| Dedication Ceremony Held for Heroes Way Interstate
Interchanges
Four Local Soldiers Killed In Action Honored
SIKESTON - A dedication ceremony honoring four local soldiers killed in action while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan was held Saturday, May 22, at 1 p.m. at the Jackson Armory located at 224 West Park Street in Jackson, Mo.
In 2009, legislation was passed to enact the Heroes Way Interstate Interchange Program. This program allows for interstate interchanges to be designated for Missouri residents, who were in the armed forces, and were killed in action on or after September 11, 2001 in either Afghanistan or Iraq.
Senator Jason Crowell sponsored the legislation for the Heroes Way Interstate Interchange Program naming Exit 105 the Sergeant Robert G. Davis interchange, Exit 58 the Specialist Blake W. Hall interchange, Exit 102 in Jackson the Corporal Jeremy R. Shank interchange and Exit 96 the Staff Sergeant Bradley J. Skelton interchange.
Speakers at the interchange dedication ceremony included:
• Mr. Josh Haynes on behalf of U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson
• State Senator Jason Crowell
• State Representative Steve Hodges, District 161
• State Representative Scott Lipke, District 157
• Councilwoman Debra Tracy, Cape Girardeau City Council Ward 3
• Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr
• East Prairie Mayor Clinton Wolford
• Drill Sergeant Daniel Harbosen
• Colonel Glenn Hagler
• MoDOT Southeast District Engineer Mark Shelton
Additionally, a letter on behalf of State Representative Clint Tracy was read.
Sergeant Robert G. Davis, of the 864th Engineer Battalion from Fort Lewis, Wa., was killed on Aug. 18, 2005 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Interstate 55 Exit 105 at Fruitland, Mo., was named in his honor.
Specialist Blake W. Hall, of Company B, 2d Battalion, 503d infantry from Camp Ederle, Italy, was killed on Aug. 21, 2005 in IVO Baylough, Afghanistan. Interstate 55 Exit 58 near Matthews, Mo., was named in his honor.
Corporal Jeremy R. Shank, of the Company A, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry, 3 BCT from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii was killed in Balad, Iraq on Sept. 6, 2006. Interstate 55 Exit 102 in Jackson, Mo., was named in his honor.
Staff Sergeant Bradley J. Skelton, of the 1138th Engineer Company, 107th Battalion, 35th Brigade from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., was killed in Baghdad, Iraq on Feb. 6, 2008. Interstate 55 Exit 96 was named in his honor.
For more information on the dedication ceremony, please contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).
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