HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 33

(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Harrison, Wright, Yeager, Armstead, Azinger, Beach, Boggs, Border, Butcher, Cann, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael, Compton, Dempsey, Douglas, Doyle, Ellem, Evans, Fahey, Ferrell, Flanigan, Fleischauer, Fletcher, Fox, Fragale, Frederick, Hatfield, Hrutkay, Hubbard, Keener, Kominar, Kuhn, Leach, Leggett, Louisos, Mahan, Manchin, Manuel, Marshall, Martin, Mathews, McGraw, Mezzatesta, Michael, Morgan, Overington, Paxton, Perdue, Perry, Pino, Poling, Proudfoot, Prunty, Riggs, Romine, Schadler, Shaver, Shelton, Smirl, J. Smith, L. Smith, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton, Stemple, Stephens, Susman, R. Thompson, R. M. Thompson, Trump, Walters, Warner, Webb, Webster, C. White, H. White, Williams and Wills)


[Introduced March 4, 2002; referred to the

Committee on Rules.]


Naming State Route 16 between Coalwood and War, West Virginia "Rocket Boys Drive."

Whereas, Coalwood, McDowell County, West Virginia, is the original home and former residence of the "Rocket Boys," Jimmy "O'Dell" Carroll, Homer "Sonny" Hickman, Billy Rose, Sherman Siers (deceased), Roy Lee Cooke and Quentin Wilson, whose vision, insight and belief in the space program of this nation, and their rocket launching exploits, formed the factual basis for a book, entitled "Rocket Boys" as well as a movie, entitled "October Sky;" and
Whereas, It is entirely appropriate that the inspiring exploits of these young men, now an iconic treasure of this nation, be commemorated by the naming of State Route 16 between Coalwood and War, a route often traveled by the "Rocket Boys" in furtherance, not only of their extraordinary activities related to rocket-launching, but also of their everyday lives as native sons; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That State Route 16, between Coalwood and War, West Virginia be named "Rocket Boys Drive" as a token of recognition of the remarkable feats achieved by our native sons, the "Rocket Boys;" and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of Transportation, the Commissioner of the Division of Highways, the County Commission of McDowell County, the surviving "Rocket Boys" and to the immediate surviving family members of Sherman Siers.