HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5
(By Delegates Prunty, Caputo and
Manchin)
Requesting the commissioner of the
West Virginia department of
transportation to rename that
certain bridge located in
Fairmont and spanning Coal
Run on Route 250 as "The
Colonel George S. 'Spanky'
Roberts, USAF, Memorial
Bridge."
Whereas, Colonel George S.
"Spanky" Roberts resided in the
city of Fairmont during his youth
where he attended local elementary
and high schools, graduating at age fifteen. In 1938, Colonel Roberts
graduated from West Virginia State
College with a B.S. Degree in
Mechanic Arts; and
Whereas, Colonel Roberts
entered the military service of the
United States of America in 1941,
by enlisting in the United States
Air Force, then the Army Air Corps,
as the first Negro Aviation Cadet.
His career with the United States
Air Force spanned a period of
twenty-seven years from 1941 until
his retirement in 1968. Colonel
Roberts served his country with
honor and distinction. The
following are a few of the high
points of his military career:
1. On March 7, 1942, he was
commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant and pilot;
2. On June 1, 1942, he was
appointed commander of the 99th
First Fighter Squadron;
3. In 1943, he entered combat
in North Africa. By the close of
World War II, he had completed one
hundred missions in the battle
theaters of Africa, Europe and the
Middle East. During the war, he
was appointed Deputy Commander and
then Commander of the 332nd Fighter
Group.
4. In 1953, Colonel Roberts,
then a full colonel, commanded the
51st Air Base Group assigned to the
Korean Peninsula and later served
as Director of Material to the
313th Air Division, Okinawa, Japan;
5. In 1963, Colonel Roberts was assigned to the Air Force
Logistics Command at Griffin Air
Force Base, Rome, New York. He
retired in 1968 from McClelland Air
Force Base, Sacramento, California,
where he served with the F104,
Freedom Fighters;
6. During his military
career, Colonel Roberts received
the Air Force Commendation Medal
with four Oak Leaf Clusters and two
Presidential Unit Citations; and
Whereas, Subsequent to his
retirement from active duty,
Colonel Roberts continued to
service his country and his
community, by serving on numerous
boards and committees in the
Sacramento area; and
Whereas, Colonel Roberts departed this life on March 8,
1984; and
Whereas, Colonel Roberts life
is an outstanding example of
selfless service and sacrifice to
country and community, and it is
right and just to perpetuate and
honor his memory as an outstanding
native son of our State; therefore,
be it
Resolved by the Legislature of
West Virginia:
That the commissioner of the
West Virginia department of
transportation is hereby requested
to designate that certain bridge
located in Fairmont and spanning
Coal Run on Route 250, now known as
the "Southside Bridge," as "The
Colonel George S. 'Spanky' Roberts,
USAF, Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the
commissioner is requested to have
made and be placed, at either end
of the bridge, signs identifying
the bridge as "The Colonel George
S. 'Spanky' Roberts, USAF, Memorial
Bridge".