A02186
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1431
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY MASSER, GOODMAN, SCHLEGEL CULVER, HENNESSEY,
TOOHIL, YOUNGBLOOD, SAMUELSON, DERMODY, PETRARCA,
CALTAGIRONE, THOMAS, HELM, MALONEY, READSHAW, DiGIROLAMO,
MILLARD, SAINATO, O'BRIEN, CAUSER, WHEELAND, WARD, MARSICO,
FREEMAN, A. HARRIS, D. COSTA, SAYLOR, PETRI AND DeLUCA,
MAY 23, 2017
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 24, 2017
AN ACT
Designating a that portion of State Routes 54, 901 and 2023 in
Northumberland County and Schuylkill County as the Honorable
Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.; designating that
portion of State Route 3078 and State Route 3090 in York
County from the intersection with State Route 116 to the
intersection with State Route 3042 as the Private First Class
Donald R. Gise Memorial Road; designating a bridge on that
portion of State Route 1005, known as Church View Road,
Segment 0180, Offset 0000, over Beaver Creek, South Woodbury
Township, Bedford County, as the PFC/POW William G. Koontz
Memorial Bridge; and designating a bridge on that portion of
State Route 588 over Interstate 376, Chippewa Township,
Beaver County, as the TFC Blake T. Coble Memorial Bridge.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) The Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., represented
the 107th Legislative District, covering portions of
Columbia, Montour, Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties
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from 1981 to 2010.
(2) During his 30 years in the House of Representatives,
Representative Belfanti served on numerous committees and was
chairperson of the Labor Relations Committee from 1993 to
2010.
(3) Representative Belfanti was active on numerous State
boards and commissions and championed workers, small
businesses, veterans and improved accessibility for the
disabled.
(4) Representative Belfanti attended Mount Carmel area
schools and was a lifelong scout, earning the rank of Eagle
Scout in 1962 and returning to scouting as an adult as a
charter member of Cub Scout Pack 3178.
(5) Representative Belfanti and his wife, Cecilia, were
instrumental in bringing scouting back to the Mount Carmel
area following a long dormancy, and Representative Belfanti
received numerous awards during his 25 years of service.
(6) Before becoming a State Representative,
Representative Belfanti enlisted in the United States Marine
Corps IN 1967 and served a 13-month tour of duty in the
Vietnam War with helicopter units that supplied troops,
ammunition and medical supplies to Marines and rescued the
wounded. MARINES. HIS CH-46 HELICOPTERS, KNOWN AS SEA
KNIGHTS, WERE ALSO THE MAJOR MEANS FOR RESCUING AND PROVIDING
MEDIVACS FOR THE WOUNDED.
(7) Representative Belfanti rose to the rank of sergeant
and was highly decorated when he was honorably discharged in
1971. BEFORE BEING HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1971. AMONG HIS
DECORATIONS WERE TWO BRONZE STARS WITH VALOR, THE COMBAT
ACTION RIBBON, THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, THE VIETNAM
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CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY AND THE
VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL.
(8) Representative Belfanti was active in numerous
veteran organizations and cofounded the Black Diamond
Detachment of the Marine Corps League., AS WELL AS A LIFE
MEMBER OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (VFW), AMVETS AND
VETERANS OF THE VIETNAM WAR. REPRESENTATIVE BELFANTI WAS
NAMED VETERAN OF THE YEAR BY THE NATIONAL WAR VETERANS
COUNCIL AND ALSO RECEIVED THE PATRIOT OF THE YEAR AWARD.
(9) Representative Belfanti's legacy includes saving the
former Shamokin State General Hospital from divestiture, the
opening of State Correctional Institution Coal Township,
resolving issues related to the Centralia mine fire, the
Shamokin Creek project, championing numerous abandoned mine
reclamation projects and helping with many rail improvement
and economic development projects in the district.
(10) Representative Belfanti was also instrumental in
securing funding for the State Route 901 widening project
from Locust Summit to Interstate 81, as well as the Strong
Connector improvement project.
