BUFFALO, NY - He was the all-American boy. Born in Buffalo in 1934, Don Holleder grew up in the Old First Ward. At age 14 he became the youngest Eagle Scout in Western New York history. Around the same time his family moved to Rochester and Don's star really began to shine. He was a three-sport star at Aquinas Institute and ultimately went on to an amazing collegiate career at West Point.
He was an All-American, led his team to a huge upset victory before 102-thousand fans in the Army-Navy game and even made the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Retired Air force General Perry Smith was Don's roommate at West Point. "Of all the people I've had in my life, with the exception of my wife and family, he was the most special guy I've know. "
A sentiment shared by Ron Mack, a basketball teammate at Aquinas. "Being on the cover of Sports Illustrated, leading his team out onto the field at the Army-Navy game, and just a wonderful person and a nice person to be around."
Don was the first inductee into the Aquinas Hall of Fame, he is in the College Football Hall of Fame, but it is what he did after his gridiron days that put him in the category of hero. He was drafted by the New York Giants, but passed up a professional career to go into the military. Don rose to the rank of major, and on October 17, 1967, during the Battle of Ong Thanh, Major Holleder, realizing his ground troops were in trouble organized a rescue team and hit the ground with them. Holleder ran ahead of the team and into the jungle, and was killed attempting to rescue wounded soldiers. Years later, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery. His sacrifice was so moving that his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery was attended by the likes of Vince Lombardi and Robert Kennedy.
A stadium in Rochester was renamed Don Holleder Stadium. It was torn down in 1985, but the technology park that sits on the land carries on the name. There is also a Army Reserve Center in the Rochester suburb of Webster named for Holleder. Jim Lanson, a teacher in the Brighton School District, is pushing for more recognition in Don's hometown. "I think a fitting tribute would be to get Don into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame and also the Buffalo Naval and Military Museum, so today's youth and that future generations can learn all about a Buffalo native."