South Carolina H 5352: Athanasios Ouzounidis

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5352 Text of Previous Version (May. 06, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5352

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Recalled

May 6, 2026

H. 5352

Introduced 
by Rep. Hosey 

S. Printed 5/6/26--S.

Read the first time April 21, 2026

________

A concurrent RESOLUTION

To request the Department of Transportation name 
Moody Road in the Town of Martin in Allendale County from Millet Road to 
Patterson Mill Drive "Sgt. Orenthial J. 'O.J.' Smith Memorial Road" and erect 
appropriate markers or signs at this location containing these words.

Whereas, born September 
20, 1981, Orenthial J. (O.J.) Smith was the son of Ms. Irateen Smith. At an 
early age he joined St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church where he served as an 
usher and performed the duties of the superintendent and church secretary when 
they were absent; and

Whereas, he attended 
public schools in Allendale County, graduating from Allendale-Fairfax High 
School in 1999. With his eyes on the future, O.J. enlisted in the United States 
Army after graduation so he would be able to attend college. He left for 
bootcamp fourteen days after graduation, reporting to Fort Benning in Columbus, 
Georgia, for basic training. Upon completion of his first two-year stint, he 
reenlisted for six more years; and

Whereas, his Army 
career took him to Dexheim, Germany, for four years in January 2002 where he 
was a truck driver with the Army 123rd main support battalion. O.J. 
made a great impression on his superiors who encouraged him to train for 
sergeant. He completed the course, took the exam, and graduated ninth out of a 
class of one hundred twenty-seven with a grade point average of 94.56; and

Whereas, O.J. loved 
serving his country and received numerous awards for his accomplishments. In 
March 2003, he called his family to proudly announce his promotion to sergeant. 
On May 6, 2003, he was deployed and left Germany for Kuwait in the Middle East. 
On Sunday, June 22, 2003, he received official confirmation of his promotion to 
sergeant. A few hours later, Sgt. O.J. Smith was killed when his convoy came 
under attack in Baghdad. He was laid to rest on July 2, 2003, in the cemetery 
at St., Mary Missionary Baptist Church with full military honors; and

Whereas, Sgt. Smith was 
memorialized in Dexheim, Germany, with a dining hall named in his honor. He 
also posthumously received the Bronze Star, awarded for heroic meritorious 
achievement in ground combat, and the Purple Heart, awarded to service members 
who are wounded or killed in action against an enemy of the United States or a 
foreign force; and

Whereas, it is only 
fitting and proper that Sgt. Orenthial J. Smith, a son of the Palmetto State 
who paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending this country abroad, be 
remembered with the road in his hometown of Martin named in his memory. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House 
of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the 
South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of 
Transportation name Moody Road in the Town of Martin in Allendale County from 
Millet Road to Patterson Mill Drive "Sgt. Orenthial J. 'O.J.' Smith Memorial 
Road" and erect appropriate markers or signs at this location containing these 
words.

Be it further resolved that 
a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.

----XX---

This web page was last updated on May 06, 2026 at 05:44 PM