The sign identifying the bridge over I-64 at the Teays Valley interchange has been in place since 2016.
Each day, untold thousands of motorists pass over the U.S. Army PFC Herman Danner Rogers Memorial Bridge that spans I-64 at the Teays Valley interchange. Most who do so have no knowledge of the veteran for whom the bridge is named.
PFC Herman D. Rogers served in World War II and was the recipient of four Bronze Service Stars stemming from his participation in the D-Day landing at Normandy and in the Rhineland Central Europe Campaign.
Rogers and 246 other West Virginia World War II veterans were recognized by then Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito at the State Capitol in a Veterans Day ceremony in 2001. Herman Daner Rogers passed at the age of 85 on December 1, 2009. The honor of having the bridge over I-64 named for him waited until 2016 when the West Virginia Legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 27.
Friday, December 1, 2023 marks the 14th anniversary of his death. It is a time for motorists to look upon the bridge sign and remember his service and the service of all who made for America’s Greatest Generation.
Following the war, Rogers returned to his home in Putnam County. He was a retiree from Union Carbide, South Charleston, with 24 years service.
A copy of the resolution passed on March 12, 2016 to name the bridge in his honor follows:
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 27
Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge located on Interstate 64, 0.43 miles north of County Route 34, bridge number 40-34-15.00 (40A090), latitude 38.45599, longitude -81.93554, originally called the I-64 Winfield Interchange Bridge, in Putnam County, the “Herman Daner Rogers Memorial Bridge”.
Whereas, Herman Daner Rogers was born in Kanawha County on February 8, 1924; and
Whereas, Herman Daner Rogers served this country during WWII as a PFC in the U.S. Army, being engaged in fierce combat in Normandy in Northern France and the Rhineland in Central Europe; and
Whereas, PFC Herman Daner Rogers displayed heroism and courage on various fields of battle upon which he served, including for action taken during a fourteen day attack resulting in the destruction of an entire German division for which an honor was bestowed upon him by U.S. Army Lieutenant General George Patton, Jr. Among the medals and honors he received for his service to this country are the Bronze Star Medal, the EAME Theater Ribbon with four Bronze Stars per, the American Theater Ribbon, the Good Conduct Ribbon, the World War II Victory Medal and Combat Infantry Badge. He later received the Jubilee of Liberty award from then- Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito in 2001 for which he was extremely proud; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name the bridge located on Interstate 64, 0.43 miles north of County Route 34, bridge number 40-34-15.00 (40A090), latitude 38.45599, longitude -81.93554, originally called the I-64 Winfield Interchange Bridge, in Putnam County, the “Herman Daner Rogers Memorial Bridge”; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the “Herman Daner Rogers Memorial Bridge”; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways and to Drema K. Rogers Justice, the daughter of PFC Herman Daner Rogers.
