Pennsylvania Act 2016-82 — PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JOSEPH ANTHONY PETRARCA/STAFF SERGEANT JOHN WILLIAM EARNESTY MEMORIAL BRIDGE - DESIGNATION

Act text

An Act

Designating the bridge carrying State Route 3087 over Jacobs Creek connecting Scottdale, Westmoreland County, and Everson, Fayette County, as the Private First Class Joseph Anthony Petrarca/Staff Sergeant John William Earnesty Memorial Bridge.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Private First Class Joseph Anthony Petrarca/Staff Sergeant John William Earnesty Memorial Bridge.

(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

(1) Private First Class (PFC) Joseph Anthony Petrarca was born on March 22, 1948, and was a 1968 graduate of Southmoreland High School.

(2) PFC Petrarca served in the 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, Company E, and was killed in action on March 17, 1969, in South Vietnam, just five days before his birthday.

(3) PFC Petrarca was the only resident of Scottdale, Westmoreland County, to lose his life in the Vietnam War.

(4) Staff Sergeant (S SGT) John William Earnesty was born on October 2, 1928, and was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War.

(5) S SGT Earnesty served in South Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry, Company C.

(6) On December 11, 1966, S SGT Earnesty was killed in South Vietnam after the armored personnel carrier in which he was riding detonated a land mine.

(7) S SGT Earnesty was the only resident of Everson, Fayette County, to lose his life in the Vietnam War.

(b) Designation.--The bridge carrying State Route 3087 over Jacobs Creek connecting Scottdale, Westmoreland County, and Everson, Fayette County, is hereby designated the Private First Class Joseph Anthony Petrarca/Staff Sergeant John William Earnesty 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. Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.