Holden served as Director of Naval Communications between September 1942 - April 1943 and distinguished himself as commanding officer of the battleship USS New Jersey, the flagship of Admiral William F. Halsey.

Holden graduated as an honor student in summer of 1913 and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, from Representative Frank E. Guernsey.

The United States declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917, and Holden was assigned to destroyer Burrows, operating with the Cruiser and Transport Force, Atlantic Fleet.

He was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant (junior grade) on July 1, 1917, and participated in the anti-submarine patrols and escorting of convoys in English and French waters, operating from the naval base at Queenstown, Ireland.

He was subsequently transferred to destroyer Lansdale under Commander Cary W. Magruder and participated in the patrol cruises in the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas, visiting former Austrian ports, Rijeka and Split.

[6] Holden was transferred to the destroyer Mahan under lieutenant commander Aubrey W. Fitch in early 1921 and took part in operations in the Caribbean and Panama Canal Zone.

Holden was subsequently assigned to battleship Arizona under Captain Charles S. Freeman and served as ship's communications officer during the patrols in the Pacific Ocean.

Holden then commanded Pacific Fleet's replenishment oiler Ramapo from the end of April to June 1936, before he was appointed navigator aboard battleship Idaho under Captain Harvey Delano.

He was appointed ships's executive officer under Captain Charles M. Cooke Jr. and took part in the patrol cruises with the Pacific Fleet off the coast of Hawaii and California.

"[17] It established a relationship of "full collaboration" between Bletchley Park and OP-20-G.[18][1] In April 1943, Holden was ordered to Philadelphia Navy Yard for duty in connection with fitting out of battleship New Jersey.

Holden then led his ship through the Panama Canal to Funafuti, Ellice Islands, where joined United States Fifth Fleet under Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, who subsequently broke his flag aboard New Jersey.

[2] Holden then led his ship during the preinvasion strikes on Mariana Islands, when her heavy guns battered Saipan and Tinian, in advance of the marine landings on June 15.

Holden and Third Fleet departed Hawaii one month later and steamed to the targets in the Visayas and the southern Philippines, then Manila and Cavite, Panay, Negros, Leyte, and Cebu.

[2] Holden took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf three days later, where his ship provided anti-aircraft cover for allied carriers and then sailed for strikes on central and southern Luzon.

[3] Upon his retirement from the Navy, Holden was employed as President of the Research Unit of International Telephone and Telegraph, but died after a brief illness in the Naval Hospital in St. Albans, New York, on May 18, 1953, aged 57.

He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, and his honorary pallbearers were admirals William F. Halsey, Arthur D. Struble, Walter S. DeLany, Leonard B. Austin, Donald B. Duncan, Maurice E. Curts, Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter and Harry B.