SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 6
(By Senators Oliverio and Prezioso)
Requesting the Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of
Transportation to rename the "Southside Bridge" located in
Sid City 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; and
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 his 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 locrename rhe Southside Bridge
located in Sid City ated in Fairmont anand 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 hereby requested
to have made and placed, at either end of the bridge, signs identifying the bridge as "The Colonel George S. 'Spanky'
Roberts, USAF, Memorial Bridge".