Senate OKs Kusick honor
WASHINGTON — The VA living center in Butler Township is one step closer to bearing the name of a local Vietnam War hero.
The U.S. Senate gave its approval Tuesday to House Resolution 2210 “to designate the community living center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Butler Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, as the “Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living Center.”
The House of Representatives unanimously approved the bill last month. Rep. Mike Kelly of Butler introduced the legislation, which was cosponsored by all 18 members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation.
Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio introduced the resolution in the Senate, where it passed unanimously — the same reception it had received in the House.
Sgt. Joseph George Kusick, of Bruin, died Nov. 8, 1967, while serving as a radio operator of an Army Green Beret special forces reconnaissance team on a combat mission in Laos. Kusick was wounded during an ambush and refused to evacuate, acting as a radio operator to direct helicopter landings to evacuate other soldiers. Kusick boarded the final helicopter, which was shot down by Viet Cong forces, killing him.
A recovery team identified Kusick's remains the next day but was unable to recover them.
Kusick was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
