SALEM, N.H. — A local state representative wants to have three bridges named after soldiers who have recently died in overseas conflicts.

Rep. D.J. Bettencourt, R-Salem, has filed legislative requests to have bridges named after Cpl. Nicholas Arvanitis, Staff Sgt. Edmond Lo and Marine Lance Cpl. Robert L. Moscillo, all of Salem.

Bettencourt said he wanted to follow along the lines of other communities that have named bridges after fallen veterans. He said he worked on the proposed bill with Rep. Ronald Belanger, R-Salem.

"A lot of communities in New Hampshire choose to honor servicemen in their communities by naming a bridge after them," he said. "Following that practice, we in Salem have lost three servicemen directly from the community that grew up here and called it their home."

Moscillo and Arvanitis were both killed while serving in Iraq in 2006.

Arvanitis was killed on Oct. 6, 2006, by enemy fire while on a mission near Bayji, a city between Baghdad and Mosul in northern Iraq. Arvanitis grew up in Salem and graduated from Salem High School in 2003. He was a wrestling star, who also played guitar in the school jazz band. He was 22.

Moscillo was killed by a roadside bomb on May 1, 2006, in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. He had joined the Marines in February 2005, but had only been in Iraq about 10 weeks.

Lo was the most recent soldier from Salem to die overseas. A 2004 graduate of Salem High School, he was on his second tour of duty when he died on June 15. Lo was part of a team of soldiers trying to disarm a bomb in Samarra City when it exploded.

Bettencourt said he had spoken to several selectmen about naming bridges after the three men. He said he hoped to get a letter of support from the selectmen to present with his legislation.

Selectmen spoke about possibly naming bridges after the three servicemen during their meeting on Monday. Board Chairman Arthur Barnes said everyone appeared to be supportive of the idea, although he wasn't sure why anything needed to be done at the state level.

"As far as I'm concerned, no one on the board had any objections to it," he said. "Though I don't know if that's necessary (legislation), unless there's some state law I don't know about."

Bettencourt said he would like to have bridges on Pelham Road, Cluff Crossing and Lawrence Road named after the three men, but he wouldn't want to overstep any of the town's plans. All of the bridges are either newly rebuilt or in the process of being replaced. The town owns all three bridges.

"If I had to go about this by myself, that would make the most sense to me," Bettencourt said. "But I want to make sure the selectmen and local officials feel they have had an equal role in the process. Whatever is acceptable to them is more than fine me."

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