In January 1931, he transferred to the newly commissioned heavy cruiser Augusta, remaining with the vessel for its shakedown cruise and subsequent operations with the Scouting Force off the East Coast.

Detached in May 1932, he was sent to China waters to join the heavy cruiser Houston, flagship of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, which was operating near Shanghai to protect American interests in the aftermath of the Sino-Japanese incident of 1932.

He was present on the signal bridge of the battleship Maryland during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,[3] and later participated in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway.

In September 1942 he became aide and flag secretary to Commander Battleship Division Four, whose vessels supported the actions off Guadalcanal and the Santa Cruz Islands.

"Cool and capable in directing the delivery of accurate and effective gunfire from his ship, [Holmes] rendered valuable assistance in the destruction of enemy troops and shore installations and thereby contributed materially to the success of the landing operations."

From September to November 1944, he led Stockham in combat operations against Japanese forces on Palau, Mindanao, Visayas, Nansei Shoto, and Formosa; and during the Battle for Leyte Gulf.

In August 1952 he assumed command of the attack transport Sanborn, which conducted landing exercises at Vieques, Puerto Rico and Onslow Beach, North Carolina as part of Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.

[9] He married the former Nancy Jane Sellers of Denver, Colorado on October 11, 1933, and they had two children, Diane Hathaway Fletcher and Navy officer Ephraim Paul Holmes Jr.[1][2] He died at his home in Williamsburg, Virginia at the age of 88,[8] and was buried with his wife in the U.S.