HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 13

(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates,

R. M. Thompson, Mahan, Sumner and Susman)



Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge on County Rt. 13, Arnett, Raleigh County, West Virginia at the end of Posey Saxon Road approximately four tenths of one mile from State Route 3, the "Sergeant Billy Ray Holmes Memorial Bridge."

Whereas, Sgt. Holmes was born on June 12, 1948 in Beckley and graduated from Marsh Fork High School in Raleigh County in 1966 and entered the Army in January, 1967; and
Whereas, Sgt. Holmes finished basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington before joining his brother in Vietnam; and
Whereas, Sgt. Holmes was killed in combat in Vietnam on July 3, 1968; and
Whereas, Sgt. Holmes was the commander of an armored personnel carrier when the vehicle was attacked by the Viet Cong; and
Whereas, The entire crew left the carrier and took cover in nearby bushes but Sgt. Holmes went back to the vehicle and started to fire a .50 caliber machine gun; and
Whereas, During this fight, Sgt. Holmes was hit in the stomach by an armor piercing shell, which was about twelve inches in length and five inches in diameter at the largest point; and
Whereas, Sgt. Holmes died within moments of being shot; and
Whereas, A few days before his death, Sgt. Holmes sustained shrapnel wounds when another personnel carrier that he commanded was destroyed by Viet Cong fire; and
Whereas, Sgt. Holmes was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his service to his country; and
Whereas, Through his untiring efforts and professional ability, Sgt. Holmes consistently obtained outstanding results; and
Whereas, Sgt. Holmes was quick to grasp the implications of new problems with which he was faced as a result of the ever changing situations inherent in a counterinsurgency operation and to find ways and means to solve those problems; and
Whereas, It is only fitting and proper that the Legislature and people of the State of West Virginia honor one of its native sons and fallen hero by naming the bridge on County Rt. 13, Arnett, Raleigh County, West Virginia at the end of Posey Saxon Road approximately four tenths of one mile from State Route 3, the "Sergeant Billy Ray Holmes Memorial Bridge"; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name the bridge on County Rt. 13, Arnett, Raleigh County, West Virginia at the end of Posey Saxon Road approximately four tenths of one mile from State Route 3, the "Sergeant Billy Ray Holmes Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to cause to be fabricated signs, to be posted at both ends of the above-designated bridge, with words, printed in bold and prominent fashion, proclaiming the "Sergeant Billy Ray Holmes Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is hereby requested to provide a certified copy of this Resolution to the family of Sergeant Billy Ray Holmes.