H 5352

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