Our Heroes

There are many heroes from the Spring area who served bravely in various conflicts whose stories will be added as they are learned and curated for inclusion on this page. For now, please enjoy this story of Cpl Tomlinson:

Harry Emert Tomlinson was born in Spring, Texas on October 4, 1921, to William Henry Tomlinson and Elizabeth Watson, who married in 1896. He had six brothers and two sisters. 

When Emert was only two years old, his mother died and he and his brother Earl went to live with their older sister Frances and her husband Earl Wunsche Sr. He grew up with their children, Earl Wunsche Jr. and Willie Mae Wunsche Bingham. 

Emert and Willie Mae graduated from Spring High School in 1941. Soon after, WWII began and Emert enlisted in the Marines. According to Earl Wunsche Sr., Emert was a good man who always volunteered to help. So, it was no surprise that, as part of the 3rd Marine Division, he volunteered to help clear Japanese tunnels on Iwo Jima as Marines moved through the Pacific Islands near the end of the war.

Cpl Tomlinson died on May 12, 1945, from injuries he received on the island. In January of 1949, his remains were moved to the new National Cemetary of the Pacific in Honolulu. He rests in Section C, Site 589.

The 48-star flag, which was on his casket, was sent home to Spring to his sister Frances and her husband Earl. When they passed away, the flag was cared for by his cousin Willie Mae. She eventually passed the flag on to Homer Dunn, the son of Emert’s younger sister, Janie Louise Tomlinson Dunn. Homer and his wife Cheryl recently donated the flag to the museum where it is now permanently and prominently on display.