1=Seed|first1=Suzanne|title=Saturday's Child : 36 women talk about their jobs|date=March 1974|publisher=Bantam Books|pages=149–153|oclc=5462796}}

{{National Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Holm, Jeanne M.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holm, Jeanne M.}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:United States Air Force generals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Women in the United States Air Force]]
[[Category:People from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Maryland]]
[[Category:Lewis & Clark College alumni]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:People from Annapolis, Maryland]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Female generals of the United States Air Force]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces officers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women]]
[[Category:Women's Army Corps soldiers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]

Latest revision as of 13:00, 16 August 2024

This article is about the Air Force general. For the NASA Chief Knowledge Architect, see Jeanne M. Holm (NASA).
Jeanne Holm
Major General Jeanne M. Holm c. 1973
Born(1921-06-23)June 23, 1921
Portland, Oregon
DiedFebruary 15, 2010(2010-02-15) (aged 88)
Annapolis, Maryland
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
Years of service1942–1946
1948–1975
RankMajor General
CommandsWomen's Air Force
Battles / warsWorld War II
Berlin Blockade
AwardsAir Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit

Major General Jeanne Marjorie Holm (June 23, 1921 – February 15, 2010)[1][2] was the first female one-star general of the United States Air Force and the first female two-star general in any service branch of the United States.[3] Holm was a driving force behind the expansion of women's roles in the Air Force.[4]

Early career

[edit]

Holm was born Jeanne Marjorie Hannes on June 23, 1921, in Portland, Oregon. She enlisted in the Army in July 1942, soon after the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) was established by Congress. She attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and in January 1943, received a commission as a "Third Officer," the WAAC equivalent of Second Lieutenant.[3]

World War II

[edit]

During World War II, Holm was assigned to the Women's Army Corps Training Center at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, where she first commanded a basic training company and then a training regiment. At the end of the war, she commanded the 106th WAC Hospital Company at Newton D. Baker General Hospital, West Virginia. She then left active military duty in 1946 and attended Lewis and Clark College for two years, returning in 1956 for her Bachelor of Arts degree.[3]

Captain Holm, company commander, 1948

In October 1948, during the Berlin Blockade, Holm was recalled to active duty with the Army and went to Camp Lee in Virginia, as a company commander within the Women's Army Corps Training Center. The following year she transferred to the Air Force and was sent to Erding Air Depot, Germany. There she served as assistant director of plans and operations for the 7200th Air Force Depot Wing, and later was War Plans Officer for the 85th Air Depot Wing, during the Berlin airlift and the early phases of the Korean War.[3]

Cold War

[edit]

Holm returned from overseas in 1952 and became the first woman to attend the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.[5] She was then assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, DC, as a personnel plans and programs officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel.[3]

Her next assignment was as chief of manpower in Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization headquarters, in Naples, Italy, where she served for four years. She returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in 1961 and was assigned as congressional staff officer for the director of manpower and organization. For her work in this assignment, she was awarded the Legion of Merit.[3]

WAF

[edit]

In November 1965 Holm was appointed director of Women's Air Force (WAF), in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel. Her appointment was extended twice, making her the longest-serving WAF director. She was responsible for overall staff cognizance of and advice on matters concerning military women in the Air Force. During her tenure, policies affecting women were updated, WAF strength more than doubled, job and assignment opportunities greatly expanded, and uniforms modernized. She was an active proponent for expanding the opportunities for women to serve in the Armed Forces and a catalyst for changing their roles and career opportunities within the Air Force. Historian Walter J. Boyne acknowledged her "enormous influence on the role of women in the Air Force".[4] For her exceptionally meritorious service in this assignment, she was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.[3]

Air Force leadership

[edit]

Holm was promoted to the grade of brigadier general July 16, 1971, the first woman to be appointed in this grade in the Air Force. She was promoted to the grade of major general effective June 1, 1973, with date of rank July 1, 1970, and was the first woman in the Armed Forces to serve in that grade.[3]

On March 1, 1973, Holm was appointed director of the Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council. In this position, she was responsible for administration of the council and functioning of its boards and served as president of: the Air Force Discharge Review Board, Personnel Board, Board of Review, Physical Disability Appeal Board, Decorations Board and the Disability Review Board.[3]

Holm retired from the Air Force in 1975.

