COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 33

By Delegate Linville

(Originating in the Committee on Technology and Infrastructure
February 5, 2020)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 17-79-119.96 (17A318), locally known as Lodgeville I-79 Bridge, carrying Interstate 79 over CR 50/16, 50/25 and railroad in Harrison County, the “U.S.A.F. LTC Frederick Donald Belknap Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Frederick Donald Belknap was born July 31, 1929, on a farm on Little Tenmile Creek, two miles west of Wallace, in Harrison County, West Virginia. His parents were Dewey and Thelma Belknap. He graduated from Wallace High School in 1948 and attended West Virginia University from 1948-1952, where he worked as a waiter in Terrace Hall, a women’s residence hall, to earn his meals; and

Whereas, Upon graduation from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in education, Frederick Donald Belknap was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, having participated in reserve officer training while at the university; and

Whereas, Frederick Donald Belknap married Hester “Hedy” Ogden, also of Wallace, West Virginia, on September 10, 1951. The couple had one child, Dianne Lynne Belknap Lunsford; and

Whereas, Frederick Donald Belknap enjoyed a 25-year-long career in the Air Force, being trained as a navigator, graduating first in his class, later rated Master Navigator, and rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel; and

Whereas, During his career U.S.A.F. LTC Belknap flew missions worldwide in C124 “GlobeMaster” aircraft, participating in troop carrier and cargo missions to Germany and the rest of Europe, and

Whereas, In 1957, LTC Belknap was involved in airlifting U.S. Marines to Lebanon on orders of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and carried out other missions in Greece, Egypt, Jordan, Libya and Morocco, and

Whereas, In 1959, Colonel Belknap was trained as a missile launch officer and served as a Nuclear Missile Launch Officer in Germany from 1961 to 1964. Following various assignments stateside, Colonel Belknap was assigned to Saigon, Vietnam, in 1970 where he served as psychological warfare officer with the Joint United States Public Affairs Office until June, 1971; and

Whereas, Upon returning from Vietnam, Colonel Belknap was assigned to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia, from where he flew missions in Southeast Asia. At the time of his retirement in 1977, Colonel Belknap had flown all over the world for more than 6,000 hours (including more than 88 hours of combat missions) in C124, C119 and C130 aircraft, and had been awarded the Bronze Star; and

Whereas, After his Air Force career, Colonel Belknap and his wife returned to Harrison County where he served as personnel coordinator for District 4 of the West Virginia Department of Highways from 1978 to 1989. He was a member of the West Milford Lions Club and VFW and served as a leader for his grandson’s Boy Scout troop and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, camping, gathering with old friends from all over, and attending Mountaineer football games, and

Whereas, U.S.A.F. LTC Belknap died February 23, 2017, at the age of 87, having lived a life of service to his country, his community and his family; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 17-79-119.96 (17A318), locally known as Lodgeville I-79 Bridge, carrying IS 79 over CR 50/16, 50/25 and railroad in Harrison County, the “U.S.A.F. LTC Frederick Donald Belknap Memorial 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 as the “U.S.A.F. LTC Frederick Donald Belknap Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

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