Lansing, MI. — State Rep. and Chair of the MI House Judiciary Committee Sarah Lightner today announced the Michigan House has approved her legislation to permanently honor local servicemembers who gave their lives in defense of the United States.

House Bill 5089 renames three portions of M-60 in Jackson County to commemorate heroes from World War II, Vietnam, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“Each of these men answered the call of duty, served bravely, and made the ultimate sacrifice,” Lightner said. “Their courage and devotion deserve lasting recognition in the community they called home.”

Under Lightner’s bill:

• The section of M-60 from Emerson Road to North Cross Road will become the WWII Veterans Lynford Graham, Melvin King, and Vernon Smalley Memorial Highway.
• The section from North Cross Road to North Main Street will be the Vietnam War Veterans Timothy Ballinger, Robert Jenks, and James Morgan Memorial Highway.
• The section from North Main Street to Van Wert Road will be designated the Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran Donald Wheeler Jr. Memorial Highway.

Lynford Graham, Melvin King, and Vernon Smalley each served valiantly in World War II, earning honors such as the Purple Heart and Bronze Star before making the ultimate sacrifice overseas.
Vietnam veterans Timothy Ballinger, Robert Jenks, and James Morgan also served with distinction, fighting on behalf of freedom and democracy.
Donald Wheeler Jr., a native of Jackson County, enlisted after 9/11 and was killed in action in Tikrit, Iraq, while searching for IEDs with his unit.

“Their names and stories are part of our local history and our national legacy,” Lightner added. “These designations ensure generations to come will see those signs and remember the price of our freedom.”

The Michigan Memorial Highway Act requires that the cost of each sign be privately funded before installation, so no taxpayer funds are used.

HB 5089 earned strong bipartisan support in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

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