COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 7

(By Delegates Brown, Guthrie and Hatfield)

Requesting that bridge number 20-64-53.27wb on Interstate 64 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, be named the “Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo Memorial Bridge”.

    Whereas, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo was born on December 6, 1925 in Charleston and graduated from Charleston High School in 1946; and

    Whereas, Being from a patriotic family, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo was, like other relatives, such as Grant Woo, Wilson Woo, Benjamin Franklin Woo and George Woo, named after a president or other significant figure in United States history; and

    Whereas, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo loved West Virginia spending his youth with his family residing on Summers Street and helping out at the family restaurant, The Canton. He also spent many hours along the Kanawha River and visited his brother George Woo, a former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, on weekends in South Charleston.

    Whereas, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo attended West Virginia University before enlisting in the United States Army and saw combat action with the 93rd Division of the Third Army in France, Germany and Czechoslovakia; and

    Whereas, During his service in Europe, then a Private First Class, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo received the Bronze Star for "Meritorious Achievement in Ground Operations Against the Enemy in European Theater of Operations"; and

    Whereas, Following his discharge in 1946 Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo reenrolled at West Virginia University and resumed his studies. During his senior year in December 1950, he was recalled to active duty to Fort Knox where he served as an infantry instructor until September 1951; and

    Whereas, On September 27, 1951 Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo arrived in Korea as a Platoon Leader in Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), lst Cavalry Division; and

    Whereas, On October 3, 1951 Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action at Mago-Ri, near Chorwan, Korea where he gave his life; and

    Whereas, For his heroism on that day Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross Citation. That citation reads, "Lieutenant Woo led his platoon to the company's objective under intense mortar and small-arms fire. In the initial assault, he outdistanced his leading elements and knocked out an enemy bunker. Although wounded in the arm, he left the hill, reorganized the platoon, and again led them to the objective. Before he could organize to hold the captured hill, a powerful enemy counterattack struck the position. Lieutenant Woo was again wounded, the platoon's ammunition was exhausted and its withdrawal became necessary. While he was courageously directing the withdrawal and evacuation of the wounded, he was killed by an enemy mortar shell. Lieutenant Woo's heroic action and unhesitating devotion to duty are in keeping with the best traditions of the military service.”; and

    Whereas, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo was the first soldier of Chinese descent from West Virginia to die in combat in any war in which the nation has been engaged; and

    Whereas, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo is buried in Boston, Massachusetts alongside his father Matthew J. Woo, his mother Loo Shee Woo, his brothers George Woo, Henderson Woo, Grant Woo, Wilson Woo, and his sisters, Virginia Woo Dare and Irene Woo.

    Whereas, In addition to the Bronze Star and Distinguished Service Cross Citation, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo was also awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal; and

    Whereas, In 1963, the l02nd South Korean Army Engineer Battalion, fifteen miles north of Seoul, Korea, changed the name of the South Korea army camp to Camp Woo to honor Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo's distinguished service and extraordinary heroism; and

    Whereas, Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo served his country and his state with extraordinary honor and distinction and having given the ultimate sacrifice; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 20-64-53.27wb on Interstate 64 in Kanawha County, West Virginia, the “Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested to erect signs at both ends of the bridge containing bold and prominent letters proclaiming the bridge the “Second Lieutenant Theodore Remington Woo Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways, and his brothers B. Franklin Woo, Davis Woo and Raymond Woo, his niece Lisa Jane Woo and his nephew Theodore Joseph Woo.