Brief Description: Naming portions of Highways 112 and 113 the Korean War Veteran's Blue Star Memorial Highway.

Sponsors: By Representatives Kessler and VanDeWege.

House Committee on Transportation
Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:

By policy, the Transportation Commission is responsible for naming transportation facilities. The policy states that community support is measured, preferably, through a resolution or memorial adopted by the Legislature.

Summary:

The memorial recognizes the following in its message to the Secretary of Transportation, to the Washington State Transportation Commission, and to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The Legislature finds that:

• the Korean War erupted on June 24, 1950, when the North Korean Army invaded the Republic of South Korea;
• President Harry S. Truman ordered the United States forces to defend South Korea;
• 2.5 million men and women of our armed forces, 122,000 from Washington, met the test, fighting in harsh terrain and extremes of weather, in battles and actions;
• 528 Washington residents and five Clallam County residents were killed in action between 1950 and 1953, and over 40 known men had been missing in action or held as prisoners of war;
• 33,629 members of the United States armed forces lost their lives between 1950 and 1953;
• 2,000 United States service members have died as a direct result of responding to one of the 40,479 hostile incidents or breaches since the truce has been signed; and
• it is appropriate to honor the service and sacrifice of Washington Korean War Veterans who served the nation in that war with such valor and distinction.   

The Legislature requests that the Washington State Transportation Commission, commence proceedings to name Highway 113 in Clallam County, between the junction of Highway 101 and the junction of Highway 112, and Highway 112, from the junction of Highway 113 to the Makah Indian Reservation in Neah Bay, the "Korean War Veteran's Blue Star Memorial Highway(s)."

Votes on Final Passage:

House   98   0
Senate   49   0