HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 25

(By Delegate Westfall)

[Introduced March 5, 2021]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge numbers (54-077/00-164.69 (NB&SB), (54A249,54A250) (39.11568,-81.54558) locally known as City Beer Overpass N&S (CIBB), carrying IS77 over County Route 21 in Wood County, the “U.S. Army SSG William ‘Billy’ E. Friese Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, William E. “Billy” Friese was born on September 28, 1988, unto William A. Friese and Cathy Teehan; and

Whereas, William E. “Billy” Friese grew up in Rockport on an old gravel road, hunting, catching crawdads, playing/fighting with his siblings and drinking his grandma’s sweet tea; and

Whereas, William E. “Billy” Friese graduated from Parkersburg South High School in 2007 and earned an occupational associate degree in specialized diesel technology and management from WyoTech in June, 2013; and

Whereas, William E. “Billy” Friese joined the West Virginia Army National Guard in 2008 assigned to the 111^th Engineer Brigade and achieved the rank of staff sergeant; and

Whereas, SSG William E. “Billy” Friese was deployed to Camp Buehring, Kuwait, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and was also previously deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 with the 1092^nd Engineer Battalion; and

Whereas, SSG William E. “Billy” Friese’s military service awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon  with Bronze Star Device, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, West Virginia National Guard Emergency Services Ribbon with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, West Virginia National Guard  State Service Ribbon with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and West Virginia National Guard Service Ribbon; and

            Whereas, SSG William E. “Billy” Friese died on July 18, 2019 while on active duty at Camp Buehring, Kuwait; and

Whereas, SSG William E. “Billy” Friese will be sadly missed by his wife, Nattakarn “Tookta” Srimoung Friese; children, Christian Alan and Narissara “Sarah” Srimoung; mother, Cathy Teehan and husband/stepfather, John; Cindy Jaworski and husband, Andre; father, Steve Ward; paternal grandparents, William and Barbara Friese; maternal grandmother, Sandra Vanoster; siblings, Nathaniel Duvuvuei and wife, Maria, Orrin Duvuvuei and wife, Erin, Josh Ward, Kyle Ward, Ashley “Nikki” Morris and husband Bobby, Kayla Lehan and husband, Ryan; and several nieces, nephews and special loved ones; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate SSG William E. “Billy” Friese and his contributions to our state and country; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge numbers\ (NB&SB), (54A249,54A250) (39.11568,-81.54558) locally known as City Beer Overpass N&S (CIBB), carrying IS77 over County Route 21 in Wood County, the “U.S. Army SSG William ‘Billy’ E. Friese 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. Army SSG William “Billy” E. Friese 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.