HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 55

(By Delegates  Atkinson, Westfall, J. Kelly, Hollen, Higginbotham and Canestraro)

[Introduced February 7, 2019]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 18-77-119.86 NB & SB (18A150, 18151) locally known as Goldtown Interchange Bridges, carrying Interstate 77 over County Route 21 and Pocatalico Creek in Jackson County, the “U. S. Navy Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Navy Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam; served in the U. S.  Navy Atlantic and Pacific fleets. His ships were the USS Thomas Jefferson, and The USS Fuller.  In April 1942, the Fuller transferred to the Pacific, where she served for the rest of Seaman 1^st Class Milam’s career; and

Whereas, Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam took part in the Guadalcanal invasion in August 1942 and operated in support of the long and difficult campaign to hold that island. between August 1942 and February 1943; and

Whereas, During his time in the Navy, Seaman 1^st Class Milam was in North Africa, Guadalcanal, Fiji Islands, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea. He also saw an active volcano in Japan and passed through the Panama Canal on his way back to San Diego, California, where he was honorably discharged in 1943; and

Whereas, Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam passed away on March 29, 2005; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Navy Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam and his contributions to our state and country; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways name bridge number 18-77-119.86 NB & SB (18A150, 18151) locally known as Goldtown Interchange Bridges, carrying Interstate 77 over County Route 21 and Pocatalico Creek in Jackson County, the “U. S. Navy Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam 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. Navy Seaman 1^st Class Brady William Milam 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.