HCR 38 Text

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 38
(By Delegate Smith)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 21-79- 95.73 on I-79 in Weston, West Virginia, the "Colonel James E. Hiteshew Memorial Bridge."

Whereas, James Edward Hiteshew was born October 8, 1930, in Weston, West Virginia, the son of Olive and John Hiteshew; and
Whereas, He attended a two-room country school for the first six grades and then went to Weston Junior High School and Weston High School; and
Whereas, While in school, he participated in various activities. He was president of the senior class and captain of the football team and an all-conference and second team all-state football guard his senior year of high school; and
Whereas, After graduation from high school in 1948, he attended Glenville College, West Virginia Wesleyan College and the United States Coast Guard Academy before entering the Air Force as an aviation cadet in 1952; and
Whereas, He received his wings and commission in September 1953 and then after completing gunnery school at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) Arizona, he was assigned to the 405^th Fighter Bomber Group at Langley AFB, Virginia and several other assignments throughout the United States and abroad; and
Whereas, Colonel Hiteshew departed for Southeast Asia on September 18, 1966 and was stationed at Takhli Air Base; and
Whereas, He was flying over Vinh Phu province on his 75^th mission when his F-105 Thunderchief was shot down on March 11, 1967 and was captured; and
Whereas, Colonel Hiteshew's emergency beepers had been heard and his parachute was observed, but immediate rescue in hostile territory proved impossible; and
Whereas, While a prisoner of war in North Vietnam Colonel Hiteshew lived in for six years in a twelve-foot cell, was repeatedly beaten by his captures and tied to a post so villagers could pelt him with rocks; and
Whereas, He utilized tapped codes to stay in touch with other prisoners during his six year stay before being repatriated with other POWs on March 4, 1973; and
Whereas, During Vietnam POW's reunion in 1996, he recalled that he suffered a broken right arm, a broken left elbow, a badly fractured right leg and a broken left leg after he ejected from his aircraft; and
Whereas, Colonel Hiteshew retired from the Air Force in 1979; and
Whereas, After Retirement from the Air Force, Colonel Hiteshew started the Air Force Junior ROTC Detachment at Easter Wayne High School in Goldsboro, North Carolina where his unique teaching style and quick wit developed his detachment into one of the "showcase" detachments in the Southeast region of the United States; and
Whereas, Colonel Hiteshew bravely earned the decorations of two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts and the Meritorious Service Medal; and
Whereas, Colonel James Edward Hiteshew was married to Wilma "Billie" Coarathers Hiteshew, was father to Michael Dave and Susan Jeanne Davis and grandfather of Michael James Davis and David Ryan Davis; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 21-79-95.73 on I-79 in Weston, West Virginia, the "Colonel James E. Hiteshew 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 "Colonel James E. Hiteshew Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the family of James E. Hiteshew and the Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

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