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PRINTER'S NO. 9
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
96
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, JANUARY 6, 2023
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 6, 2023
AN ACT
Designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8537, carrying
Pennsylvania Route 869 over a tributary of the Little
Conemaugh River in Jackson Township, Cambria County, as the
Sergeant Vance Stephan Keslar Memorial Bridge; designating a
bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8392, carrying Pennsylvania
Route 53 over Bruebaker Run in Dean Township, Cambria County,
as the U.S. Army Technical Sergeant Joseph F. Johnston
Memorial Bridge; designating a bridge, identified as Bridge
Key 43267, on that portion of State Route 3041, also known as
Dishong Mountain Road, over U.S. Route 22 in Jackson
Township, Cambria County, as the Technical Sergeant Mike
Capelli Memorial Bridge; and making a repeal.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sergeant Vance Stephan Keslar Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Sergeant Vance Stephan Keslar was born in
Beaverdale, Cambria County.
(2) Sergeant Keslar dropped out of school and joined the
Civilian Conservation Corps.
(3) Later, Sergeant Keslar joined the United States Army
as a private.
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(4) Sergeant Keslar was at Schofield Barracks on
December 7, 1941.
(5) As the Japanese reached Pearl Harbor, Sergeant
Keslar led a charge to the ammunition depot where the group
was told by the supply sergeant that he had no orders to
release weapons.
(6) Sergeant Keslar and others pushed aside the supply
sergeant and ran into the depot, grabbing old water-cooled
machine guns.
(7) Sergeant Keslar climbed to the top of the building
and started firing at the Japanese forces.
(8) Sergeant Keslar was awarded a Bronze Star for his
heroic actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
(9) Sergeant Keslar returned home and enrolled in the
Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
(10) Before receiving his bachelor's degree, Sergeant
Keslar earned his GED.
(11) Sergeant Keslar passed away on July 22, 2003.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8537,
carrying Pennsylvania Route 869, over a tributary of the Little
Conemaugh River in Jackson Township, Cambria County, is
designated as the Sergeant Vance Stephan Keslar 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. U.S. Army Technical Sergeant Joseph F. Johnston
Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Technical Sergeant Joseph F. Johnston was born
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November 27, 1917, and grew up in Dean, Cambria County.
(2) He was a 1938 graduate of Cresson High School.
(3) In June 1941, Technical Sergeant Johnston enlisted
in the United States Army and was assigned to the 9th
Division, 39th Infantry Regiment where he became a technical
sergeant and platoon leader.
(4) Technical Sergeant Johnston's service took him to
every Atlantic theater of action including the United
Kingdom, North Africa and most of Western Europe.
(5) Technical Sergeant Johnston fought in Algeria,
Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, England, Belgium and
Germany and was at the invasion of Normandy on June 12, 1944.
(6) During the battles of Tunisia, Technical Sergeant
Johnston, then a corporal, took command of his platoon in the
absence of his platoon leader and sergeant. In blackout
conditions, Technical Sergeant Johnston led his platoon under
heavy enemy shelling and machine gun fire and through
difficult mountainous terrain to deliver supplies to those
fighting on the front lines.
(7) For his actions during the battles of Tunisia,
Technical Sergeant Johnston was awarded the Legion of Merit.
(8) Technical Sergeant Johnston also received a Bronze
Star and Sliver Star for his service to our country.
(9) Technical Sergeant Johnston passed away on November
7, 2010.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8392,
carrying Pennsylvania Route 53, over Bruebaker Run in Dean
Township, Cambria County, is designated as the U.S. Army
Technical Sergeant Joseph F. Johnston Memorial Bridge.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
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maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the bridge to
traffic in both directions on the bridge.
Section 3. Technical Sergeant Mike Capelli Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Technical Sergeant Mike Capelli was born in Nanty
Glo, Cambria County, on May 15, 1918.
(2) He served in the United States Army during World War
II as part of Company I, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th
Infantry Division.
(3) He was wounded many times and performed many acts of
heroism for which he was decorated during his tours of Italy,
Germany and France.
(4) On May 28, 1944, in Aprilia, Italy, Technical
Sergeant Capelli's squad was impeded by the enemy's machine
guns. Technical Sergeant Capelli deployed his men and led
them in an assault on the enemy's position. Although
outnumbered and faced with intense fire, he succeeded after
fierce hand-to-hand fighting in destroying the enemy
position. For these actions, he was awarded an Oak Leaf
Cluster to his Silver Star Medal.
(5) On January 8, 1945, in Wildenguth, France, Technical
Sergeant Capelli was shot and killed while organizing his men
during an attack by a reinforced band of German SS Troopers.
(6) His awards include the Silver Star with Oak Leaf
Cluster, Bronze Star and Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf
Clusters.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified as Bridge Key
43267, on that portion of State Route 3041, also known as
Dishong Mountain Road, over U.S. Route 22 in Jackson Township,
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Cambria County, is designated as the Technical Sergeant Mike
Capelli 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 and both directions on
the crossing route.
Section 4. Repeals.
Repeals are as follows:
(1) The General Assembly declares that the repeal under
paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate the designation
under section 3.
(2) Section 18 of the act of June 30, 2021 (P.L.339,
No.64), is repealed.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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