HCR 8 Text

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Thompson, and Delegate Perdue)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge, bridge number 50-41-0.40 on County Route 41 in Wayne County, the "S/Sgt. E. J. A. Maynard Memorial Bridge".
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard was born on September 12, l92l in Wayne County, a son of Henry Maynard and Flora Marcum Maynard; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard attended Milam grade school which required him to walk two miles each way, and lived with and worked for his uncle, Sherman Maynard, of Wilsondale while attending Wayne High School beginning in 1936 until 1940 when he graduated; and
     Whereas, After completing two years at then Marshall College Staff Sergeant Maynard entered the U. S. Army Infantry on July 17, 1942, serving with the 80th Infantry Division until transferring to the U.S. Army Air Corps where he was honorably discharged on November 16, 1945; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard served as left waist gunner aboard a B-29 Superfortress with the 52nd Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 314th Bombardment Wing of the 20th Army Air Corps and was stationed on the Island of Guam in the Mariannas; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard participated in the "Air Offensive Japan Eastern Mandated and Western Pacific Campaigns" and was in fifteen combat missions over the Empire of Japan from April 17 through June 26, 1945; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard's squadron participated in the bombardment of Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, Otake, Kagoshima, Hamamatsu, Tachikawa, Kushira and Tachiarai with as few as eleven B-29's and as many as five hundred fifty-eight B-29's on raids over Tokyo; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Air Medal with one Bronze Star, the A/P Theater Medal with three Bronze Stars, American Theater Medal and the World War II Victory Medal; and
     Whereas, After returning from service Staff Sergeant Maynard completed his AB and MA degrees in Education at Marshall College; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard was a school teacher and principal in the Wayne County school system for thirty-seven years,
beginning teaching in one and two room schools at Wilsondale and McComas and spent the remainder of his teaching career at Crum High School where he also served as the principal for eight years; and
     Whereas, While serving in his education capacities Staff Sergeant Maynard was a member of various county, state and national education as well as civic and fraternal associations; and
     Whereas, Staff Sergeant Maynard died on July 9, 2008 at the Emma Jean Dolin Hospice House in Huntington after a long battle with Alzheimers; and
     Whereas, It is fitting to honor Staff Sergeant Maynard for his commitment, dedication and service to his country and his state; therefore, be it
     Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
     That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 50-41-0.40 on County Route 41 in Wayne County, the "S/Sgt. E. J. A. Maynard Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
     Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the "S/Sgt. E. J. A. Maynard Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
     Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and his son, Gary S. Maynard.

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