SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 50

(By Senators Beach, Stollings and Prezioso)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 31-68-9.40 on Interstate 68 crossing Cheat Lake, Monongalia County, West Virginia, the “Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly Memorial Bridge”.

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly was born December 1, 1938, to parents Mildred A. and Raymond P. Lilly; and

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly was the son of a coal company mine foreman and a public school teacher and the younger brother of Jan Hylton Lilly; and

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly was raised in various mining communities of Logan County and attended school in Gilbert, Omar and later, Morgantown, West Virginia where he moved with the family when the father began working for Pittsburgh Consolidated Coal Company; and

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly entered his sophomore year at Morgantown High School, where his main interests were mathematics, mechanical drawing, science and machine shop; and

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly worked during high school years at Marv’s Pizza shop on Campus Drive in the Sunnyside area of Morgantown and, after graduating from Morgantown High School in 1958, managed the shop for a short period; and

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly joined the United States Air Force, and after earning high scores on aptitude tests, was trained as a navigator, commissioned a Second Lieutenant, and assigned to Schilling Air Force Base, Kansas; and

    Whereas, Carroll Baxter Lilly rose through the ranks in the Air Force, and during the Vietnam War, was classified as a pilot and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel; and

    Whereas, During a tour of duty Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly was shot down in southern Laos on April 9, 1971; and

    Whereas, The body of Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly was never found; and

    Whereas, Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly was awarded a Purple Heart (Posthumously), Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon; and

     Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial to Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly be established in recognition of his outstanding service in the United States Air Force, his devotion to duty and his supreme sacrifice for his country; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways to name bridge number 31-68-9.40 on Interstate 68 crossing Cheat Lake, Monongalia County, West Virginia, the “Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly 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 “Lt. Col. Carroll Baxter Lilly Memorial Bridge”; 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, and to Mr. Jan H. Lilly, 5104 Black Diamond Ct., Raleigh, NC 27604.