HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 15

(By Delegate R. Phillips, Eldridge, Marcum and Moffatt)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name a portion of Route 119/91 from Mud Fork Road to County Route 73 in Logan County, the "US Marine Corps GySgt Lionel Collins Memorial Road".

            Whereas, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins was born on January 8, 1936 in Verdunville, West Virginia to Russia Vance Collins and Ora Collins and passed away on August 3, 2014; and

            Whereas, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins was a 20 year veteran, serving in New River, North Carolina from 1953 to 1956, in Quantico, Virginia from 1956 to 1958, in Japan from 1958 to 1960, from 1960 to 1965 in Cherry Point, North Carolina, from 1965 to 1967 in Vietnam, returning to Cherry Point in 1967 and again serving in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 and in El Toro, California from 1970 to 1972; and

            Whereas, During his 20 years of loyal service, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal with five Stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Vietnamese Service Medal with four Stars, the Air Medal with Bronze, the Air Medal Strike, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the National Presidential Unit Citation and the Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation; and

            Whereas, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins was also an Expert in Rifles and Pistols and had his Air Crew Wings and retired after 20 years of loyal service with a 50% disability; and

            Whereas, After leaving the service, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins worked at Oasis (the water fountain company) in Columbus from 1973 to 1976, FEMA from 1977 to 1983 and the Buffalo Creek Apartments from 1983 until his final retirement in 1988; and

            Whereas, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins was a commander in the American Legion, a district commander in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, a Local Detachment Commandant in the Marine Corps League, a charter member of the Danny M. Greene League Detachment and a member of the Devil Dogs; and

            Whereas, It is only fitting that we name this road in honor of US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the West Virginia Legislature:

            That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways to name that portion of the road on Route 119/91 from Mud Fork Road to County Route 73 in Logan County, the "US Marine Corps GySgt Lionel Collins Memorial Road"; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs, in both directions, identifying the road, as the “US Marine Corps GySgt Lionel Collins Memorial Road”; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Lionel Collins' widow, Karen Collins, and his six children, Lionel Barry Collins, Tammy Shawn Marcum, David T. Collins, Kimberly Dawn Collins, Steven Bryan Collins and Joy Lynn Queen.