2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 51 - KENNETH JOHN IVORY MEMORIAL BRIDGE - DESIGNATION
An Act
Designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8556, carrying SR 1008 (Eckenrode Mill Road) over Chest Creek, located in East Carroll Township, Cambria County, as the Kenneth John Ivory Memorial Bridge.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Kenneth John Ivory Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Kenneth John Ivory was born on April 2, 1947, in Chest Springs, Cambria County.
(2) Growing up on a farm known for its quality potatoes, Ken enjoyed the pride of being a family member of the third generation on the farm.
(3) As the buildup in Vietnam was occurring, Ken graduated from Bishop Carroll High School in Ebensburg in 1965.
(4) Ken and Helen Gongloff made the decision to get married before he served in Vietnam.
(5) Ken was inducted into the Army on March 3, 1966, and completed basic training and advanced individual training as an Indirect Fire Infantryman (mortarman) at Fort Benning, Georgia.
(6) Kenneth received orders to report to Vietnam on August 19, 1966, and, upon arrival, he was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division in Binh Dinh Province.
(7) In October 1966, Ken's Company A joined other soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division in Operation Thayer, one of the largest operations of the war.
(8) On October 17, 1966, Ken and other members of his company were preparing a field landing zone in the Thua Thien Province to facilitate additional helicopter traffic into the area when Private First Class Ivory was struck by an uncontrolled aircraft, causing his death.
(9) Kenneth's services and interment were conducted at Saint Monica's Cemetery in Chester Springs.
(10) Kenneth received the following military commendations: Combat Infantryman Badge, Marksmanship Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Gallantry Cross and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
(11) Kenneth is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington, DC, with his name inscribed at Panel 11e, Line 82.
(12) Kenneth, by this namesake bridge, is memorialized on the Eckenrode Mill Road within two miles from the Ivory farm where Ken and his brother, Wayne, fished, swam and he taught his wife, Helen, to ice skate.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8556, carrying SR 1008 (Eckenrode Mill Road) over Chest Creek, located in East Carroll Township, Cambria County, is designated the Kenneth John Ivory 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.
