Herbert Charles Holdridge

Brigadier General Herbert C. Holdridge, U.S. Army
Brig Gen Herbert C. Holdridge in 1943
Born	(1892-03-06)March 6, 1892 Wyandotte, Michigan
Died	Toledo, Ohio
Allegiance	United States of America
Years of service	1917–1944
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands held	Commandant, The Adjutant General's School, Ft Washington, Maryland Director, Schools Training, Army Administration Schools
Battles/wars	World War II

Herbert Charles Holdridge (1892–1974) was an American military officer, who was best known for being the only United States Army General to retire during World War II, and for having several times sought presidential nominations on fringe party tickets after retirement. He was the father of diplomat John H. Holdridge and the adoptive father of actress Cheryl Holdridge.

Holdridge was born Herbert Charles Heitke on March 6, 1892, in Wyandotte, Michigan. His parents were German immigrants Emil Heitke and Ida Petzke, who came to the United States in 1881. Herbert Heitke grew up on the family farm, along with his four brothers and three sisters. He was able to secure an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated with the class of 1917. While at West Point, he legally changed his surname to "Holdridge", a move precipitated by the rising anti-German sentiment in America during its entry into World War I. Upon graduation, he married Marie Gunther (1896–1981), a New York factory worker's daughter.

Holdridge was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1917, and assigned to the Quartermaster Corps of the Army's Reserve (II Corps) at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He was promoted to First Lieutenant by 1920, and made Captain two years later, at which time he was assigned to duty with Headquarters Army Trains, with the First United States Army in New York City. This move reunited him with his wife, who had remained behind in New York after his posting to Georgia, and led to the birth in 1924 of their only child, John H. Holdridge.