Leo John Husak

The remains of Staff Sergeant Leo John Husak, of West, who was killed in action on January 30, 1945 at the age of 21, while serving his country with the United States Army during World War II will be return to his family for burial. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday June 23, 2018 at the West Brethren Church, with Rev. Curtis Holland officiating. Military Graveside Rites will follow at West Brethren Cemetery, conducted by the Ft. Hood Honor Guard. Leo was born August 9, 1923 in West, the oldest of four children to the late John "J.J." and Julia (Lastovica) Husak. He attended Leggott Grade School and was a graduate of West High School in August of 1942 where he played football and earned his letterman sweater. Leo was drafted into the United States Army on March 4, 1943 where he started his Basic Infantry training at Camp Walters in Mineral Wells, TX and later at Camp Butner in North Carolina. Upon the completion of basic training, Leo was reassigned to Camp Pickett in Virginia for Army Combat Infantry training. At the completion of his combat training, Leo came home on furlough that summer and it was the last time his family saw him. In December of 1944, he was deployed to the combat theater in Germany with Company A's First Battalion 309th Infantry Regiment and on January 30, 1945 he was classified as Missing in Action while leading a reconnaissance patrol in the vicinity of Rollesbroich, Germany. The patrol came around a corner and came under extensive enemy fire when his buddies could not retrieve his body and had to retreat. When they came back with additional resources they were not able to find any trace of Leo. The War Department continued to list Leo as Missing in Action until the first part of December of 1945 when he was declared as Killed in Action during combat. Leo attained the rank of S/Sgt. in the United States Army and was awarded The Purple Heart and honored on Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium, The World War II Memorial at the West City Hall, the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., the 8th Air Force Museum at Barksdale AFB, LA, and the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA. Survivors today include his sister, Irene Lancaster of College Station; his brothers, Johnny Husak and wife Jane of Haughton, LA, Edwin Husak and wife Erlene of West, and Fred Husak and wife Kathy of Robinson; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Pallbearers are the United States Army Honor Guard from Ft. Hood, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the West Brethren Church or any veteran's organization.