HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 5

(By Delegate Summers)

[Introduced February 8, 2017]

   Requesting the Division of Highways to name Bridge Number 46-9-0.03 (46A094) (39.33990, -80.01680), locally known as New Bridge Street Bridge, carrying County Route 9 over Three Fork Creek and CSX Railroad in Grafton, Taylor County, the “U. S. Navy Rear Admiral Frederick Burdett Warder Memorial Bridge.”

 Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder was born on March 19, 1904, in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia, the son of Hugh and Anna (Moran) Warder; and

Whereas, The Warder family was one of the first families to settle the Upper Monongahela region in the latter 1700s, and Hugh Warder was a prominent attorney in Grafton and counsel for the B&O Railroad; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder was the first of eight children born to Anna and Hugh Warder; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder graduated from Grafton High School, Class of 1921, as Salutatorian; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy, Class of 1925, and married Mary Brydon of Grafton in January of 1926 in New York City; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder was a U. S. Naval Officer, Submarine Service, and early hero in World War ll, commanding the USS Seawolf (SS 197); and

Whereas, Fred Warder Day was celebrated in Grafton, April 1942; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder achieved the rank of Rear Admiral in 1952, was assistant chief of naval operations for undersea warfare in 1955, commanded the Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet in 1957, and retired in 1962 after two years as commandant of the 8th Naval District in New Orleans; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder received numerous military decorations that included a Navy Cross for action during WW II, a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism, the Legion of Merit with three Gold Stars, and Bronze Star; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder, throughout his active years in the Navy, kept 706 Maple Avenue, Grafton, as his permanent address and returned to Grafton whenever he was ashore to visit family and to attend class reunions at Grafton High School until 1984; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder was named an honorary Colonel of West Virginia; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder died on February 1, 2000, in Ocala, Florida and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full honors on March 28, 2000; and

Whereas, Frederick Burdett Warder was predeceased by his wife Mary, his daughter Mary and son Frederick Jr., and his survivors include two daughters, Grace Warder Harde and Susan Warder Savard, ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; and

Whereas, Naming Bridge Number 46-9-0.03 (46A094) (39.33990, -80.01680), locally known as New Bridge Street Bridge, carrying County Route 9 over Three Fork Creek and CSX Railroad in Grafton, Taylor County, the “U. S. Navy Rear Admiral Frederick Burdett Warder Memorial Bridge” is an appropriate recognition of the contributions to his country, state, community and Taylor County; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name Bridge Number 46-9-0.03 (46A094) (39.33990, -80.01680), locally known as New Bridge Street Bridge, carrying County Route 9 over Three Fork Creek and CSX Railroad in Grafton, Taylor County, the “U. S. Navy Rear Admiral Frederick Burdett Warder 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 “U. S. Navy Rear Admiral Frederick Burdett Warder Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.