Aim To Name Street For Austin Vet Richard Overton Gains Steam

AUSTIN, TX — The effort to rename a key Austin artery after the late World War II veteran came closer to reality on Friday, after a House vote to designate a portion of Airport Boulevard in his honor.

The aim is to rename a segment of the street to the "Richard Overton Memorial Highway" in honor of Overton, the East Austin resident who died in December at the age of 112. House Bill 1821, filed by Rep. Sheryl Cole, D-Austin, would name State Loop 111 after Overton. The stretch of roadway runs concurrently with Airport Boulevard between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Levander Loop.

The Texas House vote toward this goal was unanimous after garnering support from more than 40 representatives, including members of the Austin delegation state Reps. John Bucy, Vikki Goodwin, Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard, Celia Israel and Eddie Rodriguez.

Related stories:

Nation's Oldest WWII Veteran Dies In Austin At 112

Nation's Oldest World War II Veteran Turns 112 In Austin

In his later years, Overton became a fixture of his East Austin neighborhood where he held court on the front porch of his home in welcoming a queue of visitors — from high-profile politicians to neighbors —as he regaled them with stories about his eventful life. He was a guest of President Barack Obama, where he received a hero's welcome at the White House.

Photo via GoFundMe, a Patch promotional partner.

Born near Bastrop, Texas, on May 11, 1906, Overton served a three-year stint in the U.S. Army during World War II. He fought in the 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion during WWII, serving as a corporal in the South Pacific. Overton joined his all-black military unit in 1942, and became a skilled sharpshooter.