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 United States Navy 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 Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Iwo Jima, 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 Idaho 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.