SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 43

(By Senators Romano, Facemire, Stollings, Beach, and Plymale)

[Introduced March 1, 2018]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 17-19/33-0.01 (17A093), locally known as Spelter Bridge, carrying County Route 19/33 over West Fork River in Harrison County, the “U. S. Army T-4 CE Caesar Bango Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Caesar Bango was born in Anmoore, West Virginia, on November 16, 1924, to Jose and Maria Bango.  He was one of six siblings, three boys and three girls. His family moved to Spelter, West Virginia, when he was four.  He attended school there and graduated from Victory High School in 1943.  The next day he was drafted into the United States Army; and

Whereas, Caesar Bango completed boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.  He was then the only soldier out of 300 selected to work on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where the first atomic bomb was being built.  Years later, he recalled his experience, “They wouldn’t tell me where I was going or what I was going to be doing.  All my letters were censored and I couldn’t use the phone for 30 months.  It was worse than war because they kept the atomic bombs there and your never knew what was going to happen.”  He also recounted the smoke that rolled all over the countryside the day the first atomic bomb was detonated in the New Mexico desert.  He had a perspective of World War II that few in our country had the opportunity to share; and

Whereas, Caesar Bango returned to Spelter after the war ended, married Goldie Fern Sprout and had a son, Jefferson Jose “JJ” Bango. Caesar worked at the Zinc Plant for 30 years, was employed by the Division of Highways for 17 years, and engaged in civic efforts and activities for his community and country.  He supported election efforts and was politically active for decades in Harrison County, and did not miss an election after his military discharge in 1946.  He left the service with the rank of T-4 CE.  He served as a community leader on the board of directors for the Enlarged Hepzibah Public Service District Board for 10 years; was a member of the Shinnston American Legion and the Loyal Order of Moose; and he was a friend of labor; and

Whereas, Caesar Bango faithfully served the unincorporated town of Spelter, West Virginia, as honorary mayor, advocating for improvements for the betterment of its citizens, including the remediation of its lands and homes caused by industrial pollution and the construction of recreational facilities for all the children of Harrison County, West Virginia; and

Whereas, Caesar Bango lived to the age of 90 and died on May 1, 2015, having been preceded in death by his wife in 2002 and his son in 1975; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate T-4 CE Caesar Bango 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 number 17-19/33-0.01 (17A093), locally known as Spelter Bridge, carrying County Route 19/33 over West Fork River in Harrison County, the “U. S. Army T-4 CE Caesar Bango 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 T-4 CE Caesar Bango 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.