HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 15
(By Delegates Staton and Browning)
[Introduced January 28, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways to name the
bridge located between Lillyhaven and Lillydale on State Route
971, Wyoming County, West Virginia, the "Roger Gene Craig
Bridge."
Whereas, Roger Gene Craig
was born on May 2,1948,at Indian
Mills in Summers County, West Virginia, to Thelma Martin Craig and
Oliver Craig; and
Whereas, Roger Gene Craig
attended Berlin McKinney School,
Oceana Middle School and Oceana High School; and
Whereas, Roger Gene Craig
, unmarried, entered the United States
Army in March, 1969 in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He completed
his training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, then went to Fort Hood, Texas
and departed on November 5, 1969 for a tour of duty in the Republic
of Vietnam serving as a Specialist 4 in the 1st Field Force in the
Republic of Vietnam where he started his tour of duty on November
9, 1969, until he was killed in action on May 3, 1970,in Binh Thuan
Province of South Vietnam; and
Whereas, Roger Gene Craig
was awarded the following medals
posthumously for actions and conduct for participating in ground combat operations in Vietnam at Landing Zone Betty: From April 13,
1969 to April 26, 1969, the Bronze Star Medal with "V": Device, the
Purple Heart, the National Defense Medal, the Vietnam Campaign
Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal;
and
Whereas, Roger Gene Craig
was 22 years old when he died in the
service of his country, a world away from his native State of West
Virginia and his family and friends; prior to his death, he had
volunteered to join a reaction force to combat enemy troops who
were advancing on the area firing rockets, automatic weapons and
small arms at the out manned defenders. The truck in which
Specialist 4 Craig was riding was struck by an enemy rocket and
with complete disregard for his own safety, he dismounted the
damaged truck and began delivering withering suppressive fire on
the enemy until he was mortally wounded by an enemy thrown grenade.
His heroism and conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions
of military discipline, bravery and devotion to his military
service, his fellow servicemen and his country; and
Whereas, Roger Gene Craig
unselfishly made the supreme
sacrifice for his country, State, family and friends and in so
doing, joined the legions of young American men and women who have
given their lives in past decades so that other people might have
a chance to know the meaning of freedom which is so dear to
Americans and West Virginians, who have died and will continue to
die to defend it; and
Whereas, The life and sacrifice of Roger Gene Craig
should not
go unnoticed; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia
:
That the members of the Legislature request the West Virginia
Division of Highways to name the bridge between Lillyhaven and
Lillydale on State Route 971, Wyoming County, West Virginia, the
"Roger Gene Craig Bridge"
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Division of Highways
provide and erect a sign at either end of the bridge displaying the
name of the bridge; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward
a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of
Highways, and to the surviving relatives of Roger Gene Craig.