Adopted by House 2-27-2014

SCR1 H RLS AM 2-25

J. McPherson -3942

    The Committee on Rules moved to amend the resolution by striking out everything after the title and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

    Whereas, Sergeant Kittle was born on March 15, 1940, in Randolph County to Cecil Wilbert Kittle, Sr., and Omega Virginia Armentrout Kittle. He had one brother, retired Master Sergeant Floyd A. Kittle, and two sisters, Carolyn Darlene Kittle and Eva Fae Collier Knight; and

    Whereas, In July, 1962, Sergeant Kittle married Betty Irene Wilt Kittle. They had two children, Richard Nicholas Kittle and Randall Lee Kittle; and

    Whereas, Sergeant Kittle was a career soldier who first entered the Army in July, 1958, after attending Tygarts Valley High School. He served several tours of duty in Europe with the Seventh Army and, in 1961, was involved with activities surrounding the Berlin Wall Crisis while serving with the 51st Infantry in Germany; and

    Whereas, In 1965 Sergeant Kittle arrived in Vietnam where he served with Company C of the Second Battalion, Seventh Calvary/ First Calvary Division (Airmobile). This Division was involved in the heaviest fighting at the Battle of Ia Drang Valley and Chu Pong Mountain, the first major battle for the U.S. in the Vietnam War; and

    Whereas, American leaders had decided to use newly developed airmobile tactics by flying in American troops by helicopter. The Seventh Cavalry Regiment/First Air Calvary Division was given this assignment in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley; and

    Whereas, The Battle at Ia Drang Valley began on November 14, 1965, and Sergeant Kittle was part of the military's operation to be airlifted into Ia Drang Valley to locate the North Vietnamese Army. Only sixteen helicopters were available to bring in the troops which took four hours to get all of the men on the ground. Heavy fire began immediately and the first American soldiers who were dropped off into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Val1ey, known as Landing Zone X-Ray, were immediately surrounded and attacked by thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers. Dozens of men died within this first wave of attacks during the battle, which continued for three more days; and

    Whereas, On November 17, 1965, American military operations had been moved to Landing Zone Albany, where U. S. troops were again surrounded and attacked by an overwhelming number of North Vietnamese soldiers. This second wave of attacks was considered the deadliest ambush of a U. S. unit during the entire course of the Vietnam War. During the night North Vietnamese soldiers walked through the woods executing all wounded American soldiers; and

    Whereas, Air strikes and artillery eventually allowed U. S. troops to secure the area and rescue the survivors. More than three hundred American soldiers were killed in the Battle of Ia Drang Val1ey; and

    Whereas, Sergeant Kittle was killed on November 17, 1965 as a result of hostile action while on a search-and-destroy mission during the second wave of North Vietnamese attacks at the Battle of Ia Drang Valley. Sergeant Kittle’s second son, Randall Lee Kittle, was born on December 24, 1965, approximately one month after his father’s death in Vietnam; and

    Whereas, Sergeant Kittle was one of nine West Virginia soldiers who died at the Battle of Ia Drang Val1ey. Being a native of Huttonsville, he was also the first Randolph County soldier to be killed in the Vietnam War. He is buried at the Old Brick Church Cemetery in Huttonsville along with his parents and other family members; and

    Whereas, The Battle at Ia Drang Valley set the tone for the remainder of the Vietnam War as American forces continued to rely on air mobility and heavy fire support; and

    Whereas, Sergeant Kittle was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device for heroism and valor in connection to his courageous actions against hostile forces at the Battle of Ia Drang Valley. Sergeant Kittle was also awarded the Purple Heart, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Seventh Cavalry Garry Owen Patch and the Combat Infantry Badge; and

    Whereas, Sergeant Kittle’s name is listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D. C., Panel 3E, Row 82; and

    Whereas, The battle in which Sergeant Kittle died was documented in the 1965 CBS Special Report "Battle of Ia Drang Valley" and in several books including “Reflections on LZ Albany by retired Lieutenant Jim Lawrence, Lieutenant Rick Rescorla’s biography “Heart of a Soldier” by James B. Stewart and "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young" by retired Lieutenant General Hal Moore and reporter Joseph Galloway, all of whom were at the battle. The book “We Were Soldiers Once... and Young” also served as the basis of the 2002 movie "We Were Soldiers" starring Mel Gibson; and

    Whereas, Two local articles also chronicled the books and the movie's significance to West Virginia and to the people of Randolph County. The headlines read: "Current Vietnam Film has Personal Meaning for Area Residents" in the March 9, 2002, issue of the Elkins Inter-Mountain newspaper and "We Were Solders: West Virginia Veterans Remember Battle at Ia Drang Valley" in the March 7, 2002, issue of the Charleston Gazette newspaper. They are archived at the Culture Center in Charleston and in the Wise Library in Morgantown. Sergeant Kittle’s November 22, 1965, obituary is also archived at The Elkins Inter-Mountain newspaper library (Vol. LIX No. 45); and

    Whereas, It is fitting to honor Sergeant Cecil W. Kittle, Jr., for his commitment, dedication and service to his country and to his state, 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 42-43-0.16, the Becky’s Creek Bridge on Route 43 crossing over the Tygart Valley River in Huttonsville, Randolph County, the "U. S. Army Sgt. Cecil W. Kittle, Jr., Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That 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 “U. S. Army Sgt. Cecil W. Kittle, Jr., 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, to Sergeant Cecil Kittle’s siblings, retired Master Sergeant Floyd A. Kittle, Carolyn Darlene Kittle, and Evan Fae Collier Knight, and to his two sons, Randall Lee Kittle and Richard Nicholas Kittle.

Adopted

Rejected