Section 9. PFC/POW William G. Koontz Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) PFC William G. Koontz of New Enterprise was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War.
(2) PFC Koontz arrived in South Korea on March 25, 1951, and along with other new arrivals was given only five days of basic combat training before being sent to the front lines.
(3) Less than a month later on April 22, 1951, the Soviet-backed Chinese Red Army launched a massive assault against the United Nations and American forces. PFC Koontz was on the front lines that day with Company E, 24th Division, Eighth Army.
(4) Company E's location was soon overtaken by the Chinese and PFC Koontz, along with 13 other men, hid in a cave to avoid capture. After four days without food or water, the men were forced to surrender.
(5) PFC Koontz and his fellow soldiers were taken to a temporary prison camp, from which they started a month-long march north to a permanent camp in North Korea. Many of PFC Koontz's companions did not survive the journey.
(6) For 888 days, PFC Koontz endured the brutal conditions at the Chong-song prison camp, living in mud-walled huts without sanitation and surviving on a diet consisting mostly of infested grain while forced into hard labor.
(7) On August 11, 1953, PFC Koontz was released by the Chinese and eventually returned home to Pennsylvania, where he reunited with his family and lived a full life with his wife, to whom he was married for over 50 years, two sons, grandchildren and many other relatives.
(8) For his heroism and sacrifice, PFC Koontz was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, the World War II Victory Ribbon and the Army Occupation Medal (Japan).
(b) Designation.--The bridge located on State Route 1005, known as Church View Road, Segment 0180, Offset 0000, over Beaver Creek, in South Woodbury Township, Bedford County, is hereby designated the PFC/POW William G. Koontz 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.