20130011ua

AN ACT

 

Designating the bridge located over Washington's Landing and the Allegheny River, commonly known as the 31st Street Bridge, in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, as the William Raymond Prom Memorial Bridge.

 

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

 

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Section 1.  William Raymond Prom Memorial Bridge.

(a)  Declaration of policy.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(1)  William Raymond Prom (Billy) was born November 17, 1948, in Pittsburgh to parents Finbola Prom and Fred Charles Prom. He grew up with his brother, Fred Charles Prom, Jr., and sister, Clara Prom, in Reserve Township and attended Mt. Troy Public School and Millvale High School. Billy was affectionately known by so many throughout his life as Butch.

(2)  William Prom enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on December 8, 1967, and was discharged to enlist in the regular Marine Corps on December 27, 1967. William Prom started his tour of duty in the Vietnam War on Thursday, June 13, 1968, at 20 years of age. Upon completion of recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island in South Carolina, he was promoted to private first class on March 1, 1968. He was transferred to the Marine Corps Base at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and underwent individual combat training with the 2nd Infantry Training Regiment and Weapons Special Training with the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Regiment.

(3)  In June 1968, William Prom arrived in the Republic of Vietnam where he served consecutively as ammunition man, assistant gunner, machine gun team leader and machine gun squad leader with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on September 1, 1968.

(4)  While participating in Operation Taylor Common, during a reconnaissance in-force operation southwest of An Hoa on February 9, 1969, William Prom was returning from the operation along with two platoons when Company I came under an intense automatic weapons fire and grenade attack from a well-concealed North Vietnamese Army force in fortified positions. The leading element of the platoon was isolated, and several marines were wounded. Lance Corporal Prom immediately assumed control of one of his machine guns and began to deliver return fire. Disregarding his safety, he advanced to a position from which he could more effectively deliver covering fire while first aid was being administered to the wounded men. Realizing that the enemy would have to be destroyed before the injured marines could be evacuated, Lance Corporal Prom again moved forward and delivered a heavy volume of fire with such accuracy that he was instrumental in overpowering the enemy, thus permitting his men to regroup and resume their march. Shortly thereafter, the platoon again came under fire in which a marine was critically wounded. Reacting instantly, Lance Corporal Prom moved forward to protect his injured comrade. Unable to continue his fire because of his own severe wounds, he continued to advance to within a few yards of the enemy positions. There, standing in full view of the enemy, he accurately directed the fire of his support elements until he was mortally wounded. Inspired by his heroic actions, the marines launched an assault that destroyed the enemy. Lance Corporal Prom's unconquerable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the naval service of the United States. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

(5)  Thanks to his exemplary service, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

(b)  Designation.--The bridge located over Washington's Landing and the Allegheny River, commonly known as the 31st Street Bridge, in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, is hereby designated as the William Raymond Prom Memorial Bridge.

(c)  Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to traffic in both directions on the bridge.

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Section 2.  Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.