PETER C. LEMON HWY                                                                                H.B. 4349:

                                                                              SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

House Bill 4349 (as passed by the House)

Sponsor:  Representative Sue Allor

House Committee:  Transportation

                             Ways and Means

Senate Committee:  Transportation and Infrastructure

 

Date Completed:  12-4-19

 

CONTENT

 

The bill would amend the Michigan Memorial Highway Act to designate the portion of Highway US-23 in Iosco County beginning at the intersection with M-55 in Tawas City and extending south to the Tawas River Bridge as the "Peter C. Lemon Highway".

 

BACKGROUND

 

Sergeant Peter C. Lemon was born in Toronto, Canada on June 5, 1950. At two years of age, his family moved to Tawas City, Michigan. He became a United States citizen at 11 years of age. After graduating from Tawas Area High School in 1968, Lemon enlisted in the United States Army and attended Army Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He then was deployed to Vietnam where he graduated from Ranger RECON School and served from July 26, 1969, to July 23, 1970. He achieved the rank of sergeant during this time.

 

On April 1, 1970, Sergeant Lemon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division distingushed himself during combat while serving as an assistant machine gunner during the defense of the Fire Support Base Illingworth in Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam. Sergeant Lemon fought a numerically superior enemy with his machine gun and rifle until those weapons malfunctioned, proceeded to fight with hand grenades, and then fought in hand-to-hand combat with the single combatant that remained. Despite injury from an exploded grenade, Sergeant Lemon delivered a wounded squadron member to an aid station. He then returned to hand-to-hand combat until he lost consciousness and was delivered to an aid station with multiple wounds. He refused his own evacuation until more seriously wounded squadron members were first evacuated.

 

For this service, Sergeant Lemon received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Medal of Honor, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross, Vietnam Civil Actions Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, and Presidential Unit Citation.

 

Proposed MCL 250.1042b                                          Legislative Analyst:  Tyler VanHuyse

 

FISCAL IMPACT

 

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

 

                                                                                 Fiscal Analyst:  Michael Siracuse

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.