Introduced Version
House Concurrent Resolution 45 History
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 45
(By Delegates Miller, Craig, Eldridge,
R. Phillips, Morgan, Barker and Sobonya)
Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 22-3-7.00
on Route 3 which crosses the Mud River and is located 0.11
miles east of County Route 1 in Hamlin, Lincoln County, the
"U.S. Army SFC Bob L. VandeLinde Bridge."
Whereas, Bob VandeLinde was born on December 20, 1929, in
Hamlin, West Virginia, the son of Dennie and Mabel VandeLinde; and
Whereas, Bob VandeLinde graduated from Hamlin High School in
1947 and participated in baseball, basketball, football and boxing;
and
Whereas, At the age of 17, Bob VandeLinde entered Marshall
College where he made the varsity football team, which played in
the 1947 Tangerine Bowl; and
Whereas, Bob VandeLinde enlisted in the US Army in 1948 and
took his basic training under the famed 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg,
North Carolina. SFC VandeLinde was awarded his Airborne and Glider
Wings on April 1, 1949, at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was then
assigned to Company K, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment at Fort
Campbell, Kentucky; and
Whereas, SFC Bob VandeLinde's regiment landed in Korea on
September 25, 1950, three months after the start of the Korean War. While behind enemy lines, SFC VandeLinde made two combat jumps. The
first jump was north of Pyongyang at Sukchon and Sunchon and their
mission included recapturing American prisoners while engaging
6,000 enemy troops; and
Whereas, SFC Bob VandeLinde was wounded on October 22, 1950,
while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment,
near Sukchon, Korea, while leading an eight-man forward outpost and
protecting his company from a surprise attack. Some sixty years
later, his actions on this night were recognized when SFC
VandeLinde was awarded the prestigious Silver Star in a July 22,
2011 ceremony at the National D-day Memorial; and
Whereas, SFC Bob VandeLinde made his second combat jump on
March 23, 1951, at Munsan-ni, approximately 20 miles from Seoul.
SFC VandeLinde's company fought in many other battles including
Bloody Inji, Hill 342-Wonju, and Punggi Pass, and he was wounded on
two other occasions; and
Whereas, SFC Bob VandeLinde distinguished himself on many
occasions and is the recipient of many awards including the Purple
Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, Korean Presidential Citation,
Navy/Marine Citation, Korean Service Medal with four combat stars
and one arrow head; Korean War Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal,
United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and
Army of Occupation Medal; and
Whereas, Upon his return from Korea in 1951, SFC Bob VandeLinde met Jean Ella Vickers. Bob and Ella Jean were married on March 6,
1952, and have two sons, Terry and Marvin, eight grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren; and
Whereas, Bob VandeLinde is the author of three books on the
military. The first, A Tribute to Lincoln County Veterans, covers
Lincoln County Veterans from the Civil War to the Vietnam War, and
the proceeds from the sale of this book were donated to assist
Lincoln County band students. The second book, RESPECT: Forgotten
Heroes, features the stories and experiences of forty individual
Veterans. The third book, KOREA: Why Were We There? What Were We
Fighting For?, was partly autobiographical and written to help
people realize the sacrifices that our service members made to
bring freedom to South Korea; and
Whereas, On August 12, 2011, Bob VandeLinde was declared
"Warrior of the Day" by the Wounded Warriors organization. The
following day, fifty-nine years after he last donned a parachute
during the Korean War, Bob VandeLinde took to the skies as a guest
of the Wounded Warriors and jumped out of an airplane in tandem
with a US Navy SEAL; and
Whereas, Bob VandeLinde is a proud American and veteran who
enjoys speaking to service clubs, VFW's, American Legions and
schools about patriotism, military history and personal
experiences; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper, that the courageous action and dedicated service of Army SFC Bob VandeLinde to his country be
acknowledged; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name
bridge number 22-3-7.00 on Route 3 which crosses the Mud River and
is located 0.11 miles east of County Route 1 in Hamlin, Lincoln
County, the "U.S. Army SFC Bob VandeLinde 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
the "U.S. Army SFC Bob VandeLinde Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates
forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of
the Division of Highways and to Bob VandeLinde and his family.