COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 73

(By Delegates Ferns and Storch)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 35-88-2.84 (35A083) on Bridge Street in Wheeling, Ohio County, the “US Army Captain David Van Camp Memorial Bridge”.

    Whereas, Captain David Van Camp was born in Wheeling on February 11, 1982, the son of Donald and Linda Van Camp; and

    Whereas, Captain David Van Camp attended Wheeling public schools, graduating from Wheeling Park High School in 2000; and

    Whereas, Captain David Van Camp earned his commission as an armor officer from Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama, in 2002, and graduated from Marshall University in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice; and

    Whereas, Shortly after marrying his sweetheart, Chelsea Graham Van Camp, Captain David Van Camp began his first deployment to Iraq in 2005; and

    Whereas, Captain David Van Camp sustained serious combat injuries in a suicide bomber attack while serving in southern Iraq with the 2nd Squadron, 4th Infantry Division in 2006; and

    Whereas, On a subsequent deployment to Iraq, Captain David Van Camp was serving in Operation New Dawn as commander of Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment when he was killed in action on June 29, 2011; and

    Whereas, Captain David Van Camp's awards and decorations include two Bronze Service Medals, two Purple Hearts, two Army Achievement Medals, a Meritorious Service Medal, an Iraq Combat Medal with two service stars, a Global War on Terrorism Medal, a Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation, a National Defense Service Medal, an Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, a Combat Action Badge and a Parachutist Badge; and

    Whereas, Captain David Van Camp is survived by his loving wife, Chelsea Graham Van Camp; his parents, Don and Linda Van Camp; his brothers, Donald, Dennis and Daniel Van Camp; a mother-in-law, Suanne Graham; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and

    Whereas, In January 2012 the Captain David Van Camp Memorial Foundation was created by family and friends to establish a scholarship for a Wheeling Park High School baseball player and to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project and the West Virginia Patriot Guard Riders - all fitting tributes to David's memory because he was an avid baseball player, a motorcyclist and, of course, a Wounded Warrior himself; and

    Whereas, On that fateful day of June 29, 2011, Captain David Van Camp gave his last full measure of devotion to his country and to his comrades-in-arms; and

    Whereas, On August 1, 2011, Captain David Van Camp was interred in Arlington National Cemetery, a fitting tribute to honor his supreme sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation; and

    Whereas, The Bridge Street bridge in Wheeling is an appropriate edifice to honor this fallen hero for it is located in the Elm Grove section of Wheeling where Captain David Van Camp grew up and it is near the Bridge Street Middle School where he attended school as a young man; and

    Whereas, It is only fitting and proper that this bridge henceforth stand as a permanent memorial to Captain David Van Camp so that his courage and selfless heroism are never forgotten for, as it has been so eloquently stated, "Poor is a nation who has no heroes; shameful is a nation who has heroes, and forgets them"; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Division of Highways name bridge number 35-88-2.84 (35A083) on Bridge Street in Wheeling, Ohio County, the “US Army Captain David Van Camp Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested to have made, and be placed, signs identifying the bridge as the “US Army Captain David Van Camp Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is requested to forward a certified copy of this resolution to Chelsea Graham Van Camp, to Donald and Linda Van Camp and to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.