SR 146 — Celebrating the life of Master Sergeant Jan Willem Wierenga, USA, Ret.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 23104733D I SENATE RESOLUTION NO.

146 E N Offered February 17, 2023 Celebrating the life of Master Sergeant J––––––––––Wierenga,Jan Willem Wierenga, USA, Ret.

TAgreed Patrons––Norment,to Cosgroveby andthe MasonSenate, February 21, 2023 R ––––––––––O WHEREAS, Master Sergeant Jan Willem Wierenga, USA, Ret., of Williamsburg, a distinguished OL veteran who served with the elite Green Berets and former member of the Central Intelligence AgDncy who served the United States with the utmost dedication, died on January 9, 2023;

andandligence Agency WHEREAS, Jan "Dutch" Wierenga was raised in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, and was the toL anchild internmentof campa andDutch laterplanter; imprisoned by the local government during the Indonesian Nationalsent Revolution;

andafter E WHEREAS, Dutch Wierenga ultimately escaped captivity and gained combat experience in the junglesJapanese ofinvaded Indonesiaduring inWorld theWar earlyII, 1950s,he thenand immigratedhis tofamily thewere Netherlands,sent whereE heRevolution; joined the military in 1955;

andt camp and WHEREAS,later inimprisoned 1960,by the local government during the Indonesian National D WHEREAS, Dutch Wierenga fulfilledultimately aescaped longtimecaptivity dreamand togained movecombat toexperience in the Unitedjungles States,of thenIndonesia becamein athe naturalizedearly citizen1950s, andthen volunteeredimmigrated to jointhe Netherlands, where he joined the Unitedmilitary Statesin Army;1955;

and thebecame 101sta Airbornenaturalized Division,citizen the 82nd Airborne Division, and thevolunteered 5thto Specialjoin Forces Group beforeh joining the MilitaryUnited AssistanceStates Command,Army; Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG);

andandited States, then WHEREAS, asover athe membercourse of MACV-SOG,three atours highlyof classifiedduty specialin operationsthe andVietnam intelligenceWar, S unit, Dutch Wierenga participatedserved inwith somethe of101st Airborne Division, the most82nd daringAirborne Division, and dangerousthe missions5th ofSpecial Forces Group before S joining the war,1oftenMilitary farAssistance behindCommand, enemyVietnam lines- withStudies littleand support;Observations Group (MACV-SOG);

1 andWHEREAS, as a member of MACV-SOG, a highly classified special operations and 6intelligence WHEREAS,E unit, Dutch Wierenga alsoparticipated servedin assome aof specialthe forcesmost instructordaring and adangerous high-altitude,missions Survival,of Evasion,the Resistance,war, andoften EscapeR trainingfar program;behind enemy lines with little support;

and WHEREAS, Dutch Wierenga also served as a special forces instructor and a high-altitude, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape training program;

and WHEREAS, in 1986, Dutch Wierenga retired from the United States Army and began a 36-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency as a paramilitary operations officer and a contract training officer;

and :WHEREAS, Dutch Wierenga was highly admired by his fellow Williamsburg residents for his kinWHEREAS, predeceased by his first wife, Cathy, Dutch Wierenga will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Kathy;

35 kindness, generosity, humility, and grace;

andby his fellow Williamsburg residents for his 36 WHEREAS, predeceased by his first wife, Cathy, Dutch Wierenga will be fondly remembered and / 37 greatly missed by his wife, Kathy;

and numerous other family / 38 members, friends, and fellow veterans;

now, therefore, be it 39 RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Master Sergeant Jan Willem Wierenga, USA, Ret., a decorated veteran and respected member of the Williamsburg community;

and, be ititUSA, Ret., a decorated veteran and respected member of the Williamsburg RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Master Sergeant Jan Willem Wierenga, USA, Ret., as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.