OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Mary Fallin held a ceremonial bill signing of Senate Bill 1320 Monday memorializing the lives and contributions of outstanding Oklahomans including three soldiers from Owasso and Collinsville who laid down their lives for their country serving in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. Sen. Rick Brinkley was the principal Senate author of the measure and Rep. David Derby served as the House coauthor.

“My heart goes out to the families of these three soldiers. They were incredible young men who honorably sacrificed their lives for their country fighting to bring freedom to people around the world,” said Sen. Sen. Brinkley, R-Owasso. “There are no words to express our gratitude for such a sacrifice, but renaming these highways will ensure that these young men and their brave contributions to our country and freedom around the world are never forgotten.”

SB 1320 designates the section of U.S. Highway 169 from 86th Street North to 96th Street North as “Sergeant Schuyler B. Patch Memorial Highway”. It further names the section of that highway from 96th Street North to 106th Street North “Sergeant Andrew R. Looney Memorial Highway”. Finally, the section of U.S. Highway 169 from 106th Street North to 116th Street North will be called the “Specialist Christopher D. Horton Memorial Highway”.

“I grieve for the families of these three fallen soldiers and hope this means of recognizing the sacrifice of these brave defenders of freedom will help comfort them,” said Derby, R-Owasso. “They sacrificed their lives for all of us and we are eternally in their debt.”

Army Sgt. Schuyler, 25, was killed on February 24, 2009 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Illinois National Guard. He and Specialist Looney were both from Owasso. Specialist Looney, 22, was killed on June 21, 2010 in Lar Sholtan Village, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. U.S. Army Specialist Horton, 26, was killed in Paktia, Afghanistan on September 9, 2011. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Division Regiment as part of the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

For more information, contact: Sen. Brinkley: (405) 521-5566 & Rep. Derby: (405) 557-7377

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