White House

[edit]

After retiring, Holm consulted for the Defense Manpower Commission. In March 1976 Holm was named special assistant to President Gerald Ford for the Office of Women's Programs. Holm helped Ford attract more female voters by reaching out to women's groups and making note of women's issues. Holm detailed for Ford a plan for presentation to the Justice Department which would authorize a full re-examination of the United States Code to determine whether the wording of any law was sex-based and not justified. Ford directed the attorney general to begin the task and announced it to the public on July 1, 1976. At the polls, women voters favored Ford by a small percentage but were outnumbered by a larger male turnout. Males favored Jimmy Carter just enough to give him 50.1% of the popular vote.[6]

Awards and recognition

[edit]

Holm was a member of the Board of Trustees, Air Force Historical Foundation; member of the Board of Directors of Camp Fire Girls; member of Board of Directors of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union; and member of the Air Force Association. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Lewis and Clark College in 1968; Citation of Honor from the Air Force Association in 1971; and the Eugene Zuckert Leadership Award from the Arnold Air Society in 1972.[3]

Holm was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2000.[7] In 2003, the Air Force Association conferred upon her their Lifetime Achievement Award. Holm was inducted into the International Women in Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006. A section of Air University was reorganized in 2008 and renamed the Jeanne M. Holm Officer Accession and Citizen Development Center.[8]

Military Decorations
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Women's Army Corps Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal with Berlin Airlift Device
Medal for Humane Action
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Silver oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon

Effective dates of promotion

[edit]
Promotions
Insignia Rank Date
Major General June 1, 1973
Brigadier General July 16, 1971

Author

[edit]

Holm wrote two books about women in the military, beginning with Women in the Military: An Unfinished Revolution in 1982. Holm updated the book in 1992–1994, filling in American women's combat and military experiences in the invasions of Grenada, Panama and in the Gulf War.[9] In 1998, Holm published a history of American women serving in World War II, entitled In Defense of a Nation: Servicewomen in World War II, summarizing the experiences of women serving all of the military arms.[10]

In 2003 Holm assisted author Linda Witt in her writing of the book A Defense Weapon Known to be of Value: Servicewomen of the Korean War Era, published in 2005. Holm described for Witt the history of the WAF in the early 1950s and the trials women experienced as they made their way through the male-dominated military.[11]

Personal life

[edit]

Holm was an accomplished snow and water skier, student of ancient history, scuba diver and skipper of her own power cruiser. Prior to entering military service, she was a professional silversmith.[3]

On February 15, 2010 in Annapolis, Maryland, Holm died from pneumonia in both lungs.[12] She was survived by her family members such as a brother, nephews, and nieces. Funeral services for Holm were conducted at Arlington National Cemetery on March 29, 2010, with full military honors.[13]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 1999 Women In Military Service calendar. Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. Retrieved on February 17, 2010.
  2. ^ "Face of Defense: Military Community Loses Pioneer". Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Defense. American Forces Press Service. February 18, 2010. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k United States Air Force Biographies: "Major General Jeanne M. Holm". Archived from the original on 2012-07-16.
  4. ^ a b Boyne, Walter J. (2007). Beyond the Wild Blue (2nd ed.). Thomas Dunne Books. pp. 251–252. ISBN 9781429901802.
  5. ^ "First female Air Force major general dies". United Press International. February 18, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  6. ^ Martin, Janet M. (2003). The Presidency and Women: Promise, Performance, & Illusion. Texas A&M University. pp. 190–201. ISBN 1-58544-245-3.
  7. ^ National Women's Hall of Fame, Jeanne Holm,
  8. ^ "Ground-breaking Female Officer Dies". Airforce-magazine.com. Arlington, Virginia: Air Force Association. February 18, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  9. ^ Holm, Jeanne (1994). Women in the Military: An Unfinished Revolution (2 ed.). Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-513-0.
  10. ^ Holm, Jeanne M. (1998). In Defense of a Nation: Servicewomen in World War II. Vandamere Press. ISBN 0-918339-43-X.
  11. ^ Witt, Linda; Judith Bellafaire; Britta Granrud; Mary Jo Binker (2005). In Defense of a Nation: Servicewomen in World War II. UPNE. p. 266. ISBN 1-58465-472-4.
  12. ^ Vaught, Wilma L., Brigadier General USAF (Retired). President, Women's Memorial Foundation. Email notice to Foundation members, February 17, 2010.
  13. ^ "Jeanne M. Holm". The Washington Post. February 21, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2010.

Further reading

[edit]
  • The Lady Is a General, by Robert P. Everett (Airman Magazine, Vol.XV No.9, Sep 1971)
  • Seed, Suzanne (March 1974). Saturday's Child : 36 women talk about their jobs. Bantam Books. pp. 149–153. OCLC 5462796.
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