HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 23

By Mr. Speaker, (Mr. Hanshaw)

[Introduced January 21, 2019]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 08-19-0.04 (08A052), locally known as Moore Fork Bridge, carrying County Route 19 over Big Otter Creek in Clay County, the “U. S. Army SGT Rodney David King and U. S. Army SGT James Harris King Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Rodney David King was born March 27, 1948, in Clay, West Virginia, the son of Henry and Adeline Paxton King; and

Whereas, Rodney David King attended a one-room school at Moore Fork, West Virginia, Ivydale Grade School, Clay County High School, Class of 1966, and attended college for two years; and

Whereas, Rodney David King is survived by his children, David King of Nashville, Tennessee, Carley King of Portland, Oregon, and Ariel King of the Netherlands; and

Whereas, SGT Rodney David King died May 2, 2017; and

Whereas, At his death, Rodney David King was survived by sisters, Charlotte Deer of Locust Grove, Virginia and Joyce Anderson of Duck, West Virginia, and a brother, Henry King of Rittman, Ohio; and

Whereas, Rodney David King was preceded in death by his parents and by brothers, James Harris, Van Cordell, Sam Paxton and Clay Elmore King, and sisters, Mitchella Price, Vemetta King and Wavie King; and

Whereas, SGT King served two years in the U. S. Army and was a member of Company A, 1^st Battalion, 501^st Infantry, 101^st Airborne Division.  SGT King was engaged in combat in Vietnam and was awarded an Air Medal for meritorious service while participating in aerial flight in support of ground operations in Vietnam.  He also was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the Combat Infantryman Badge, a Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, an Army Rifle Sharpshooter Medal and National Defense Service Medal; and

Whereas, James Harris King, brother of SGT Rodney David King, was born in Ivydale, West Virginia and served in the United States Army during the Korean War from September 18, 1951 until discharge August 19, 1953.  Following basic training at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, SGT James Harris King was assigned to the 21^st Antiaircraft Artillery AW Battalion; and

Whereas, For his service in Korea SGT James Harris King was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Bronze Service Star Medal, awarded for heroic action in a combat zone; and

Whereas, James Harris King worked for 35 years at the Ford Motor Engine Plant 2, retiring in 1990, and was a member of the Doylestown Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6312; and

Whereas James Harris King died August 18, 1994 in Akron, Ohio; and

Whereas, It is appropriate to name this bridge to honor the service of SGT Rodney David King and SGT James Harris King to their communities and to their country; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 08-19-0.04 (08A052), locally known as Moore Fork Bridge, carrying County Route 19 over Big Otter Creek in Clay County, the “U. S. Army SGT Rodney David King and U. S. Army SGT James Harris King 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 as the “U. S. Army SGT Rodney David King and U. S. Army SGT James Harris King 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.