Posted by Brig. Gen. RM Ong (Ret) on May 19, 2016:

Gordon Converse Holterman was born on 29 December 1938 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, the son of Colonel Gordon H. Holterman (U.S.A. Retired) and the late Marion Hyde Holterman. He is survived by two sons, Eric C. Holterman of Petersburg, Virginia, and Gordon C. Holterman, Jr. of Boston, Massachusetts; his father; and a brother, Eric F. Holterman of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Typical of most Army "brats," Gordon spent his early years in towns and Army posts throughout the United States and Europe. Each of his high school years, in fact, he spent in a different location: Heidelberg, Germany; London, England; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Washington, DC. The variety of his experiences and the frequency of his relocations undoubtedly contributed to Gordon's confident manner and his ability to deal with new situations and acquaintances. Gordon was always a good student. Following his graduation from high school, Gordon attended Dartmouth College in 1956 and 1957, then enlisted in the US Army in 1958. It was from this station with the 1st Missile Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery in Hanau, Germany, that Gordon received his presidential appointment to the United States Military Academy, entering on 7 July 1959. Gordon's Cadet years were typified by two characteristics -- academic excellence and the counseling of classmates less gifted intellectually than he. The role of teacher, begun as a Cadet, would serve him well in his future years; it was a role he would practice throughout his life. Gordon was commissioned as an Artillery officer in the days when Field and Air Defense Artillery were considered one branch. His initial assignment, following a variety of schooling, was with the 1st Battalion, 20th Artillery at Fort Lewis, Washington. In 1965, Gordon began his first of two Vietnam tours with the Military Assistance Command, to be followed in 1969 with an assignment in the 108th Artillery Group. During these tours Gordon was decorated with the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal. In addition, he earned the Combat Infantryman Badge. Between his Vietnam tours, Gordon attended the Artillery and Missile School at Fort Sill and Fort Bliss, and commanded a Battery of the 3rd Battalion, 19th Artillery, for which he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. Gordon earned his Master of Arts degree in Mathematics at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 1970 and 1971. All who witnessed Gordon's abilities in the discipline of Mathematics considered him in a class reserved for only a select few. He put his academic knowledge to work at the U.S. Army Logistics Management Center, Fort Lee, Virginia, as an instructor in the Operations Research Systems Analysis Executive Course from 1971-1974. From 1974 until 1977 Gordon was in Germany, first as Executive Officer of the 2nd Battalion, 377th Field Artillery, and later as the Adjutant of the 210th Field Artillery Group. In 1977 Gordon returned to the United States, completing his active duty service at the Quartermaster School, Fort Lee, Virginia and accepting a commission in the US Army Reserve. From 1978 until his untimely death in 1985, Gordon did what he enjoyed the most: teaching and practicing Mathematics. He returned again to Fort Lee and the U.S. Army Logistics Management Center as a Research Analyst, where his many significant contributions earned him an international reputation. At a memorial service for Gordon held at Fort Lee, Major Brantley Clifton had these words: "...The things we do in the military are normally restricted to the military in their impact. That is not the case for Gordon. We, who worked with him, were always amazed to answer the phone and have internationally known experts and authors from the civilian sector ask to speak to Gordon. They knew Gordon for his excellence in his field and they respected him as an equal. Not many people outside of our small group knew -- the extent to which Gordon was respected in his field..." So well respected was he, that the Gordon C. Holterman Award for Outstanding Operational Research Systems Analysis Instruction was established, to be awarded annually by a vote of the faculty. Gordon will be long and sorely missed by those who knew him and who considered him a friend. In the words of the poet, W. H. Auden: De gute, schlaf in Ruhe -- His roommate

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