HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 24

(By Mr. Speaker (Mr. Armstead)

Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge carrying County Route 43 (Frame Road) over Interstate 79 in Kanawha County, bridge number 20-43-1.31 (20A327), latitude 38.45607, longitude -81.49513, locally known as the Elkview I-79 Interchange Bridge, as the “US Army SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers Memorial Bridge”.

            Whereas, SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers was born on October 4, 1949, the oldest of eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ira V. Ayers. He grew up in the small community of Schrader on Blue Creek, West Virginia, and attended Herbert Hoover High School and was a member of the Blue Creek Advent Church; and

            Whereas, SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers enlisted in the US Army in July, 1967, and arrived in the Republic of Vietnam on March 6, 1968, where he was a Food Service Specialist with the 173^rd Support Battalion, 173^rd Engineer Company. On January 17, 1969, SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers volunteered to accompany an Infantry Unit, “A” Company, on a mine sweep of Highway 19 west of the An Khe Base Camp. During this combat mission, “A” Company, 1^st of the 50^th, was ambushed by an estimated two squads of VC/NVA employing small arms, automatic weapons and B40 Rockets and SP5 Ayers was killed and four others wounded. For his service to the US Army, SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon and the Parachutist Badge; and

            Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers, a native son who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his state and his country, by naming the bridge carrying County Route 43 (Frame Road) over Interstate 79 in Kanawha County, bridge number 20-43-1.31 (20A327), latitude 38.45607, longitude -81.49513, locally known as the Elkview I-79 Interchange Bridge, as the “US Army SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers Memorial Bridge”; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the West Virginia Legislature:

            That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways to name the bridge carrying County Route 43 (Frame Road) over Interstate 79 in Kanawha County, bridge number 20-43-1.31 (20A327), latitude 38.45607, longitude -81.49513, locally known as the Elkview I-79 Interchange Bridge, as the “US Army SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers 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 “US Army SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and to the family members of SP5 Johnnie Marvin Ayers.