Interstate 77 bridges dedicated to late Sgt. William J. Thompson

Jul. 20—PRINCETON — Interstate highway bridges that were known only by a series of numbers now bear the name of a veteran who served his country in Iraq and kept serving fellow veterans battling health issues inflicted by their service.

Northbound and southbound bridges that carry Interstate 77 traffic over Route 20 in Mercer County now bear the name of U.S. Army SSG William Joseph "Will" Thompson. House Concurrent Resolution 42, which was passed in the West Virginia Legislature, was read Wednesday during a ceremony at WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital.

Thompson, who served in Iraq, was welcomed home in November 2021 when law enforcement agencies and other responders formed an impromptu escort for him after learning that he was returning from a transplant hospital. Friends and family lined Oakvale Road near Princeton to cheer and greet him as his ambulance drove by.

Delegate Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, read the resolution honoring Thompson and asking the West Virginia Department of Highways to name the I-77 bridges after him.

Thompson graduated in 1989 from Princeton Senior High School where he played football and participated in track. He then enlisted in the West Virginia Army National Guard, decided that he liked military life and followed in the footsteps of many of his family by joining the Army as an active duty soldier in 1989, Ellington read from the proclamation. He became a combat medic.

"U.S. Army SSG William Joseph Thompson was stationed in many places throughout the country, was deployed two years in Germany and had two deployments in Iraq. He served eight years active then returned to Princeton and again joined with West Virginia National Guard with the 1/150 ARS HHT in Brushfork," Ellington said. "He began working at Princeton Community Hospital as a nursing assistant and later became an LPN working in the hospital's telemetry unit."

Thompson met his wife, Suzanne, at the hospital. They were married in 2001 and later had a son, Ethan and daughter, Ava. He was later deployed to Iraq to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and was deployed to Iraq a second time in 2009. During his second deployment, he was stationed at Camp Stryker near the Baghdad Airport. He returned to Fort Stewart, Georgia, in 2010 with respiratory problems and was medically retired from the military on Oct. 27, 2012, with 23 years of service.

Thompson had to undergo organ transplants and battle cancer due to his exposure to toxic fumes coming from burn pits that were used to incinerate hazardous waste. He advocated for other soldiers who had been exposed to burn pits during their deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and testified before Congress and the United States Committee on Veterans Affairs about the illnesses veterans were suffering. He shared his story about the toxic exposures with the national media and played a pivotal role in fighting for federal legislation in what is now called the PACT Act, which was passed on Aug. 20, 2022.

U.S. Army Sgt. SSG William Joseph Thompson passed away on Dec. 15, 2021.

Suzanne Six-Thompson thanked Ellington as well as Delegate Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer, Delegate William Ridenour, R-Jefferson and Delegate Doug Smith, R-Mercer for their help as well as her husband's primary care physician, Dr. Marshall Long. She recalled how Long mentioned the idea of honoring her husband with a memorial bridge.

"He contacted WV Delegate Dr. Joe Ellington and started the process," she said. "Thank you Dr. Long for this wonderful gesture. You meant so much to Will. He valued you and your medical expertise, but he also called you a friend."

Having the memorial signs up on I-77 will preserve the name of U.S. Army Sgt. SSG William Joseph Thompson and the memories of his accomplishments not only for the community, but for the future generations of his family.

"It's bittersweet knowing he is no longer with us, but knowing how much he was honored, loved, respected and deserving of this honor is heartwarming to us and our family," she added. "If you knew Will, you loved him. He loved his country and serving for it even after all he endured through his burn pit injuries. Will, we love you and we know you are honored and probably doing a little dance up there. Thank you all for this wonderful tribute."

Thompson's mother-in-law, Debbie Six, said she might cry whenever she sees the memorial signs along I-77.

"It's so special," she said. "Will was so special in our lives."

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com