SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 53

(By Senators Boso and Stollings)

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 42-5/12-4.32 (42A014) (38.91199, -79.70571), locally known as the Bowden Bridge, carrying County Route 5/12 over Shavers Fork of Cheat River in Randolph County, the "U. S. Army PFC Samuel Reed Summerfield Memorial Bridge".

            Whereas, Samuel Reed Summerfield was born at Harman, Randolph County, on January 9, 1949, the son of John R. and Lillian Gabbert Summerfield. He attended grade school in Bowden, West Virginia, and graduated from Elkins High School in 1957; and

            Whereas, Samuel Summerfield came from modest and humble circumstances and entered the United States Army in 1968, where he became accomplished as a helicopter crew chief with the 68th American Helicopter Company, the "Top Tigers", and served at the rank of Private First Class; and

            Whereas, PFC Summerfield lost his life, at the age of nineteen years, when his helicopter was shot down in action in Bing Duong Province in the Republic of Vietnam on August 16, 1968, for which he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal; and

            Whereas, It is fitting that the Legislature recognize his service and his sacrifice for his country and his community; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 42-5/12-4.32 (42A014) (38.91199, -79.70571), locally known as the Bowden Bridge, carrying County Route 5/12 over Shavers Fork of Cheat River in Randolph County, the "U. S. Army PFC Samuel Reed Summerfield Memorial Bridge"; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the "U. S. Army PFC Samuel Reed Summerfield 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 Secretary of the Department of Transportation and to the surviving members of PFC Summerfield's family.