HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 112

(By Delegates Marcum and White)

Requesting that bridge number 30-3/2-0.03, currently known as the Dingess Concrete Bridge, 0.13 mile east of Route 3/12, on County Route 3/2 over Moses Fork, Mingo County, West Virginia, be named the “Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron Memorial Bridge”.

    Whereas, Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron, son of William and Cleo Damron, was born in Dingess, West Virginia and attended Lenore High School; and

    Whereas, Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron enlisted in the United States Army in 1952 at age seventeen, with his parent’s permission; and

    Whereas, Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron completed high school while in the Army, and later graduated from the University of South Carolina; and

    Whereas, Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron rose through the ranks, serving his last tour or duty of a twenty-year military career as Army Command Sergeant Major at the Drill Sergeant School in Fort Jackson, South Carolina; and

    Whereas, Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron served three years in Germany, and was awarded stars for gallantry in action for his service in Korea and three tours of duty in Vietnam; and

    Whereas, During Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron’s service in Vietnam he was instrumental in building and supplying an orphanage; and

    Whereas, Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron was responsible for having a statue of a drill sergeant placed at the drill sergeant school at Fort Jackson; and

    Whereas, In his honor, a flag was flown over the United States Capitol Building on February 8, 2006, his seventy-first birthday, and was presented to his wife, Joan; and

    Whereas, Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron died February 16, 2006 in Columbia, South Carolina and received full military honors with General James B. Allen delivering his eulogy; and

    Whereas, Medals awarded Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron, during his miliary career, included: Two Silver Stars, Bronze Star, United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Badge, Medical Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, three Purple Hearts, Armed Force Expeditionary Medal, six OS Bars, five Good Conduct Medals, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Army Commendation Medal; and

    Whereas, Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron completed the basic leadership course, TUSANCO Academy, in 1972; was a charter member of the Association of United States Army; and was a founding sponsor of the National Museum of the United States Army at Arlington, Virginia; and

    Whereas, Following his outstanding military career, Wade Damron enjoyed additional careers as personnel director at Richland Memorial Hospital and Blue Cross/Blue Shield and as president of Garnet Distribution; and

    Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate the achievements of this native son; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 30-3/2-0.03, currently known as the Dingess Concrete Bridge, 0.13 mile east of Route 3/12, on County Route 3/2 over Moses Fork, Mingo County, West Virginia, the “Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested to erect signs at both ends of the bridge containing bold and prominent letters proclaiming the bridge the “Army Command Sergeant Major Wade Damron Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways and to family members of Wade Damron.