H.R. No. 473
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life filled with meaningful achievements and
courageous wartime service drew to a close with the passing of
Hermon Rudolph Netherland of Colmesneil on March 19, 2021, at the
age of 94; and
WHEREAS, Born on April 21, 1926, in Enterprise, Louisiana,
Hermon Netherland was the son of Neal and Anne Netherland; he later
moved with his family to Port Arthur, and when he was 16 years old,
he persuaded his father to allow him to enlist in the United States
Navy to fight in World War II; he trained as both a signalman and a
specialist in underwater demolitions, and he would eventually take
part in nearly every major campaign in the Pacific theater of
operations; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the war, Mr. Netherland was stationed
aboard the USS Birgit, a troop transport and cargo vessel; he was
present for the invasions of Guam, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the
Philippines, and the Marshall Islands, and while deployed to the
Philippines, he and his fellow Navy "frogmen" were tasked with
neutralizing underwater mines left by Japanese forces; his duties
were often perilous, and he was wounded twice, once when he was
struck by mortar shrapnel and once when he was shot by a Japanese
soldier on the shore of Okinawa; and
WHEREAS, After returning to Port Arthur, Mr. Netherland met
his future wife, Velma, and the couple shared a rewarding marriage
that spanned 64 years before her passing; they became the parents of
a daughter, Sharon, who also preceded her father in death; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Netherland worked for Texaco in Port Arthur
until retiring in 1985; he subsequently moved to his cabin on Lake
Amanda in Colmesneil, where he resided for 36 years; during his
leisure time, he enjoyed deer hunting and fishing, especially for
catfish along the Sabine River; and
WHEREAS, A devoted family man, a dear friend, and an
exemplary member of the Greatest Generation, Hermon Rudolph
Netherland will be greatly missed, and his memory will long endure
in the hearts of all those who were privileged to know him; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Hermon Rudolph
Netherland and extend deepest sympathy to those who mourn his
passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Hermon
Netherland.
White
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 473 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 9, 2021.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House