PRINTER'S NO. 2710
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1946
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY HERSHEY, BERNSTINE, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER,
COX, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, DUSH, GREINER, HENNESSEY,
HICKERNELL, HILL-EVANS, JAMES, KAUFFMAN, KINSEY, KORTZ,
LONGIETTI, METZGAR, MILLARD, MOUL, MURT, PICKETT, ROTHMAN,
RYAN, SAINATO, SCHMITT, SCHWEYER, SONNEY, STAATS AND TOEPEL,
OCTOBER 18, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, OCTOBER 18, 2019
AN ACT
Designating a bridge, identified by Bridge Key 46789, on that
portion of State Route 3012 over Back Creek on the border of
Hamilton Township and St. Thomas Township, Franklin County,
as the Sergeant Melvin G. Ehrhart Memorial Bridge.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sergeant Melvin G. Ehrhart Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Melvin G. Ehrhart was born on September 28, 1948,
and served in the United States Army, where he reached the
rank of sergeant.
(2) From October 10, 1968, until his death on April 28,
1969, Sergeant Ehrhart served with Company D, 4th Battalion,
39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division in the Republic of
Vietnam.
(3) Sergeant Ehrhart actively participated in more than
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
25 aerial missions over hostile territory in support of
counterinsurgency operations.
(4) On April 28, 1969, Sergeant Ehrhart's platoon came
under attack from a numerically superior hostile force, and
he courageously exposed himself to danger in order to direct
his troops into effective fighting positions.
(5) Although seriously wounded by an enemy grenade,
Sergeant Ehrhart continued to lead his men until he was
mortally wounded by enemy fire.
(6) For his extraordinary heroism, Sergeant Ehrhart was
posthumously awarded the Silver Star.
(7) Prior to his death, Sergeant Ehrhart was recognized
with the Army Commendation Medal for Heroism for his actions
on January 25, 1969.
(8) On that date, Sergeant Ehrhart's platoon was on a
cordon and search mission when it twice encountered command
detonated mines and heavy automatic and semi-automatic
weapons.
(9) While under enemy fire, Sergeant Ehrhart gave a
detailed account of the situation and relayed instructions to
the squads.
(10) Sergeant Ehrhart was also awarded the National
Defense Service Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Purple
Heart, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal,
the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Medal, the Air Medal-
Second Oak Leaf, the Army Commendation Medal-First Oak Leaf
Cluster with "V" Device, the Bronze Star, the Bronze Star-
First Oak Leaf and the Bronze Star-Second Oak Leaf.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified by Bridge Key
46789, on that portion of State Route 3012 over Back Creek on
20190HB1946PN2710 - 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
the border of Hamilton Township and St. Thomas Township,
Franklin County, is designated the Sergeant Melvin G. Ehrhart
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.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20190HB1946PN2710 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7