Roadway to honor Vietnam vets
Published 11:21 am Wednesday, September 13, 2017
The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution Tuesday requesting state route 47 be renamed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.
Dr. Nancy Carwile
“My understanding is that we’re not changing the addresses. We’re just putting a sign making it a memorial highway?” inquired Red House/Cullen Supervisor Dr. Nancy Carwile during the board meeting.
“No addresses will be changed,” said Drakes Branch Supervisor Garland H. Hamlett Jr.
The resolution came after Hamlett proposed to name the road The Gordon Young Memorial Highway during a July meeting.
During the meeting, Hamlett said Young, of Drakes Branch, was the first man from Charlotte County killed in Vietnam.
However, there are seven Charlotte County residents who died during war.
A stone at the Drakes Branch memorial, which was erected in 2000, pays tribute to seven county residents who died in the war, including Young; James C. Dickerson, of Randolph, Mac Arthur G. Gee, of Charlotte Court House; Samuel B. Hubbard, of Red House; Wilbert J. Jones Jr., of Keysville; Roy D. Lowe Jr., of Charlotte Court House; and Leroy A. Whitlow, of Charlotte Court House.
Garland H. Hamlett, Jr.
“I think over the years people have not recognized those guys who lost their lives in Vietnam,” said Hamlett in July.
“That’s one way to make that, I guess, a perpetual thing,” he said of renaming the road during the previous meeting.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway will pay tribute to each of those who perished in Vietnam who lived in Charlotte County.
“The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors wishes to honor all Vietnam veterans and memorialize the seven Charlotte County residents that made the ultimate sacrifice for their county,” the resolution reads.
The request regarding the road naming is being made to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB).
According to information from the Virginia Department of Transportation, bridges and highways can be named with action by the CTB or the Virginia General Assembly.
According to the resolution, Charlotte County will pay the cost to create and install the signage.