R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The extraordinary courage and composure that Colonel
1-2 M. B. Etheredge of Huntsville repeatedly displayed under fire
1-3 during World War II were decisive factors in determining the
1-4 outcome of a number of military engagements; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Raised in East Texas, Col. Etheredge was serving as
1-6 superintendent of a small school district in Damon when the United
1-7 States entered the war; resigning his position, he enlisted in the
1-8 army as a private in 1942; after completing basic training he was
1-9 sent to noncommissioned officers' school and, after only eight days
1-10 there, to officers' candidate school in Fort Benning, Georgia,
1-11 where he graduated on February 5, 1943; and
1-12 WHEREAS, On the night of March 12-13, 1944, Col. Etheredge
1-13 was assistant commander of a combat patrol when it came under heavy
1-14 machine-gun fire north of Carano, Italy; disregarding the bullets
1-15 flying all about him, he personally led his squad in a successful
1-16 assault on the machine gun; when a second machine gun erupted, he
1-17 again braved the barrage as he directed his men in laying down
1-18 fire, allowing the main part of the patrol to advance against the
1-19 gun and silence it; and
1-20 WHEREAS, Farther along, a third strong point opened heavy
1-21 fire; once more, Col. Etheredge moved about aggressively in the
1-22 midst of this attack, developing a strong firing line and enabling
1-23 the main body of the patrol to skirt the house and continue on its
1-24 mission; altogether, the patrol killed at least 10 Germans,
2-1 captured 12, and knocked out two machine guns, and Col. Etheredge's
2-2 remarkable gallantry and leadership in this operation earned for
2-3 him a Silver Star; and
2-4 WHEREAS, Two months later, on May 23, 1944, in Italy, Col.
2-5 Etheredge immediately took charge of Company "K," 30th Infantry
2-6 Regiment, when the commanding officer and other key personnel were
2-7 cut down; deciding to continue the attack, he ignored heavy fire to
2-8 move up and down a ditch for 75 yards, reorganizing his company and
2-9 bolstering its morale; though wounded in the leg, he then led his
2-10 men running and crawling into the face of steady small arms fire
2-11 for some 550 yards, rested them for 10 minutes, and then resumed
2-12 the assault, advancing another 250 yards, overrunning the objective
2-13 and organizing an all-around defensive position; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Col. Etheredge's actions were instrumental in
2-15 securing a vital battalion target, relieving pressure on two flank
2-16 companies, and opening a way for a third company to advance; his
2-17 critical role in this day's action was rewarded with the appendage
2-18 of an oak leaf cluster to his Silver Star; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Col. Etheredge subsequently commanded Company "K" in
2-20 France; there, on August 16, 1944, he once again braved gunfire in
2-21 the course of significantly assisting the American advance; he was
2-22 sitting atop a tank destroyer, directing its fire at German-held
2-23 buildings 200 yards distant, when he barely escaped a machine-gun
2-24 fusillade; and
2-25 WHEREAS, A platoon flanking the building then fell into
2-26 disarray and Col. Etheredge dashed across 75 yards of open ground
2-27 through more machine-gun fire to reorganize the group; choosing a
3-1 route that skirted the barbed wire outside the buildings, he next
3-2 led a 50-yard assault that captured 29 enemy soldiers, an anti-tank
3-3 gun, a mortar, large quantities of ammunition, and numerous
3-4 vehicles; in recognition of his bravery and decisive command, he
3-5 received a second oak leaf cluster; and
3-6 WHEREAS, During the war Col. Etheredge also received two
3-7 Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts; he was eventually discharged
3-8 with the highest efficiency rating of any officer discharged from
3-9 the Fourth Army; this dauntless soldier later served three terms in
3-10 the Texas Legislature and taught for 33 years at Sam Houston State
3-11 University; and
3-12 WHEREAS, Citizens of the United States owe an immeasurable
3-13 debt to the nation's military personnel, whose efforts and
3-14 sacrifice throughout this country's history have secured the
3-15 liberties of countless Americans, and Colonel M. B. Etheredge most
3-16 assuredly merits the warmest tribute of this chamber for the
3-17 outstanding valor he consistently manifested on the battlegrounds
3-18 of World War II; now, therefore, be it
3-19 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
3-20 Legislature hereby honor Colonel M. B. Etheredge for his heroic and
3-21 selfless actions in the European theater of the Second World War
3-22 and extend to him profound gratitude on behalf of all Texans; and,
3-23 be it further
3-24 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-25 prepared for Col. Etheredge as an expression of highest regard by
3-26 the Texas House of Representatives.
Ellis
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1307 was adopted by the House on
May 27, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House