NATCHEZ — Adams County will memorialize one of its fallen sons with a roadway dedicated in his honor.

The Adams County Board of Supervisors has adopted a resolution to designate Green Acres Road as the Christopher Shaw Memorial Byway.

Shaw, a Natchez native, was a U.S. Army sergeant first class when he was killed at 37 by an improvised explosive device on Jolo Island in the Philippines, where he was serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom—Philippines.  It was his second deployment with OEF-P.

Board of Supervisors President Darryl Grennell put the idea to the board at the request of Clara Owens, the mother of two of Shaw’s siblings.

Family members had originally asked that Green Acres Road be re-named in Shaw’s honor, but Grennell said designating it a byway in his name would allow the intended honor but would not require all of the residents of the area to sign a petition or have their addresses changed.

Green Acres Road was chosen for the byway because that was where Shaw grew up, Grennell said.

Owens said she had spoken with Shaw’s wife before putting the request to the board, and said her family was excited their brother would be honored.

Shaw’s wife, Attina Shaw, of Vicksburg, said she was excited about the designation. While she had hoped for something similar, Attina Shaw said she had not pushed for it yet because she wanted to give her family time to heal.

“It has been five years since he passed away, and he was very well known in Green Acres and the whole city of Natchez,” she said. “I know my kids will appreciate it as well.”

The Shaws had five children, Darian Shaw, 17; Erielle Smith, 14; Jalyn Smith, 13; Dante Shaw, 11; and Cydney Shaw, 9.

Shaw was born Nov. 19, 1971, in Natchez, the son of Camille Felton and Walter Owens.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces group (airborne), in Fort Lewis, Wash.,

Shaw enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on Nov. 22, 1994, while attending Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, on a track and field scholarship. In May 1995, he decided to put his education on hold and joined the active duty Army as a forward observer.

Upon completion of basic training, advanced individual training and the U.S. Army Airborne School, he was assigned as a fire support specialist to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Wash.

In 1997, SFC Shaw volunteered for special forces assessment and selection course and completed the special forces qualification course in 1999. He was then assigned to 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Wash. He later served as an instructor at the special forces qualification course at Camp Mackall, N.C., and subsequently returned to 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis.

His awards and decorations include two Meritorious Service Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, four Army Achievement Medals, four Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Noncommissioned OSF Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral three device, the Meritorious Unit citation and the Philippine Presidential Unit citation.

Shaw earned the special forces tab, Ranger tab and the parachutist badge.

He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star medal, the Purple Heart the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.