Private Otho Wayne Holtzclaw USMC

Otho Wayne Holtzclaw was born September 5, 1923 in House NM, which is located in Quay County. He was one of 12 children of Mr. and Mrs. ED Holtzclaw and one of several siblings that attended NMAMC. After graduating from House HS in 1940 he enrolled at NMAMC for the 41-42 school year to study agriculture. Shortly after leaving school he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was shipped to boot camp at Camp Pendleton CA. Records show that he was assigned with the 26th Marine Corps Replacement Battalion in October of 1943. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to Company F, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division as they prepared for the invasion of Tarawa and Makin Atolls in the Gilbert Islands. On November 20,, 1943 the invasion of Tarawa began with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines held in reserve. On November 22 the 2/6th was called in to land on Bairiki Islet to cut off retreating Japanese. The next day “F” Company advanced thru the lines to attack the remaining Japanese on Bairiki islet. In a brief but ferocious battle that consisted mainly of close quarter combat the remaining 175 Japanese were annihilated but at a cost of 94 US Marines. Among them was Private Otho Wayne Holtzclaw, who was just 2 months beyond his 20th birthday. Today he lies in rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu Hawaii.