SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 13

(By Senators Romano, Baldwin, Beach, Facemire, Ihlenfeld, Jeffries, Palumbo, Plymale, Prezioso, Woelfel, Stollings, Maroney, Swope, and Hardesty)

[Introduced January 19, 2019]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 17-24-7.22 (17A148), locally known as Meadowbrook Bridge, carrying County Route 24 over West Fork River in Harrison County, the “U. S. Marine SGT Stephen E. Drummond Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Stephen Edward Drummond was born January 15, 1931, in Spelter, West Virginia, the son of General Shafter Drummond and Ruby Freeman Drummond; and

Whereas, Stephen E. Drummond graduated from Victory High School in Clarksburg, West Virginia. He married Natalie Dodd, his childhood sweetheart, and had two children, daughter Ricki and son Jeff; and

Whereas, SGT Stephen E. Drummond was drafted after graduating high school into the U. S. Marine Corps.  After basic training, he saw intense combat in Korea.  One day before his tour of duty was to end in Korea, his leg was severely wounded by shrapnel at the Battle of Vegas during an intense Chinese offensive; and

Whereas, SGT Stephen E. Drummond and other United Nations soldiers were captured and held as prisoners of war for four months; and

Whereas, SGT Stephen E. Drummond was released as a prisoner of war with the signing of the armistice on July 27, 1953; and

Whereas, SGT Stephen E. Drummond was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, a United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal; and

Whereas, After returning home to Spelter, SGT Stephen E.  Drummond earned a bachelor’s degree from Fairmont State College and a master’s degree from Miami University of Ohio. He then began a career of more than 20 years as a mentor, coach, teacher, principal, administrator, and superintendent in various school systems; and

Whereas, Following retirement, SGT Stephen E. Drummond enjoyed traveling, visiting family members, and creating and selling his invention, Tara-Lite, for which he held a design patent; and

Whereas, SGT Stephen E. Drummond died November 23, 2013; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate SGT Stephen E. Drummond 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 17-24-7.22 (17A148), locally known as Meadowbrook Bridge, carrying County Route 24 over West Fork River in Harrison County, the “U. S. Marine SGT Stephen E. Drummond 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. Marine SGT Stephen E. Drummond 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.