(b) Designation.--The portion of State Routes 54 and 901 in
Northumberland County and Schuylkill County from the
intersection of State Route 54, State Route 901 and State Route
2023, also known as the Mount Carmel Merriam Highway, in Mount
Carmel Township, Northumberland County, to the intersection of
State Route 901, also known as Fairgrounds Road, and High Road
in Butler Township, Schuylkill County, is hereby designated as
the Honorable Robert E. Belfanti, Jr., Memorial Highway.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to
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traffic in both directions on the highway.
Section 2. Private First Class Donald R. Gise Memorial Road.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Private First Class Donald R. Gise, age 25, formerly
of Spring Grove Borough, York County, was killed in action on
October 4, 1968, while stationed in Mekong Delta, Vietnam,
while serving as an infantryman with the United States Army.
(2) Pfc. Gise was born on December 20, 1942, and
graduated from Spring Grove Area High School in 1960.
(3) Pfc. Gise was drafted into the Army in January 1968.
(4) Pfc. Gise was awarded the Bronze Star for his
service and his bravery.
(5) Pfc. Gise was survived by his wife, Linda Louis
Gise, whom he had married in 1963, and his son, Donald
Richard Gise, who was born 22 days after Pfc. Gise was killed
in action.
(b) Designation.--That portion of State Route 3078 and State
Route 3090 in York County from the intersection with State Route
116 to the intersection with State Route 3042 is hereby
designated the Private First Class Donald R. Gise Memorial Road.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the road to
traffic in both directions on the road.
Section 3. PFC/POW William G. Koontz Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) PFC William G. Koontz of New Enterprise, was drafted
into the United States Army during the Korean War.
(2) PFC Koontz arrived in South Korea on March 25, 1951,
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and along with other new arrivals was given only five days of
basic combat training before being sent to the front lines.
(3) Less than a month later on April 22, 1951, the
Soviet-backed Chinese Red Army launched a massive assault
against the United Nations and American forces. PFC Koontz
was on the front lines that day with Company E, 24th
Division, Eighth Army.
(4) Company E's location was soon overtaken by the
Chinese and PFC Koontz along with 13 other men hid in a cave
to avoid capture. After four days without food or water, the
men were forced to surrender.
(5) PFC Koontz and his fellow soldiers were taken to a
temporary prison camp, from which they started a month-long
march north to a permanent camp in North Korea. Many of PFC
Koontz's companions did not survive the journey.
(6) For 888 days, PFC Koontz endured the brutal
conditions at the Chong-song prison camp, living in mud-
walled huts without sanitation and surviving on a diet
consisting mostly of infested grain while forced into hard
labor.
(7) On August 11, 1953, PFC Koontz was released by the
Chinese and eventually returned home to Pennsylvania, where
he reunited with his family and lived a full life with his
wife, to whom he was married for over 50 years, two sons,
grandchildren and many other relatives.
(8) For his heroism and sacrifice, PFC Koontz was
awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Theater
Ribbon, the World War II Victory Ribbon and the Army
Occupation Medal (Japan).
(b) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 1005,
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known as Church View Road, Segment 0180, Offset 0000, over
Beaver Creek, in South Woodbury Township, Bedford County, is
hereby designated the PFC/POW William G. Koontz 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 4. TFC Blake T. Coble Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings and declarations.--The General Assembly finds
and declares:
(1) Trooper First Class Blake T. Coble, a member of the
Pennsylvania State Police, passed away in the line of duty at
the age of 47, on October 4, 2012.
(2) Born in Pittsburgh on November 15, 1964, Trooper
First Class Coble was the son of Tom and Judy Clegg Coble.
(3) Trooper First Class Coble was a member of the
Pennsylvania State Police for more than 24 years, and he had
been attached to the Brighton Township Barracks for nearly 20
years.
(4) A beloved family member, dedicated police officer
and avowed community steward, Trooper First Class Coble
exemplified the best qualities of the human experience. He
generously gave of his heart and time to enhance the quality
of life of his family and community.
(b) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 588 over
Interstate 376 in Chippewa Township, Beaver County, is hereby
designated the TFC Blake T. Coble 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 5. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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