​Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) joined Sen. Ed Rath and local officials today to unveil a sign designating the section of State Route 77 between Pembroke Town Park and the intersection of Indian Falls Road in the town of Pembroke, county of Genesee, as the "SP4 C. Jay Hall Memorial Highway".Hawley and Rath worked throughout the year to get legislation they sponsored passed to make the designation official, and the legislation was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in October.

Specialist Four Clarence "C. Jay" Hall served as a rifleman in the U.S. Army in Binh Duong, Vietnam. On October 7, 1969, Specialist Hall exposed himself to hostile fire with a complete disregard for his personal safety while his comrades were able to obtain cover. During this action, he was mortally wounded. Specialist Hall earned the NYS Conspicuous Service Cross, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with One Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge and the Silver Star, which is the nation's third-highest award for valor.

“The story of ‘C. Jay’ Hall’s sacrifice and bravery in the face of danger encapsulates the selfless spirit of our service members and is one that should be remembered for generations,” said Hawley. “Seeing the sign honoring his sacrifice unveiled today was a proud moment after working for so long to make it a reality, so I want to thank all of the local and state legislative partners I’ve worked with in the last year who helped make it happen for their dedication to getting this bill passed, as well as our local veteran organizations, who were of tremendous assistance in advocating for its creation. Thanks also goes out to our military service members for their dedicated service to our nation, because we can never take for granted the fact that their service enables us to peacefully gather as we did today.”

“The story of Specialist Four Hall’s bravery and courage is truly awe inspiring and his sacrifice should never be forgotten. I am honored to have had a role in bringing this proposal to reality and am excited to be here to celebrate the official unveiling of "Specialist Four (SP4) Clarence 'C. Jay' Hall Memorial Highway.’ I hope this highway will inspire motorists to learn more about this local hero for years to come. This designation is a lasting and appropriate tribute to C. Jay Hall and a reminder of the selfless service that he and so many other veterans have made for our country. The legislation to make this possible will always have a special place in my heart as it was the first piece of legislation of mine to be passed in the Senate. Thank you to everyone involved for sharing Specialist Four Hall's story with me, especially the Pembroke students who initiated this project several years ago,” said Rath.