Holly Walker Dinkins, Us Army (Ret)

Holly Walker Dinkins passed away on Monday, August 15 in Columbia. He was born June 8, 1918 to Henry Moody Dinkins and Marie Hollis Dinkins in Ridgeway, South Carolina.As a child, he lived in Kershaw, Fairfield and Chester Counties, growing up as the oldest boy of nine children. Col. Dinkins served his country for more than 34 years as a member of the US Army. He enlisted in the South Carolina National Guard on January 2, 1940 in Rock Hill, SC and underwent recruit training at Fort Jackson.Over the next two years, he rose to the rank of Sergeant. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was selected for US Army Officer’s Candidate School (OCS) located in Fort Benning, Georgia.Upon completion of this rigorous training, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army on August 13, 1942. His first duty assignment as a newly commissioned officer was as a platoon commander in the 94th Infantry Division at Fort Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan.As the buildup to US involvement in World War II was underway, the 94th Infantry Division was transferred to several other training locations in the US including Salina, Kansas and Camp McCain, Mississippi.In early 1944, the 94th Infantry Division was secretly transferred to Liverpool, England in preparation for the allied invasion of France.On September 8, 1944, Holly landed at Utah Beach, France as a platoon commander of the 301st Infantry Regiment of the 94th Infantry Division, which was placed under the operational command of General George S. Patton.The 94th Infantry Division was known as "Patton's Golden Nugget" and was responsible for leading the eastern advance of Allied Forces into Nazi Germany.Holly participated in the major campaigns of Northern France, Rhineland, and the Ardennes-Alsace, also known as the Battle of the Bulge.It was during the Battle of the Bulge that he earned the Bronze Star and was wounded during combat and awarded the Purple Heart. Following his service in WWII, Holly remained on active duty serving in the US Army until retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1974.His service carried him and his family to a variety of locations around the US and the globe including Yokohama, Japan; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Fort Bliss, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Columbia, South Carolina; Orleans, France; Baumholder, Germany; and Washington, D.C.His service included command of a nuclear missile battalion in Europe during the Cuban Missile Crisis.While in Washington, Col. Dinkins served in the Pentagon as a strategic planning officer in the office of the Secretary of the Army.He also was the Senior Regular Army Advisory to the South Carolina National Guard.In addition to WWII, he served in combat in the Republic of Korea from 1951 to 1953 and in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970.In total, Col. Dinkins served in foreign locations for nearly nine years. Col. Dinkins’ citations and awards include the Combat Infantryman’s Award, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, European Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. Holly was a devoted husband and father.He and his beloved wife, Lucille, loved spending time together, traveling, gardening and participating in church activities. For the past 47 years, he has been a member of St. Andrews Baptist Church and has joyously served in many capacities, including deacon, Sunday school teacher and senior choir member. Holly and Lucille established and led a shut-in ministry for members of the church for many years.Holly was also a 60+ year member of the Gideons International where he served as the local camp President and distributed thousands of Bibles to members of the community, hospitals, schools and prisons. Some of his most cherished memories include spending time with friends and family, especially his grandchildren. Holly was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lucille Huggins Dinkins, and by his sisters Sadie Cassels, Mary Alice McKeown, Elizabeth Wagers, and brothers William Lee and Joe Lee.He is survived by his sons, Dr. Ken Dinkins and his wife Judy; Gene Dinkins and his wife Nancy; and Dave Dinkins and his wife Josie; sisters Ruth Roberts and Betty Traylor; and his brother Colvin Lee; and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews and nieces. The funeral services for Colonel Holly Walker Dinkins (US Army Ret.) will be held on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Baptist Church, 230 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29210 with Reverend Dr. Ronald D. “Dee” Vaughan and Reverend M. Fred DeFoor, Jr. officiating.The family will receive friends following the service until 4:00 p.m. at the church.Burial will follow at 4:30 p.m. in Bush River Memorial Gardens with full military honors.Temples Halloran Funeral Home is serving the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gideons International, P.O. Box 210263, Columbia, SC 29221.