NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A11085A
SPONSOR: Jensen TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to dedicating a portion of
the state highway system to Donald Roy McAnn
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To dedicate a Portion of the state highway system to be dedicated to
World War II veteran Donald Roy McAnn. The portion of state highway
constituting state route nine hundred forty-one A, known as Latta Road
in the town of Greece, County of Monroe, beginning at its intersection
with Dewey Avenue, continuing east till its intersection with Fairway
Drive, shall be dedicated to Donald Roy McAnn.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 outlines the portion of highway to be renamed.
Section 2 outlines that the renaming is ceremonial, and that the commis-
sioner of transportation shall install and maintain the signage for the
designation.
Section 3 is the effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION:
The amended version of this bill changed the section of state highway to
be dedicated to WWII Veteran Donald Roy McAnn.
JUSTIFICATION:
On October 26, 1942, during the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in the
Pacific Theater, Donald Roy McAnn lost his life while selflessly and
courageously defending American freedom.
A lifelong resident of Greece, Donald Roy McAnn was born June 23, 1911.
He worked for years at Eastman Kodak Company prior to the war in the
Sensitive Paper Packing Department.
On August 16, 1932, McAnn enlisted in the Navy Reserves while working at
Kodak. He continued as a reservist until 1940 when he was called for
active military service. In the early months of the war, he was
stationed on the USS Enterprise as a Gunner's Mate First Class. On
October 26, 1942, McAnn's ship, the USS Enterprise was called into
battle against Japanese forces in the crucial battle over the Santa Cruz
Islands as part of the Guadalcanal Campaign.During the battle, McAnn was
tasked with taking photographs of enemy forces for crucial intelligence
purposes. While executing this duty in an exposed position of the ship
during the battle, he disregarded his personal safety for a higher
cause, and showed bravery beyond that of many in a similar situation.
After taking these crucial photographs, McAnn helped render aid and
assistance to the ship's gun crew. While relieving one of the gunners,
McAnn was hit with a bomb shrapnel that had hit the ship. He was killed
in action. McAnn was buried at sea. The photographs McAnn took in the
face of danger were found to be essential to US war efforts and provided
valuable intelligence against Japanese forces in the Pacific.
For his bravery and sacrifice in defense of the United States, McAnn was
awarded the Navy Cross posthumously. This honor is the highest award for
a naval officer, second only to the Medal of Honor. In 1943, the Secre-
tary of the Navy, Frank Knox, ordered that a ship be named after McAnn
and invited his widow to sponsor and launch the vessel. The USS McAnn, a
Cannon-class Destroyer, served until 1944 as an escort against submarine
and air attacks on US vessels on the Coastal United States and in the
Caribbean. The ship in 1944 was decommissioned from US service, sold to
Brazil, and was used by the Brazilian military. It is now a museum ship
preserved by the Brazilian Navy's Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro.
McAnn was one of 32 Greece, New York residents to give theii lives as
part of the US efforts to win World War II. His extraordinary acts of
sacrifice, courage, and selflessness serve as exceptional examples of
American patriotism and service towards a higher calling.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
11085--A
IN ASSEMBLY
April 24, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to dedicating a portion of
the state highway system to Donald Roy McAnn
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The highway law is amended by adding a new section 345-e to
2 read as follows:
3 § 345-e. Portion of the state highway system to be dedicated as the
4 Donald Roy McAnn Memorial Highway. All that portion of the state highway
5 system constituting state route nine hundred forty-one-A in the town of
6 Greece, county of Monroe, known as Latta Road, beginning at its inter-
7 section with Dewey Avenue, continuing in a generally easterly direction,
8 and terminating at its intersection with Fairway Drive, shall be dedi-
9 cated to Donald Roy McAnn.
10 § 2. The commissioner of transportation shall provide for the instal-
11 lation and maintenance of adequate signing of the state highway system
12 as dedicated pursuant to section one of this act, provided that such
13 signing shall state "Highway Dedicated to Donald Roy McAnn". However,
14 to avoid confusion and to limit any possible disruption of commerce, the
15 dedication called for pursuant to section one of this act shall be one
16 of ceremonial nature and the official name of such highway shall not be
17 changed as a result of this act.
18 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15308-05-6
