HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 15
(By Delegates Staton and Sparks)
Requesting the West Virginia Department of Highways to name the bridge over the Guyandotte River, located on State Route 16 at its junction with State Route 10, the Lieutenant James L.
Smith Memorial Bridge.
Whereas, James Leroy Smith was born at Grace Hospital in
Welch, West Virginia, on April 5, 1944, the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Andrew Smith of Pineville, and was reared near Pineville, Wyoming
County, West Virginia, attending Pineville High School, where he
excelled academically and exhibited leadership by serving as the
class president of the Pineville High School graduating class of
1961; and
Whereas, In September, 1963, James Leroy Smith enlisted in
the United States Army, completing basic training at Fort Knox,
Kentucky, and completing Advanced Field Artillery Training at
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was honored as the Outstanding
Trainee of his company; and
Whereas, James Leroy Smith, having been nominated by
Congressman James Kee, of the Fifth Congressional District of
West Virginia, entered his Plebe year at the United States
Military Academy at West Point in 1965, graduating 326th out of a class of 800 and receiving an Officer's Commission on June 3,
1969, and subsequently attended Infantry Officer's Basic Course
at Fort Benning, Georgia, graduating on October 14, 1969, and the
United States Army Ranger School, graduating December 16, 1969;
and
Whereas, Lieutenant James Leroy Smith, after six months of
continued training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, entered the
Republic of Vietnam on June 28, 1970, for a tour of duty serving
in L Company Rangers, 75th Infantry Brigade, 101st Airborne
(Airmobile) Division; and
Whereas, Lieutenant James Leroy Smith was wounded in action,
receiving the Order of the Purple Heart on November 17, 1970; and
Whereas, On February 15, 1971, First Lieutenant James Leroy
Smith volunteered to guide a helicopter to rescue a seriously
wounded member of a Ranger team which was under enemy fire; and
Whereas, Sadly, after evacuating the wounded soldier, First
Lieutenant James Leroy Smith was killed in action when the
helicopter in which he was riding crashed; and
Whereas, First Lieutenant James Leroy Smith was posthumously
awarded the Bronze Star for Achievement with an Oak Leaf Cluster
and the Combat Infantryman Badge, and prior to his death had been
awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Good Conduct Medal;
and
Whereas, First Lieutenant James Leroy Smith made the ultimate
sacrifice for his country, giving his own life in an attempt to save the life of a fellow soldier, after a lifetime of
patriotism, leadership, devotion to duty and the pursuit of
excellence; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the West Virginia Division of Highways is hereby
requested to name the bridge over the Guyandotte River located on
West Virginia State Route 16, at the junction of that route with
State Route 10, the Lieutenant James L. Smith Memorial Bridge;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates
is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the
Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Highways, the
Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Transportation, the
Governor of the State of West Virginia and the surviving members
of Lieutenant James Leroy Smith's family.