Bill Text: WV HR5 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Honoring U. S. Army SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr., Medal of Honor recipient
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2019-02-22 - Completed legislative action [HR5 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2019-HR5-Introduced.html
HOUSE RESOLUTION 5
(By Delegates Staggers, Evans, Kessinger, Hamrick, N. Brown)
[Introduced January 14, 2019]
Honoring U. S. Army SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr., Medal of Honor recipient.
Whereas, Carmel Harvey Jr. was born in Montgomery, West Virginia, October 6, 1946; and
Whereas, Carmel Harvey, Jr. lived with his family in a coal camp at Page, West Virginia; and
Whereas, At the age of 20, Carmel Harvey Jr. had entered the United States Army and was deployed to Vietnam; and
Whereas, SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr. was injured by a punji trap, but recuperated and returned to duty with his unit, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), and
Whereas, On June 21, 1967, in Binh Dinh Province, Fire Team Leader SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr. and his platoon were ordered to secure a downed helicopter. After establishing a defensive perimeter around the aircraft, SPC4 Harvey’s position was attacked from three sides by a large enemy force. Harvey and two members of his squad received heavy incoming machine gun fire. When the other two soldiers were wounded, SPC4 Harvey increased his deliberate rifle fire at the enemy, which caused the enemy to concentrate fire on Harvey himself; and
Whereas, An enemy bullet struck a grenade on Harvey’s belt, arming the grenade and causing the grenade to become entangled in his belt. The soldier realized what was happening and the danger the armed grenade posed to himself and his fellow soldiers. Unable to quickly remove the grenade from his belt, SPC4 Harvey jumped to his feet, shouted a challenge to the enemy, and charged the machine gun. The grenade exploded before SPC4 Harvey reached the machine gun but the explosion, which killed Harvey, so stunned the enemy that it caused a pause in the enemy action allowing the wounded to be removed and the platoon to be extracted from the area. The young hero was 20 years old; and
Whereas, In 1969, President Richard Nixon presented the Congressional Medal of Honor to SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr’.s parents, who had moved to the Southside community of Chicago when Carmel Harvey Jr. was a young teenager. In Chicago, Harvey attended George Washington High School and was a star on the baseball field. Following high school Harvey was drafted by the Chicago Cubs. After suffering a knee injury which prevented him from beginning a baseball career, Harvey enlisted in the U. S. Army; and
Whereas, SPC4 Harvey has been hailed as a hero of the city where a high school gymnasium bears his name. The Harvey Functional Fitness Center at Fort Hood, Texas reminds those serving today of this Mountain State hero. Harvey’s sister, Frances, said that her brother would always take care of his friends whenever they would go places and do things.; and
Whereas, It is appropriate that the state fully recognize and honor the memory of SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr, a native West Virginia patriot who so unselfishly gave his life to protect his fellow soldiers; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the House of Delegates hereby honors the memory of native son and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient SPC4 Carmel Harvey Jr. honored for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copies of this resolution to the Executive Editor in Chief of the Charleston Gazette-Mail, and James McCormick, State Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
