The Blanchard American Legion was named Bond-Holden Post after two young men who died in defense of their country. One was James Nathaniel Bond, who died October 25, 1918, near Toul, France, while serving his country in World War I. The other is Marion A Holden, who died September 5, 1942, in the battle of Guadalcanal in World War II.
This week we will talk about James N. Bond.
James was known by his family and friends as “Than.” He was born August 9, 1894, at Paoli, Indian Territory, to James Samuel and Cora Bond. He had one brother and three sisters. The family later moved to Womack, a small community two miles south of present-day Blanchard.
Mr. Bond purchased land in several sections north of Blanchard and built a home there. Than and his dad raised large herds of white face cattle, which they drove to the railroad in Oklahoma City to be shipped to Kansas.
Than was inducted into the Armed Services on October 2, 1917, and traveled by train to Camp Travis, Texas (near San Antonio). He was assigned to B Company 357th Infantry of the American Expeditionary Forces, USA. After completing basic training, his company was sent to France some time in the spring of 1918. In France he received a promotion to Sergeant.
While on a scouting patrol the first week of October 1918, he sent his men back toward their own line and as he brought up the rear, he was shot in the back by machine gun fire severing his spine. The other men returned uninjured for which Than was thankful. After spending several days in an Army Hospital, Than died October 25, 1918, at the age of 24.
There was a letter written by the Chaplain Bowie telling of Than’s baptism and a letter dictated by Than to an Army nurse. A third letter dated October 30, 1918, was sent by Chaplain Bowie in an attempt to console the family.
Than was buried near Toul, France in a new American Cemetery but his father wanted his son brought home. He paid the U.S. Government $500 to exhume his son’s body and ship it home from France. He is now buried in the Blanchard Cemetery beside his mother and father.
Next week we will learn about Marion A. Holden who served in the U.S. Navy in World War II.
