USS Holder (DD-819)

USS Holder (DD-819) was a Gearing-class destroyer commissioned by the United States Navy on May 18, 1946. Named in honor of Lieutenant (junior grade) Randolph Mitchell Holder, she served primarily during the Cold War era, participating in various Atlantic and Mediterranean operations to support American and NATO interests. The ship conducted anti-submarine warfare patrols, training exercises, and numerous goodwill visits with allied navies. After nearly three decades of service, USS Holder was decommissioned in 1976 and subsequently transferred to the Ecuadorian Navy, where she continued service as BAE Presidente Eloy Alfaro (D-01).