COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 35

(By Senators Stollings and Unger)

[Originating in the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 24-13-0.01 (24A089), locally known as Gary Bridge, carrying County Route 13 over the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River in McDowell County the “U. S. Army CPL Zane Joseph Gero and U. S. Marine Corps CPL John Anthony ‘Tony’ Gero Memorial Bridge”.

            Whereas, Zane Joseph Gero was born January 26, 1911, in Thorpe, McDowell County, into a coal-mining family of immigrant ancestors; and

            Whereas, While attending Gary High School, Zane Joseph Gero led the Gary Coaldigger football team to many victories and received an honorable mention as a state football player/quarterback; and

            Whereas, While attending Gary High School, Zane Joseph Gero was also the band drum-major and at half time would lead the band in its performance; and

            Whereas, As a high school senior, Zane Joseph Gero won the title of state drum-major in a statewide competition; and

            Whereas, Following high school, Zane Joseph Gero earned a bachelor's degree from Concord College qualifying him to teach social studies; and

            Whereas, Concord College had no band at the time he enrolled there, so Zane Joseph Gero gained approval to start a band, now known as the Concord Commanders, and was the band leader; and

            Whereas, Following college, as the emergency services chief for the U. S. Coal and Coke Company, Zane Joseph Gero taught volunteers to be well qualified in emergency responses, including fire and ambulance. He taught how to provide first response in mine accidents. In a partly segregated community Zane Joseph Gero was welcomed by all ethnic and racial groups. He spoke numerous languages and at times acted as an interpreter; and

            Whereas, The coal company allowed Zane Joseph Gero to enlist in the U. S. Army and, following training, he was attached to General Joseph Patton's 3rd Army with a specialization in demolitions, land mine, bridge and highway issues, serving in 1944 and 1945; and

            Whereas, Zane Joseph Gero reached the rank of corporal and served with Company C, 314th Battalion, 89th Infantry Division, 3rd Army; and

            Whereas, Corporal Gero’s knowledge of several European languages helped him serve often as an interpreter. He led a squad which, under fire, helped put the first bridge across the Rhine River; and

            Whereas, Corporal Gero’s squad, on a mission April 4, 1945, to find and clear a route for advancing troops, was moving through a wooded area near Ohrdruk, Germany, when they encountered a lightly guarded facility containing piles of corpses, ovens with human remains, a terrible stench and a few surviving internees. The unit had come across the first concentration camp to be liberated by United States troops. It was part of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp network; and

            Whereas, Corporal Gero later became a social studies teacher at Berwind Middle School, was the Big Creek High School Band Director and was honored with the Freedom’s Foundation at Valley Forge Classroom Teacher’s Medal for, through his life and work, having made a significant contribution to a better understanding of the American way of life; and

            Whereas, Corporal Gero died October 23, 1968, in Welch, West Virginia; and

            Whereas, John Anthony “Tony” Gero, son of Zane Joseph Gero, was born August 22, 1947, in Welch, McDowell County; and

            Whereas, John Anthony Gero was named for his father's friend, David Anthony, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, fulfilling a promise made by the senior Gero to his friend while the two were serving in Europe during World War II, to name any future son after him; and

            Whereas, Members of the Gero family have served in the military as early as the American Revolution; and

            Whereas, Corporal John Anthony Gero was a sniper in the 1st Platoon, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division; and

            Whereas, Corporal John Anthony Gero was mortally wounded by friendly fire in combat in Vietnam and died on the U. S. Hospital Ship, USS Sanctuary, June 29, 1968; and

            Whereas, Corporal John Anthony Gero was buried with honors at Fort Rosecrans Military Cemetery in San Diego, California; and

            Whereas, Corporal John Anthony Gero was a late-discovered qualifying West Virginian to have his name on the State Capitol military monument and his name is on a list to be added to the monument in the future; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 24-13-0.01 (24A089), locally known as Gary Bridge, carrying County Route 13 over the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River in McDowell County the “U. S. Army CPL Zane Joseph Gero and U. S. Marine Corps CPL John Anthony ‘Tony’ Gero Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the “U. S. Army CPL Zane Joseph Gero and U. S. Marine Corps CPL John Anthony ‘Tony’ Gero Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.