PRINTER'S NO. 2056
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1597
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY GILLEN, NEILSON, DONATUCCI, SONNEY, COX, BIZZARRO,
KORTZ, DiGIROLAMO, GREINER, HILL-EVANS, BURNS, MILLARD, RYAN,
READSHAW, WILLIAMS, YOUNGBLOOD, OBERLANDER, HAHN,
CALTAGIRONE, MARKOSEK, LONGIETTI, STAATS, MOUL AND SCHWEYER,
JUNE 10, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, JUNE 10, 2019
AN ACT
Designating the highway interchange of U.S. Route 222 with Mohns
Hill Road, Cumru Township, Berks County, as the PVT Mahlon L.
Fink Iwo Jima Memorial Highway Interchange.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. PVT Mahlon L. Fink Iwo Jima Memorial Highway
Interchange.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Mahlon L. Fink lived a life of dedicated and humble
service to his community and to this Commonwealth.
(2) Mr. Fink was born December 1, 1925, in what is now
the Daniel Boone Homestead.
(3) Mr. Fink was a student at Reading High School, when
he was compelled by a sense of duty to join the war effort.
He dropped out of school following his sophomore year and
joined the United States Marine Corps on his 18th birthday.
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(4) Mr. Fink was a member of the 5th Marine Division in
the Pacific Theater.
(5) Mr. Fink and his company landed on Iwo Jima on
February 16, 1945, as one of the first units in combat.
(6) On the 12th day of combat, Mr. Fink was injured when
a mortar round fell near him sending shrapnel into his legs.
As a result of his injuries, Mr. Fink was awarded the Purple
Heart.
(7) Mr. Fink was present on Iwo Jima when the United
States flag was raised on Mt. Suribachi and he witnessed the
raising from the beaches below.
(8) After being discharged from service, Mr. Fink owned
his own painting and paper hanging business, where he painted
and wallpapered many of the finest homes in Berks County for
52 years until his retirement.
(9) Mr. Fink was very active in the Marine Corps League
and was a lifetime member of the Russell M. Butterweck
Detachment where he served as chaplain.
(10) Mr. Fink was also a lifetime member of the
Adamstown V.F.W. and a member of the Wyomissing U.C.C. where
he was a Deacon and Elder of the church, serving as president
in 1979.
(11) Fifty years after joining the Marine Corps, Mr.
Fink was awarded an honorary diploma by Reading High School.
(12) Mr. Fink also participated in many veterans events
speaking to high school children, nursing home residents and
Boy Scout troops telling the story of his service to keep the
memory of World War II alive.
(13) Mr. Fink passed away on February 27, 2019.
(b) Designation.--The highway interchange of U.S. Route 222
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with Mohns Hill Road in Cumru Township, Berks County, is
designated the PVT Mahlon L. Fink Iwo Jima Memorial Highway
Interchange.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and
maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the
interchange to traffic in both directions on the interchange.
Section 2. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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