HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 7

(By Delegates Miller, Maynard and Tomblin)

[Introduced January 14, 2020; referred to the Committee on Technology and Infrastructure then Rules]

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 03-3/14-0.10 (03A196), locally known as New Kirbyton Bridge, carrying CR 3/14 over Big Coal River in Boone County, the “U. S. Navy MM2 Carl E. Keeney, U. S. Navy SN1 Frank Keeney and U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Carl Eugene Keeney was born to Dewey and Ruth Skeens Keeney on March 27, 1925, in Seth, West Virginia; he learned to repair engines and vehicles at an early age and became skilled as a machinist and when this country sought skilled tradesmen in its armed forces, he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942, eventually attaining the rating of Machinist’s Mate Second Class; and

Whereas, U. S. Navy Machinist’s Mate Carl Eugene Keeney served over three years in the Pacific Theater and saw combat in the Solomon Islands and at Okinawa; he was awarded three battle stars before he was honorably discharged in 1946; and

Whereas, After faithfully and honorably serving his country, Carl E. Keeney applied his machinist’s skills in the coal industry, working as a driver, mechanic and machinist in Boone County until his retirement; and

Whereas, After a life well lived in service to his community and his country, Carl E. Keeney passed away on June 29, 2018; and

Whereas, Frank Keeney was born to Dewey and Ruth Skeens Keeney on June 10, 1927, in Seth, West Virginia; and left high school early as he entered the United States armed forces at the age of 16, by enlisting in the United States Navy in 1944, eventually attaining the rating of Seaman First Class; and

Whereas, U. S. Navy Seaman First Class Frank Keeney, a World War II veteran, served over seven years in the Pacific Theater and earned combat ribbons from action in Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Dutch East Indies before he was honorably discharged in 1951; and

Whereas, After faithfully and honorably serving his country, Frank Keeney began an athletic career in the minor league baseball farm system where he earned the nick-name “Fireball”, of the Cleveland Indians until his retirement and continued with the organization by being a batting practice pitcher and part time scout from 1951 until 1970 well after the age of 60; and

Whereas, After a life well lived in service to his community and his country, Frank Keeney passed away on March 1, 2018; and

Whereas, Carl M. Nicholas was born to Dan and Frona Cottrell Nicholas on September 27, 1922, in Bickmore, West Virginia, and though he left school after eight years to help support his family, he became quite accomplished in a mining career that spanned five decades in the coal fields of southern West Virginia; and

Whereas, U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas answered his nation’s call to service, joining the United States Army in World War II in the European Theater of Operations, where he was assigned to Company I, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division from May 16, 1944, to September, 1945, where he participated in the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day and in the Battle of the Bulge; and

Whereas, U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas was wounded in action on June 26, 1944, when he received and survived bullet wounds from a German sniper and for which he was awarded the Purple Heart; he also was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in active ground combat; and

Whereas, Upon his return to civilian life, U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas continued his mining career with some of the most prominent companies in the industry and he became a successful businessman as proprietor of his own trucking company; he continued to support military veterans and was a leader of the effort to secure dedicated parking for veterans at our State Capitol; and

Whereas, After a life well lived in service to his community and his country, Carl M. Nicholas passed away on September 3, 2014; and

Whereas, Recognizing that both U. S. Navy Machinist’s Mate Carl Eugene Keeney, U. S. Navy SN1 Frank Keeney and U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas are lifelong residents of Boone County on Big Coal River, it is an appropriate recognition of their contributions to their country, state, community, and Boone County to name a bridge over the Big Coal River in their memory; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 03-3/14-0.10 (03A196), locally known as New Kirbyton Bridge, carrying CR 3/14 over Big Coal River in Boone County, the “U. S. Navy MM2 Carl E. Keeney, U. S. Navy SN1 Frank Keeney and U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas 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. Navy MM2 Carl E. Keeney, U. S. Navy SN1 Frank Keeney and U. S. Army PFC Carl M. Nicholas Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the clerk of the House of Delegates forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.