Pennsylvania SB 836: An Act designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8430, carrying Pennsylvania Route 160 over the North Branch Little Conemaugh River in the borough of Wilmore, Cambria County, as the Potchak Brothers Memorial Bridge.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 929
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 836
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, JUNE 9, 2025
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JUNE 9, 2025
AN ACT
Designating a bridge, identified as Bridge Key 8430, carrying
Pennsylvania Route 160 over the North Branch Little Conemaugh
River in the borough of Wilmore, Cambria County, as the
Potchak Brothers Memorial Bridge.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Potchak Brothers Memorial Bridge.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) Stephen Potchak, John Potchak, Michael Potchak,
Frank Potchak, Charles Potchak and Peter Potchak were
brothers.
(2) Stephen Potchak was born February 18, 1914, in
Wilmore, Cambria County, and attended Wilmore High School.
(3) He was drafted into the United States Army on
February 5, 1942, and served during World War II.
(4) Stephen Potchak served as a Medical Administrative
Specialist in the Army Air Corps and received the following
awards and recognitions: American Campaign Medal, Good
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Conduct Medal and World War II Victory Medal.
(5) He was honorably discharged from the United States
Army with the rank of Staff Sergeant on December 1, 1946, at
Andrews Field in Washington, DC.
(6) After the war, Stephen Potchak was employed for a
time at Saint Francis University before working as a coal
miner in Wilmore. Later in life, Stephen moved to
Philadelphia, where he worked as a laborer for the Budd
Company before working as a locomotive operator for more than
30 years at US Steel, from which he retired.
(7) Stephen Potchak passed away on March 28, 1994, and
is buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem, Bucks County.
(8) John Potchak was born September 18, 1918, in Wilmore
and attended Wilmore High School.
(9) He enlisted in the United States Navy on June 19,
1939, and served during World War II.
(10) John Potchak was assigned to the following vessels
and stations: Naval Training Station Newport, Rhode Island;
USS Helena; USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) and USS Cabot.
(11) He was assigned to the USS Helena during the attack
on Pearl Harbor, but was not on board during the attack.
(12) John Potchak received the following awards and
recognitions: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with nine stars;
American Campaign Medal; American Defense Service Medal with
one star; Philippine Liberation Medal with one star; Good
Conduct Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Navy Unit
Commendation Ribbon Bar; and Philippine Presidential Unit
Citation.
(13) He was honorably discharged from the United States
Navy with the rank of Chief Electrician's Mate on November
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28, 1945, at the United States Naval Personnel Separation
Center in Sampson, New York.
(14) After the war, John Potchak worked as an engineer
at the Johnsville Naval Air Development Center in Warminster,
Bucks County, was a lifetime member of the Warminster
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6493 in Warminster and was a
dedicated member of his church, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
Catholic Church, in Jamison, Bucks County. He enjoyed hunting
and fishing in his free time.
(15) John Potchak passed away on May 12, 2010, and is
buried at Saint John Neumann Cemetery in Chalfont, Bucks
County.
(16) Michael Potchak was born October 15, 1920, in
Wilmore and attended Wilmore High School.
(17) He enlisted in the United States Navy on December
15, 1942, and served during World War II.
(18) Michael Potchak was assigned to the following
vessels and stations: USS Bataan and U.S. Naval Training
Center Bainbridge, Maryland.
(19) He received the following awards and recognitions:
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with five stars; American
Campaign Medal; Good Conduct Medal; World War II Victory
Medal; Philippines Liberation Medal; and Imperium Neptuni
Regis.
(20) Michael Potchak was honorably discharged from the
United States Navy with the rank of Electrician's Mate First
Class on March 5, 1946, at the U.S. Naval Personnel
Separation Center in Bainbridge, Maryland.
(21) After the war, he worked for and retired from US
Steel in Johnstown, Cambria County, where he was an
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electrical foreman.
(22) Michael Potchak passed away on February 2, 2009,
and is buried at the Richland Mausoleum in Johnstown.
(23) Frank Potchak was born November 13, 1922, in
Wilmore and attended Wilmore High School.
(24) He enlisted in the United States Navy on February
23, 1943, and served during World War II.
(25) Frank Potchak was assigned to the following vessels
and stations: USS Kalinin Bay; U.S. Naval Training and
Distribution Center Shoemaker, California; S.S. Jacob
Luckenbach; S.S. Janet Lord Roper; U.S. Navy Armed Guard
Center Brooklyn, New York; U.S. Navy Armed Guard Center
Little Creek, Virginia; an