SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 21

(By Senators Woodrum, Deeds, and Rucker)

[Introduced January 30, 2024]

Requesting the Division of Highways name a portion of County Route 17, from the intersection of Barger Springs Road (37.650321, -80.751025) to the intersection of Talcott Back Road and Route 12 (37.648578, -80.745278) in Summers County, the "U. S. Army Master Sergeant James E. Jackson, Jr. Memorial Road".

Whereas, Master Sergeant James E. Jackson, Jr. was born in 1940 in Talcott, West Virginia; and

Whereas, Master Sergeant Jackson completed medical corpsman training at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, followed by service as an operating room specialist with the 7th Surgical Hospital at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, followed by additional medical trainings at Fort Sam Houston and Fort Bragg; and

Whereas, Master Sergeant Jackson joined the U.S. Army on June 5, 1958, and served as a Special Forces Medic with Company B and later with Company D, as well as Companies A and C of 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg; and

Whereas, While serving as a Special Forces Medic with Company B of the 5th Special Forces Group in South Vietnam, beginning in 1965, he was captured on July 5, 1966, spending 495 days as a prisoner of war, and was released by his captors in Cambodia on November 11, 1967; and

Whereas, Master Sergeant Jackson served as a Special Forces Medic instructor at the Special Forces Training Group at Fort Bragg, then became a medical supervisor and eventually became Chief Special Forces Medic Instructor with the Special Forces Detachment of the U.S. Army Institute for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg until he retired in 1978; and

Whereas, Master Sergeant Jackson received the Bronze Star for his service during ground operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam; and

Whereas, Master Sergeant James E. Jackson, Jr. died in 2019; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Master Sergeant James E. Jackson, Jr. 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 a portion of County Route 17, from the intersection of Barger Springs Road (37.650321, -80.751025) to the intersection of Talcott Back Road and Route 12 (37.648578, -80.745278) in Summers County, the "U. S. Army Master Sergeant James E. Jackson, Jr. Memorial Road"; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs at both ends identifying the portion of road as the "U. S. Army Master Sergeant James E. Jackson, Jr. Memorial Road"; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.