See other bills
under the
same topic
SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 172, 308
PRINTER'S NO. 663
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
178
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SNYDER, READSHAW, FREEMAN, KINSEY, KNOWLES,
DiGIROLAMO, THOMAS, HENNESSEY, CONKLIN, CAUSER, COHEN,
TOEPEL, YOUNGBLOOD, CALTAGIRONE, BROWNLEE, BARRAR, HAHN,
McNEILL, KAUFFMAN, WATSON, MARSICO, COX, TALLMAN, W. KELLER,
PAYNE, LONGIETTI, DONATUCCI, A. HARRIS, GILLEN, MATZIE,
MILLARD, DUSH, GRELL, O'NEILL, D. COSTA, MURT, FARINA,
SCHWEYER, JOZWIAK, GABLER, M. K. KELLER, MAJOR, GIBBONS,
McCARTER, SONNEY, KORTZ, ENGLISH, DAVIS AND MARSHALL,
JANUARY 23, 2015
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
AN ACT
Designating the interchange of State Route 43 at the Mon-Fayette
Expressway Interchange with State Route 88, known as Exit 28,
in Washington County as the Marine Cpl. Thomas R. Matty
Memorial Interchange; designating a bridge on that portion of
State Route 1013, known as Knupp Road, over the Hypocrite
Creek, Fairfield Township, Westmoreland County, as the PFC
LeRoy D. "Whitey" Schaller Bridge; and designating a portion
of State Route 711 in New Florence Borough through St. Clair
Township, Westmoreland County, as the Veterans Highway.; AND
DESIGNATING A BRIDGE ON THAT PORTION OF STATE ROUTE 88 OVER
MUDDY CREEK, CUMBERLAND TOWNSHIP, GREENE COUNTY, AS THE ARMY
CORPORAL RICHARD W. KOWALEWSKI, JR., MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Marine Cpl. Thomas R. Matty Memorial Interchange.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Thomas Richard Matty was born on October 4, 1945, in
Denbo, Pennsylvania.
<--
<--
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
(2) He was a 1963 graduate of Bethlehem Center High
School where he excelled in many sports, especially baseball.
He received a business administration degree from the
Educational Institute of Pittsburgh in 1965.
(3) Thomas R. Matty enlisted in the United States Marine
Corps in 1966. He attended boot camp training at Parris
Island and additional training at Camp Lejeune and at El
Toro, California. He arrived in Vietnam on November 9, 1967.
(4) Marine Cpl. Thomas R. Matty made the ultimate
sacrifice for his country when he was killed in the vicinity
of Quang Nam Province in South Vietnam on December 21,
1967,at 22 years of age.
(5) Bethlehem Center High School continues to honor
Marine Cpl. Thomas R. Matty by giving an award to a senior
class member in his honor.
(b) Designation.--The interchange of State Route 43 in
Washington County at the Mon-Fayette Expressway Interchange with
State Route 88, known as Exit 28, is hereby designated the
Marine Cpl. Thomas R. Matty Memorial Interchange.
(c) Signs.--The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission shall erect
and maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the
interchange.
Section 2. PFC LeRoy D. "Whitey" Schaller Memorial Bridge.
(a) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 1013,
known as Knupp Road, over the Hypocrite Creek, in Fairfield
Township, Westmoreland County, is hereby designated the PFC
LeRoy D. "Whitey" Schaller Bridge.
(b) 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.
20150HB0178PN0663 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Section 3. Veterans Highway.
(a) Designation.--The portion of State Route 711 commencing
at the intersection of Ligonier Street and 13th Street in New
Florence Borough, Westmoreland County, and continuing through
St. Clair Township at the Seward Borough line, is hereby
designated the Veterans Highway.
(b) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to
traffic in both directions on the highway.
SECTION 4. ARMY CORPORAL RICHARD W. KOWALEWSKI, JR., MEMORIAL
BRIDGE.
(A) FINDINGS.--THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES AS
FOLLOWS:
(1) RICHARD W. KOWALEWSKI, JR., WAS BORN ON MARCH 31,
1973, IN WAYNESBURG.
(2) RICHARD W. KOWALEWSKI, JR., ENLISTED IN THE UNITED
STATES ARMY AND COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING IN JUNE 1992.
(3) CORPORAL KOWALEWSKI WAS LATER ASSIGNED TO THE 3RD
BATTALION, 75TH RANGER REGIMENT.
(4) AS PART OF A UNITED NATIONS PEACE KEEPING OPERATION,
CORPORAL KOWALEWSKI WAS DEPLOYED TO SOMALIA IN AUGUST 1993.
(5) ON OCTOBER 3, 1993, CORPORAL KOWALEWSKI, ALONG WITH
17 OTHER MEN, WERE KILLED IN THE BATTLE OF MOGADISHU. DURING
THE BATTLE, A GROUP OF SOMALIS, ARMED WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS
AND ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADES, AMBUSHED CORPORAL KOWALEWSKI'S
CONVOY WHILE IN ROUTE TO RESCUE DOWNED PILOTS OF A BLACK HAWK
HELICOPTER.
(6) THE ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS ONE OF OUR
COUNTRY'S MOST VIOLENT FIREFIGHTS SINCE VIETNAM. THE BATTLE
WAS LATER DEPICTED IN THE FAMOUS NOVEL AND MOVIE "BLACK HAWK
20150HB0178PN0663 - 3 -
<--
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
DOWN."
(7) FOR HIS HEROIC ACTIONS DURING BATTLE, CORPORAL
KOWALEWSKI WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH VALOR AND
THE PURPLE HEART.
(B) DESIGNATION.--THE BRIDGE LOCATED ON STATE ROUTE 88 IN
CUMBERLAND TOWNSHIP, GREENE COUNTY, SECTION Q10, SEGMENT
0300/0000, STRUCTURE NUMBER S-31843, OVER MUDDY CREEK IS HEREBY
DESIGNATED THE ARMY CORPORAL RICHARD W. KOWALEWSKI, JR.,
MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
(C) SIGNS.--THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHALL ERECT AND
MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE SIGNS WHICH SHALL DISPLAY THE NAME OF THE
BRIDGE DESIGNATED IN SUBSECTION (B).
Section 4 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20150HB0178PN0663 - 4 -
<--
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14