SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 44

(By Senators Laird, Stollings, Unger and Plymale)

[Introduced February 24, 2016.]

Requesting Division of Highways name bridge number 10-15-10.14 (10A039) (37.98063, -81.29932), locally known as the turnpike Bridge, carrying County Route 15 over I-77 NBL and SBL in Fayette County, West Virginia, the “U. S. Marine Corps SGT Mike Plasha Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, SGT Mike Plasha was born March 14, 1925, in the coal mining town of Kingston, West Virginia. He was the son of East European immigrants George and Anna Plasha and had five brothers and one sister. His Yugoslavian father was a miner for the Kingston Pocahontas Coal Company; and

Whereas, As a student at Kingston High School, SGT Mike Plasha was considered a star athlete and lettered in football and basketball, but he wanted to enter the military after the war began, hoping to return after the war and eventually become an athletic coach; and

Whereas, SGT Mike Plasha entered the Marine Corps on August 18, 1942. He was first stationed at Camp Lejeune and later Camp Pendleton and then served in the Pacific theater in the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division; and

Whereas, During the invasion of Ennubirr Island, one of the Marshall Islands, on January 31, 1944, then CPL Plasha pushed ahead with his rifle, killing several Japanese soldiers and urged the Marine forces forward. For his actions, SGT Plasha was awarded the Silver Star; and

Whereas, SGT Mike Plasha’s Silver Star Award reads, “Awarded for actions during the World War II: The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to CPL Mike Plasha (MCSN:  444727),  United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-fifth Marines, FOURTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces during the invasion of Ennubirr Island, Kwajalein Atoll on 31 January 1944.  Realizing upon landing that his machine guns were masked by friendly troops and so of no value in the action, CPL Plasha immediately left his guns with a squad leader and pushed forward alone.  With complete disregard for his own safety he took the enemy under fire with his rifle accounting for approximately five Japanese.  Noting that the assault rifle troops were moving too slowly he personally led these Marines urging them forward and causing the enemy to fall back.  His daring aggressiveness, heroic devotion to duty and intelligent analysis of a critical situation reflected the highest credit upon CPL Plasha and the United States Naval Service”; and

Whereas, Five months later, on June 16, 1944, SGT Mike Plasha, now a Sergeant, again displayed “conspicuous gallantry” during action on Saipan in the Marianas. For this action, he was awarded a Gold Star; and

Whereas, SGT Mike Plasha’s Gold Star Award reads: “The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the GOLD STAR in lieu of a second SILVER STAR MEDAL posthumously to  SGT MIKE PLASHA, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE for services as set forth in the following: CITATION: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Leader of a Machine-Gun Section serving with the Second Battalion, Twenty-Fifth Marines, Fourth Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Saipan, Marianas Islands, on 16 June 1944. In courageous defiance of heavy, enemy mortar and artillery fire, SGT Plasha valiantly led a section of the attack to exposed positions in order to bring fire to bear on strongly fortified enemy gun positions and pillboxes which had resisted the tank-led efforts of an entire battalion for over a day.  Persistently firing and throwing hand grenades, he continued to press the attack until extremely heavy casualties forced the withdrawal of our men, later returning to the ridge to assist in the evacuation of the wounded.  His daring spirit of aggressiveness and cool determination under intense hostile fire reflect the highest credit upon SGT Plasha and the United States Naval Service.’ For the President, Secretary of the Navy’; and

Whereas, SGT Mike Plasha was killed on July 10, 1944, while attempting to rescue a fellow Marine in the Battle of Saipan. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star. His body is buried at Highlawn Park Cemetery in Fayette County; and

Whereas, SGT Mike Plasha’s Bronze Star Medal reads: “The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the BRONZE STAR MEDAL posthumously to SGT MIKE PLASHA, UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE, for service as set forth in the following

CITATION: ‘For heroic service as Leader of a Machine-Gun Section serving with the Second Battalion, Twenty-Fifth Marines, Fourth Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces at Saipan, Marianas Islands, on 10 July 1944.  Risking his life to rescue a Marine who had been shot at close range by a Japanese sniper, SGT Plasha unhesitatingly ran forward to the area where the man lay exposed to enemy fire but was himself mortally wounded before he could fulfill his voluntary and hazardous mission.  His outstanding courage in the face of danger and his valiant spirit of self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.  He gallantly gave his life for another.’ For the President, Secretary of the Navy”; and

Whereas, It was said that SGT Mike Plasha became something of a hero to the boys in the Twenty-fifth Regiment. Recollection of the Early Years, by Frank S. Craig, Jr., contains a tribute to SGT Plasha, and he is memorialized in a poem written by Carl Dearborn.  Both men served with him.  “So many of us, of ‘F’ Company, owe so much to Sgt. Mike Plasha.  A very brave Marine who would have gone far in life,” Dearborn later wrote SGT Mike Plasha’s brother, Tom; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring structure commemorate United States Marine Corps SGT Mike Plasha’s service to his country during World War II in having made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, his state and his fellow Marines; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways name bridge number 10-15-10.14 (10A039) (37.98063, -81.29932), locally known as Turnpike Bridge, carrying County Route 15 over I-77 NBL and SBL in Fayette County, West Virginia, the “U. S. Marine Corps SGT Mike Plasha 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. Marine Corps SGT Mike Plasha 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 Commissioner of the Division of Highways and to the family of SGT Mike Plasha.