VALLEY BEND — The Valley Bend Truss Bridge on the Valley Bend Road was renamed the U.S. Army Sgt. Gail Mason Kerns Memorial Bridge during a dedication ceremony on Saturday.

Held at the Valley Bend United Methodist Church on Saturday, the ceremony renaming the Valley Bend Truss Bridge to the U.S. Army Sgt. Gail Mason Kerns Memorial Bridge saw over 50 family members, residents, spectators and government officials in attendance. Among those attending was State Senator Robbie Morris, State Delegate Jonathan Kyle and Rhett Dusenberry, district representative of U.S. Representative Riley Moore.

In 1969, at the height of the Vietnam War, Kerns was shot in the temple when he and a group of soldiers were ambushed during a reconnaissance mission in South Vietnam, near the Cambodian border. The wound led Kerns to the left side of his body being paralyzed. A prisoner of war for around four years, which included time in the infamous Hỏa Lò Prison, Kerns captured the attention of the world when a photo of him bending down and kissing the ground upon his return from Vietnam circulated internationally. Despite being injured when arriving home, Kerns insisted on walking off the aircraft and was assisted by two nurses when he knelt for the kiss. He was one of 19 POWs that returned on the flight as part of “Operation Homecoming” on March 5, 1973.

“This bridge is important to residents, and travelers in Valley Bend, but now it’s much more,” Elkins Marine Corps League Commandant Roger Ware said during the ceremony on Saturday. “It’s also a permanent reminded of the dedication of Gail Kerns. Today as we stand near this bridge, and reflect upon this solider and his service to his country, we recognize the naming of this bridge will serve as a lasting symbol of our remembrance. It is with respect and dignity that we are here today to remember him, honor him and pledge never to forget him, as this bridge will forever serve as a silent sentinel of his service.”

A presentation of the Missing Man table ceremony was also held during the event in Kerns’ honor, and two bagpipers from the West Virginia Highlanders performed “Caissons Song,” “Amazing Grace” and “Taps.”

Morris presented members of Kerns’ family with a copy of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1, which officially renamed the Valley Bend Truss Bridge after Kerns. The resolution was co-sponsored by both Morris and State Senator William Hamilton. Morris also gave members of the family replicas of the U.S. Army Sgt. Gail Mason Kerns Memorial Bridge sign that now stands at the bridge.

“I have the privilege of serving in the West Virginia Senate and throughout that service, I’ve had the opportunity to sponsor and vote on many pieces of legislation, but I can honestly say very few have meant as much to me as the resolution naming this bridge in honor of Staff Sergeant Kerns,” Morris said Saturday. “It is a humbling experience to stand here today and read about the life, the service and the hardships that Staff Sergeant Kerns endured as a prisoner of war for more than four years. You can’t help but realize how small your now accomplishments are when compared to his. His courage under unimaginable circumstances, his unwavering love of country and the strength he demonstrated throughout his life represent the very best of what it means to be an American.”

Dusenberry read a letter to Kerns’ family from Moore.

“(Kerns’) survival and service has always been celebrated and will now be memorialized by this bridge dedication,” Moore’s letter read. “To honor such dedication as this one is to not only elevate the service member with our thanks, but is also to remind our citizens that every time they read a name on a public dedication, that it was a fellow West Virginian who fought for the freedoms they now enjoy.”

Graduating from Tygarts Valley High School in 1965, Kerns had completed one year of electrical engineering studies at West Virginia University Institute of Technology when he was drafted. He was born Feb. 24, 1947 in Bellefontaine, Ohio, before moving to Randolph County with his family.

Kerns was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device and First Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart and First Oak Leaf Cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, the Prisoner of War medal, the Vietnam Campaign medal, the Civil Action medal, the Good Conduct medal, the Combat Infantry Badge and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross.

After returning from Vietnam, Kerns settled in Alderson, where he remained until the time of his death in May of 2024. With full military honors, he was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

The recently renamed U.S. Army Sgt. Gail Mason Kerns Memorial Bridge on Valley Bend Road.

Ware