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Committee hears sponsor testimony for House Bill 228 to name highway for WWII airman Staff Sgt. Jack W. Coy
Summary
Sponsor testimony supported House Bill 228 to name a highway segment the Staff Sergeant Jack W. Coy Veterans Memorial Highway, recounting Coy’s WWII service, family identification via DNA and local support; the committee held a first hearing with no vote.
Representative Elgin Rogers and Representative Josh Williams presented sponsor testimony in support of House Bill 228, which would name a section of highway the "Staff Sergeant Jack W. Coy Veterans Memorial Highway" to honor a World War II airman from Ohio.
Rogers described Staff Sgt. Jack W. Coy as a Toledo-area native who served as a tail gunner and was killed when his aircraft was shot down over Gotha, Germany. Rogers said Coy’s remains were identified through forensic testing after being found in Belgium and that a family member, Coy's great-niece Shawnell Johns, provided a DNA sample used in the identification process. Rogers said the identification matched with "99% accuracy." He and Williams said the naming would recognize Coy and, more broadly, honor all veterans.
Williams added that the bill meets the legislature's guidelines for road-naming measures, noted local support from the Oregon and Toledo communities and said the family's support and veterans' groups were engaged in the effort. Both sponsors asked the committee to pass the bill; the committee held a first hearing and took no vote at the meeting.
The hearing concluded with no committee action recorded; sponsors said they would welcome further opportunities for testimony if needed.
