Section 26. Sgt. Walter F. Novak Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Walter F. Novak was born in Mecco on December 24, 1920.
(2) Sgt. Novak worked for R & P Coal Company in 1939 to help with family finances instead of finishing high school.
(3) Sgt. Novak enlisted in the military on August 4, 1942, and joined the 101st Airborne 506 PIR "A" Company.
(4) Sgt. Novak completed elite paratrooper training at Camp Toccoa in Georgia.
(5) Sgt. Novak's first combat jump was over Normandy on June 5, 1944, and his second combat jump was during Operation Market Garden on September 17, 1944, where he was hit with flack and evacuated to have surgery, but later rejoined his company in time to participate in the Battle of the Bulge on December 17, 1944.
(6) Sgt. Novak separated from the military on September 22, 1945, with an honorable discharge and ended his service as a sergeant and squad leader.
(7) For his service, Sgt. Novak was awarded the Bronze Star with two oak clusters, Purple Heart Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal with four bronze service stars, two bronze arrowheads, two distinguished unit citations, combat infantry badge, M-1 rifleman badge and Thompson Submachine Gun Expert badge.
(8) After he finished his military service, Sgt. Novak went back to work at the R & P Coal Company as a shuttle car operator.
(9) Sgt. Novak married June Poole and they raised four boys.
(10) Sgt. Novak passed the exam to become a First Grade Assistant Mine Foreman and was also a plumber for a local contractor.
(11) Sgt. Novak ran for Homer City town council and was elected in 1960.
(12) Sgt. Novak was a member of the American Legion Post 493 in Homer City for 63 years and a life member of the VFW Post 1989 in Indiana.
(13) Sgt. Novak passed away on January 3, 2008, at his home after he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
(b) Designation.--The bridge, identified as Bridge Key 44052, carrying State Route 3035 over Yellow Creek in Homer City Borough, Indiana County, is designated the Sgt. Walter F. Novak 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.