HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 36
(By Delegates Pritt and Ridenour)
[Introduced February 17, 2025; Referred to the committee on Energy and Public Works then Rules. ]
Requesting the Division of Highways name a bridge bearing the Bridge Number: 10-016/00-008.68 () (10A097) Lat/Long: 37.97642, -81.14059, Original Name: MAIN STREET BRIDGE, Feature Intersected: US 19 NBL & SBL, as the "U. S. Marine Corps Private First Class Darrell Lee Burgess Memorial Bridge".
Whereas, PFC Burgess was born on December 30, 1923, in Oak Hill, Fayette County, West Virginia; and
Whereas, PFC Burgess enlisted in the United States Marine Corps; and
Whereas, PFC Burgess was the gunner on M1919A4 medium machinegun in a machinegun squad led by Corporal Melius; and
Whereas, PFC Burgess' squad was part of Sergeant Richard Gilmore's Machine Gun Section in Lieutenant Clifford Hicks infantry platoon, which was part of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Marines, 3rd Marine Division; and
Whereas, After landing at Cape Torokina on Bougainville along Empress Augusta Bay on 6 November, 1st Battalion, 21st Marines, including Charlie Company, moved out immediately to guard Puruata Island, just off the coast of Cape Torokina; and
Whereas, On 10 December, Charlie Company was attached to the Marines' 3rd Parachute Battalion Near Hill 1000, with the rest of 1st Battalion, 21st Marines joining it later that day; and
Whereas, Japanese artillery was still firing on the beachhead and the airfields the Seebees were building; and
Whereas, Japanese units still posed a threat to the beachhead and the airfields; and
Whereas, The objective was to extend beachhead out to ensure the Japanese could not shell or attack the beachhead or the airfields; and
Whereas, Hill 1000, known as Hellzapoppin Ridge, was a natural fortress, about 300 yards long, with almost vertical slopes on two sides, and with the ridge crest being only 40 yards wide; and
Whereas, The area was covered with giant trees rising from the wild tangle of the jungle; and
Whereas, Men could only see yards in front of them; and
Whereas, The Japanese were on the reverse slope (backside) of the ridge, in very skillfully placed bunkers, that were virtually impervious to artillery and air strikes, with snipers tied to the tops of trees; and
Whereas, The only way was to dig the Japanese out was Marine infantry conducting close assaults; and
Whereas, The 21st Marines, the Marine Parachute Regiment and 9th Marines began conducting small attacks from December 9 on to probe the defense and seize positions for a larger attack; and
Whereas, On December 16, Lieutenant Hicks led two rifle squads and a machinegun section up one of the steep slopes to encircle a section of the Japanese defenses; and
Whereas, During the ascent, three Marines were wounded; and
Whereas, PFC Burgess' machinegun provided cover fire for Lt. Hicks as he went up with another Marine to rescue the wounded; and
Whereas, They retrieved the first two wounded, and then Hicks returned alone, while covered by PFC Burgess, to retrieve the last wounded Marine; and
Whereas, As Hicks brought in the last man, PFC Burgess noticed a Japanese squad rushing to outflank the Marine platoon; and
Whereas, He took the Japanese under fire and killed most of them; and
Whereas, When Cpl. Melius ordered PFC Burgess to move the gun back, a Japanese sniper fired on PFC Burgess, killing him instantly; and
Whereas, Sadly, PFC Burgess was killed in action on December 16, 1943, on the "Hellzapoppin Ridge" during the Bougainville Campaign in New Guinea; and
Whereas, According to witnesses, PFC Burgess died heroically while protecting his fellow Marines from enemy fire; and
Whereas, It is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to commemorate Private First Class Darrell Lee Burgess and his contributions to our state and country; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name a bridge bearing the Bridge Number: 10-016/00-008.68 () (10A097) Lat/Long: 37.97642, -81.14059, Original Name: MAIN STREET BRIDGE, Feature Intersected: US 19 NBL & SBL, as the "U. S. Marine Corps Private First Class Darrell Lee Burgess 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. PFC Darrell Lee Burgess Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.