HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 23

(By Delegate Hartman, Sponaugle, C. Thompson, Boggs, N. Brown and Caputo)

[Introduced January 21, 2020]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 42-48-42.37 NB & SB(42A202, 42A203), (38.95410,-79.85749) locally known as Laurel Mountain Road Bridges, carrying US 48 over CR11 and US 219 in Randolph County, the “U. S. Army Spec. 4, Roger Dale Griffith Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Roger Dale Griffith was born on August 20, 1947, in Elkins, West Virginia, the son of Lester F. Griffith and Ora Griffith; and

Whereas, Roger Dale Griffith graduated from Elkins High School; and

Whereas, Roger Dale Griffith enlisted in the US Army and gained the rank as a Specialist 4; and

Whereas, Roger Dale Griffith arrived in Vietnam on July 11, 1967, where he served as a light infantry weapons soldier in A Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; and

Whereas, Specialist Griffith was killed on January 4, 1968, as a result of multiple gunshot wounds after his platoon was attacked by a large North Vietnamese Army Force while on a patrol in Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam; and

Whereas, Specialist Griffith was awarded the Purple Heart, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, the National Defense Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB); and

Whereas, Specialist Griffith’s name is listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., Panel 33A, Line 36 and is buried in Mountain State Memorial Gardens in Gilman, Randolph County; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Army Specialist 4, Roger Dale Griffith and his contributions to our state and country; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 42-48-42.37 NB & SB(42A202, 42A203), (38.95410,-79.85749) locally known as the Laurel Mountain Road Bridges, carrying US 48 over CR11 and US 219 in Randolph County, the “U. S. Army Specialist 4, Roger Dale Griffith Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to erect signs containing bold and prominent letters identifying the bridge as the “U. S. Army Specialist 4 Roger Dale Griffith Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.