TOWN OF PAMELIA, New York (WWNY) – State Route 283 in the towns of Pamelia and LeRay is now known as the Colonel Michael Plummer Memorial Highway.
Nearly two dozen family, friends, and Fort Drum soldiers were on hand for the dedication on Thursday (see photo at end of article).
Plummer, who was instrumental in bringing the 10th Mountain Division to Fort Drum, passed away in January at the age of 83.
The memorial highway stretches from Route 342 and Fort Drum to the Watertown city limits.
Plummer was assigned to Fort Drum in December 1984 as the first Chief of Staff of the new 10th Mountain Division which was reactivated on February 3, 1985.
He was instrumental in organizing the new division and setting in motion the construction of more than $1 billion in initial infrastructure to support the new unit at Fort Drum.
Plummer was active across the civilian and military communities.
He’s credited with starting an ‘Adopt-A-Platoon’ program in 1992, in which community members write letters and send packages to deployed soldiers.
“When he died, the last thing on his computer was answering a letter to his beloved adopted platoon. That was his last act,” said his widow, Miriam Plummer.
The push to rename the road was led by both 117th District Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, and retired state Senator Patty Richie. Both were in attendance.
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