SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 48

(By Senators Baldwin, Jeffries, Stollings, Lindsay, and Unger)

[Introduced March 22, 2021]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 10-061/00-027.81 (10A161), locally known as Armstrong Creek Bridge, carrying West Virginia Route 61 over Armstrong Creek in Fayette County, the “U. S. Army PFC Billy Keith Ford Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Billy Keith Ford was born on September 28, 1945, in Boomer, West Virginia, to Henry and Juanita Kilburn Ford, into a family of four boys and five girls; and

Whereas, As a boy, Billy spent his time helping in local gardens near the family home and when they were not in the gardens, the family enjoyed camping in West Virginia state parks; and

Whereas, Billy Keith Ford entered the U.S. Army in 1967, and was deployed to Vietnam on December 23, 1967, at the rank of Private First Class; and

Whereas, PFC Billy Keith Ford was originally assigned to the Fifth Battalion, Seventh Calvary as a new battalion of the First Air Cavalry in 1966, and as part of this battalion he was stationed in Thua Thien Province, an area of exceptionally heavy fighting during that time, with more U.S. casualties than in any other province of Vietnam; and

Whereas, PFC Billy Keith Ford and his unit participated in a massive offensive, Operation Pegasus, in April 1968, liberating ground troops who had been under siege for 78 days and seizing tons of enemy supplies and equipment; and

Whereas, PFC Billy Keith Ford and the “5/7 Cav” later interdicted enemy movements to the south and held a dominant position in the A Shau Valley, hindering the enemy’s efforts at retreat and reinforcement; and

Whereas, PFC Billy Keith Ford’s company came under fire on April 28, 1968, and he was killed in the engagement; and

Whereas, During his time in service, PFC Billy Keith Ford received the Army Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksmanship Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Purple Heart medal; and

Whereas, PFC Billy Keith Ford’s funeral service was held in the Mount Carbon Community Church on Sunday, May 12, 1968, and he was laid to rest in the Montgomery Memorial Park in London, West Virginia; and

Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate U.S. Army PFC Billy Keith Ford and his sacrifice 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 10-061/00-027.81 (10A161), locally known as Armstrong Creek Bridge, carrying West Virginia Route 61 over Armstrong Creek in Fayette County, the “U. S. Army PFC Billy Keith Ford 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 PFC Billy Keith Ford 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.