SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 31

(By Senators Boso, Stollings and Beach)

[Introduced March 9, 2017]

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 42-219/34-0.12 (42A161), locally known as the 11th Street Bridge, carrying CR 219/34 over Tygart Valley River in Randolph County, the “U. S. Navy BT2 Mark Edward Hutchison Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Boiler Technician Hutchison was born on March 30, 1963, in Elkins, to Edward S. Hutchison and Helen Ruth “Purkey” Hutchison; and

Whereas, Boiler Technician Hutchison was the youngest of the five Hutchison children. He grew up in the Elkins area where he attended school as well as the Vo-Tech Center until graduation from Elkins High School in 1981. He was involved in many local organizations and activities including the Boy Scouts, the Izaak Walton League and the Woodford United Methodist Church; and

Whereas, Boiler Technician Hutchison enlisted in the U. S. Navy on April 12, 1983, and served honorably as a BT2 Class Boiler Technician, and was deployed to the Middle East during Operation Desert Shield in August, 1990; and

Whereas, Boiler Technician Hutchison was killed in a tragic boiler room accident aboard the USS Iwo Jima on October 30, 1990, and was hailed for his bravery and heroism by shipmates and the author Timothy Cummings who wrote an investigative report for Chief Engineer Magazine for his efforts to save the ship and protect his fellow shipmates when the horrific accident occurred; and

Whereas, Boiler Technician Hutchison’s body was returned to his birthplace for final military rites and burial in the Mountain State Memorial Gardens on November 5, 1990; and

Whereas, Boiler Technician Hutchison’s father, Edward S. Hutchison, is a 92 year-old WWII Navy Veteran who served from 1943 to 1945. He served in several theaters of war during this time including his participation as an operator of LCVP landing craft and the landing of troops on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Mr. Hutchison also served as an Elkins City Councilman for several years during the 1970s; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an appropriate memorial recognizing U. S. Navy Boiler Technician Mark Edward Hutchison and the sacrifice he made be established in the area where he lived; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 42-219/34-0.12 (42A161), locally known as the 11th Street Bridge, carrying CR 219/34 over Tygart Valley River in Randolph County, the “U. S. Navy BT2 Mark Edward Hutchison Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the “U. S. Navy BT2 Mark Edward Hutchison Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

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