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COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 6
By Delegates Rowe, Robinson, and Estep-Burton
(Originating in the Committee on Technology and
Infrastructure
February 25, 2019)
Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 20-60-36.23 (20A160), locally known as U.S. Route 60 Cedar Grove Overpass 3565 Bridge, carrying U. S. Route 60 over County Route 81, Kanawha County, the “U. S. Army PFC Earl Russell Cobb, SPC4 Carl Bradford Goodson, and SSGT George T. Saunders Jr. Memorial Bridge”.
Whereas, Earl Russell Cobb, known throughout his life by his classmates and friends as “Russell”, was born in Ward, West Virginia on October 24, 1946 to Carl and Mabel Cobb. He loved hunting squirrel and deer near the mountains of Ward. PFC Cobb attended Ward Elementary and graduated from Cedar Grove High School in the class of 1966.
Whereas, Earl Russell Cobb entered the United States Army on April 17, 1967 and trained in Light Infantry, (MOS 11B20) and was then assigned to serve as a Private First Class in Company A, of the 22nd Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division; and
Whereas, PFC Earl Russell Cobb was declared missing in action and ultimately declared deceased on September 4, 1967; his casualty occurred in or around the Tau Ningh Province of South Vietnam near the Cambodian border due to “hostil, died while missing due to multiple fragmentation wounds.”; and
Whereas, PFC Earl Russell Cobb was killed in action on September 4, 1967, just five months into his tour of duty and is now listed on panel 25E, line 96, of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, Carl Bradford “Punkin” Goodson was born on October 14, 1948, and was the son of Vernon and Dortha Goodson and the brother of Vernon Goodson Jr. of Cedar Grove, West Virginia; he lived beside Cedar Grove High and the Little League baseball field where he honed his skills that would enable him to play high school baseball for three years; and
Whereas, Carl Bradford Goodson graduated from Cedar Grove High School in the Class of 1966 and was a member of the Church of God at Ward, West Virginia; and
Whereas, Carl Bradford Goodson entered the U. S. Army on October 28, 1969 and graduated basic and AIT as a specialist fourth class; he served in the Charlie Company 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Battalion, 101st Airborne Division in 1969 and 1970 in the Republic of Vietnam; and
Whereas, SPC4 Carl Bradford Goodson was killed in action on April 6, 1970, just five months into his tour of duty and is now listed on panel 12W, line 101, of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and is buried in the Ward Cemetery at Ward, West Virginia; and
Whereas, On September 29, 2018, a memorial service was held for SPC4 Carl Bradford Goodson at his graveside at the Ward Cemetery near Cedar Grove, attended by several of his fellow soldiers from his army unit; and
Whereas, on this occasion, one of his comrades in arms, Gary Gilliam, recounted this about Carl and the circumstances of his death on April 6, 1970: “He was a brave young soldier who died serving the country he loved. Carl was part of the battle of Firebase Ripcord. The elements of this battle began as the 101st Airborne Division began the effort to reopen the strategic firebase (Ripcord) located overlooking the infamous A Shau Valley in March and ended July 22,” Gilliam said. “With almost continual daily contact throughout the campaign, on April 6 on Hill 927, 25 miles west of the city of Hue, Carl, along with his brothers Larry Christmas and Steve Steward of Charlie Company, fought bravely to hold their position to protect Firebase Ripcord against an overwhelming force of the North Vietnamese Army. After two brutal hours of battle, these three brave soldiers gave their lives to save the lives of their brothers of Charlie Company”; and
Whereas, George Thomas Saunders Jr. was born on February 28, 1942, and grew up in the community of Cedar Grove, West Virginia; and
Whereas, George T. Saunders, Jr. was born to George T. Saunders, Sr. and Carol Saunders of Cedar Grove, WV on February 2, 1942; his friends and classmates called him “GT.”; and
Whereas, George T. Saunders, Jr. graduated from Cedar Grove High School in the Class of 1959; his sisters Pam and Diane said that since early childhood, he wanted a career in the US military; and
Whereas, George T. Saunders, Jr. entered the United States Army straight out of high school and was trained for Military Police (MOS 13B) and attached to the 1st Infantry Division, 1st Military Police Company; and
Whereas, George Thomas Saunders Jr. joined the United States Army, served six years, and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant; and
Whereas, SSGT George T. Saunders, Jr. was posted to the First Military Police Company in the First Infantry Division in the Republic of Vietnam in 1965; and
Whereas, on October 31, 1965, SSGT Saunders was on forward scouting patrol when he experienced a traumatic event that resulted in his death; his life was taken in the South Vietnamese Province of Thua Thien; the official circumstances of his death were: SSG Saunders died of hostile action “explosive device”; and
Whereas, SSGT George T. Saunders, Jr. was killed in hostile fire on October 31, 1965, less than two weeks into his tour of duty in Vietnam and is now listed on panel 3E, line 10, of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Cedar Grove, West Virginia; and
Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring, local memorial be established to commemorate the service and ultimate sacrifice of PFC Earl Russell Cobb, SPC4 Carl Bradford Goodson, and SSGT George T. Saunders, Jr., three young men from the community of Cedar Grove, West Virginia; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 20-60-36.23 (20A160), locally known as U. S. Route 60 Cedar Grove Overpass 3565 Bridge, carrying U. S. Route 60 over County Route 81, Kanawha County, the “U. S. Army PFC Earl Russell Cobb, SPC4 Carl Bradford Goodson, and SSGT George T. Saunders Jr. 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 PFC Earl Russell Cobb, SPC4 Carl Bradford Goodson, and SSGT George T. Saunders Jr. Memorial Bridge”; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.
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