OKAY — A portion of Oklahoma 251A received a new name Saturday during a dedication ceremony to Vietnam veteran William Kelly Downing, who died in combat in May 1967.

Kelly Downing’s brother, Mark Downing, was slightly emotional about the dedication. He kept repeating that it was “unbelievable.”

“Okay Schools has been unbelievable,” he said. “Rep. Wade Rousselot was unbelievable. He called me and asked me if it would be okay with me. Of course, I said yes. The whole town has been unbelievable. (Kelly) was supposed to play major league baseball. He was known for his sports. They named the baseball field after him.”

The ceremony, held at the George Hopkins Field House at Okay High School, included a recital of the Silver Star Citation that Downing, a corporal in the U.S. Marines, received for his sacrificial actions during a fire fight in Vietnam.

The citation told of how Downing was wounded during the fight and stayed to hold off enemy forces while his fellow marines were evacuated. His body was found later with six dead enemy soldiers nearby.

The seven-mile stretch of highway, beginning just west of the Fort Gibson Dam, was named the Kelly Downing Memorial Highway. Downing’s family, along with friends and community members, gathered to officiate the dedication of the road.

After the dedication ceremony, the crowd was led in a procession from the high school to the dam and then back by motorcyclists of the Rolling Thunder.

Dennis Morgan, 53, of Muskogee proudly rode last in line as an American flag waived from behind his seat. Morgan, board member of Rolling Thunder, said they were glad to come and show their support to the family.

“It’s a very good thing. We support anything to do with veterans,” Morgan said.

Duane Guynes, 61, of Coweta and vice president of the Coweta chapter of Rolling Thunder, wore a patch-covered leather jacket and dark sunglasses as he paid tribute to the fallen Marine.

“We’re a veteran’s advocacy group,” Guynes said. “In our group we have just as many non-vets as we do vets, but everybody cares — that’s the bottom line.”

Rousselot, D-Okay, presented the family with a citation honoring Downing, along with a replica of the signs, which mark the beginning and ending of memorial highway.

“I am glad to get this done,” Rousselot said before he read the citation. “It should have been done a long time ago.”

Downing’s family members stood in front of the large, green road sign at the Fort Gibson Dam embracing each other and smiling.

“Kelly was very loved by his community. We feel all the wonderful medals that he received were really, really nice, but this touched us,” said Johnna Downing, Downing’s sister-in-law. “This is local. All the people who knew him and loved him are honoring him.”

Johnna Downing said Rousselot contacted the family last spring about the project, and they are appreciative of his efforts to get the road dedicated.

“Wade’s been working very, very hard,” she said. “His (Downing’s) mother has been gone for three years, and I wish she could be here today. She would have been so proud.”