COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 77

(By Delegates Ambler and Canterbury)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 13-64-179.36 (13A165) on Interstate 64 East, also known as the Mountain Avenue Bridge, in White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, the “U.S. Army Private Eskridge A. Waggoner Memorial Bridge.”

    Whereas, Eskridge Allen Waggoner was born on June 2, 1910, in Alvon, Greenbrier County, the oldest son of the late Lloyd M. and Minnie Boggs Waggoner; and

    Whereas, Eskridge A. Waggoner attended the Hull School until eighth grade and helped on the family farm; and

    Whereas, Eskridge A. Waggoner was a self-taught mechanic and handyman; and

    Whereas, Following the death of his wife, Edna Coulter Waggoner, Eskridge A. Waggoner enlisted in the U.S. Army on February 20, 1942, at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky; and

    Whereas, Private Eskridge A. Waggoner was a scout for his company when it assaulted the Salerno Beach Head in Italy on September 9, 1943. Against intense artillery and machine gun fire from the well entrenched enemy positions, Private Waggoner moved inland from the shore advancing toward the assigned objective when he spotted several enemy machine gun nests. Knowing that his comrades must be warned of the exact location of the guns and aware that by doing so he would give his own location to the enemy and expose himself to their fire, Private Waggoner deliberately opened fire with tracer bullets, thereby marking the danger spots for his fellow soldiers; and

    Whereas, During this action, Private Eskridge A. Waggoner was killed by an enemy sniper; and

    Whereas, The valiant sacrifice of Private Eskridge A. Waggoner gave his company time to consolidate and move against the enemy with concerted action and helped save the lives of many American soldiers and contributed greatly to the success of the invasion; and

    Whereas, Private Eskridge A. Waggoner was posthumously awarded the Silver Star on October 23, 1944, for his gallant action; and

    Whereas, It is fitting and proper, that U.S. Army Private Eskridge A. Waggoner be remembered and acknowledged for his courageous action and dedicated service to his country; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 13-64-179.36 (13A165) on Interstate 64 East, also known as the Mountain Avenue Bridge, in White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, the “U.S. Army Private Eskridge A. Waggoner 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 the “U.S. Army Private Eskridge A. Waggoner Memorial 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 the surviving family of Private Eskridge A. Waggoner.