SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 49

(By Senator Jefferies, Baldwin, Beach, Ojeda, Prezioso, Romano, Stollings, and Plymale)

[Introduced March 3, 2018]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 22-77-103.66, NB and SB, (20A442, 25A443), locally known as I-77 Surface Drive Overpass, carrying Interstate 77 over Surface Drive CR 119/37 in Kanawha County, the “U. S. Army PFC Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., was born in Charleston, West Virginia, on February 22, 1949, and was a lifelong resident of the Kanawha Two-Mile area, from a family that has lived in Kanawha County for more than 100 years; and

Whereas, Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., attended Bonham Elementary School, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, and Sissonville High School and was always known as a hard-working young man. When he was not in school, he helped to support his family by working as a stock boy at Pickway Grocery; and

Whereas, Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., joined the U. S. Army and began a tour of duty in Vietnam in January 1969 as an Indirect Fire Infantryman in the 196th Infantry Brigade; and

Whereas, PFC Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., died in the line of duty due to hostile groundfire on March 20, 1969, and was posthumously recognized with the Purple Heart medal; and

Whereas, PFC Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., has been interred in the Lane Cemetery at Eden’s Fork in Kanawha County; and

Whereas, It is fitting that a permanent memorial be established to honor the service and sacrifice of PFC Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr.; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways name bridge number 22-77-103.66, NB and SB, (20A442, 25A443), locally known as I-77 Surface Drive Overpass, carrying Interstate 77 over Surface Drive CR 119/37 in Kanawha County, the “U. S. Army PFC Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., 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 Robert “Bobby” Tate, Jr., 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.