1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 3

2 (By Senators Cann and Yost)

3

4 Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 17-19-

5 23.26 in Gypsy, Harrison County, the “Sergeant First Class Sam

6 Lopez Bridge”.

7 Whereas, Sam Lopez was born September 27, 1924, in Shinnston,

8 West Virginia, the son of Pete and Mary Lopez; and

9 Whereas, After being raised in Shinnston, Sam Lopez enlisted

10 in the in May of 1943 and was assigned to the

11 USS Indianapolis in August of the same year; and

12 Whereas, The USS Indianapolis was the pride of the United

13 States Navy and was chosen to be the flagship of the Pacific Fleet,

14 carrying a crew of 1,200 men; and

15 Whereas, While stationed on the USS Indianapolis, Sam Lopez

16 took part in the battles of , Tinian, , , Okinawa

17 and the key battles of Midway and the Philippine Sea; and

18 Whereas, In July of 1945, after completing a top-secret

19 mission, the USS Indianapolis set sail for Guam where it was to

20 take part in gunnery practice with the USS in preparation for

21 the invasion of Japan; and

22 Whereas, On July 30, 1945, at 12:15 a.m., the USS Indianapolis

23 was hit by enemy fire; and

24 Whereas, The USS Indianapolis quickly began taking on water

1 1 and the order was given to abandon ship; and

2 Whereas, After jumping in the water that night, Sam Lopez

3 spent four desperate days floating in the Pacific before being

4 rescued; and

5 Whereas, Out of 1,200 men aboard, only 317 survived, and Sam

6 Lopez was among the survivors of the Navy’s worst tragedy at sea;

7 and

8 Whereas, Sam Lopez married his beloved wife Joanne, with whom

9 he shared the joy of having two children, Linda and Sam Jr., and

10 four grandchildren, James, Bryan, Shawn and Shane; and

11 Whereas, It is fitting to recognize the service and sacrifice

12 of Sam Lopez by naming this bridge as an everlasting tribute to

13 him; therefore, be it

14 Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

15 That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name

16 bridge number 17-19-23.26 in Gypsy, Harrison County, the “Sergeant

17 First Class Sam Lopez Bridge”; and, be it

18 Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby

19 requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge

20 as the “Sergeant First Class Sam Lopez Bridge”; and, be it

21 Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby

22 directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner

23 of the Division of Highways.

2