PRINTER'S NO. 893
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
814
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY PITTMAN, JUNE 14, 2023
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JUNE 14, 2023
AN ACT
Designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 47515, carrying
Pennsylvania Route 286 over Blacklegs Creek in Conemaugh
Township, Indiana County, as the Captain Robert M. Young
Memorial Bridge.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Captain Robert M. Young Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Robert Milton Young was born January 17, 1945, in
New Alexandria and spent most of his adult life in Saltsburg,
where he lived with his aunt, Clayre Rochella.
(2) Captain Young graduated from Saltsburg High School
and attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he was
commissioned through the Army ROTC on May 28, 1967.
(3) Captain Young went on to attend Infantry School,
Ranger School and Armor School before serving with Company A,
2nd Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Armored
Division in Europe from January 1968 to August 1969.
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(4) Captain Young was transferred to the 184th Ordnance
Battalion in the Republic of Vietnam and served as the
Commander of the 630th Ordnance Company from August 1969
until January 1970, when he was transferred to the Infantry
Branch and served with Headquarters 2nd Battalion, 34th
Armored Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division.
(5) On May 2, 1970, Captain Young was a passenger aboard
a UH-1H Iroquois helicopter on a logistical support mission
to Katum fire support base in Vietnam.
(6) During its flight, the helicopter sustained damage
from ground fire and was forced to make an emergency landing
along the border of Cambodia and South Vietnam where, upon
landing, Captain Young and the others aboard the helicopter
were captured and taken as prisoners of war in Cambodia.
(7) While serving as a prisoner of war, Captain Young
helped to carry out a hunger strike to back the senior
ranking officer who had been denied food and water for
refusing to make fungi sticks.
(8) Following several days of the hunger strike, Captain
Young became sick with Malaria and was unable to consume any
food upon completion of the strike.
(9) On September 17, 1972, Captain Young succumbed to
his illness while in captivity.
(10) Because of his valor and courage while serving as a
prisoner of war in Cambodia, Captain Young was awarded the
Silver Star.
(11) Captain Young's remains returned to the United
States on December 7, 1997, and he is buried in Edgewood
Cemetery in Saltsburg.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified as Bridge Key
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47515, carrying Pennsylvania Route 286 over Blacklegs Creek in
Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, is designated the Captain
Robert M. Young 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.
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