More detail on this person: Cancer.LtCol.(Ret.) George W. Gorsuch Jr., 71, of Lutherville, Md.,
died January 16, 2001, at his home in Baltimore County after a 2 1/2 year battle with cancer.
Col. Gorsuch was born in Gamber, Carroll County, Md., and graduated from Westminster High School
in 1946. He subsequently entered the Army in 1952 during the Korean War where he took up flying
lessons at his own expense and time. During his enlisted service, he worked with the Army Missile
Program. Subsequent to leaving the regular Army, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve, and was
commissioned a Second Lieutenant after Officer Candidate School. He applied for flight training and
was accepted, attending flight school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He learned to fly light planes and
helicopters, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel during his service in the Army National
Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve.
Col. Gorsuch served several tours of active duty for training and two full combat tours of duty in
Vietnam. During his first tour, in 1963, he flew helicopter gun ships in support of direct combat
operations. He was also on the combat evaluation team for the UH-1B gun ship that had 50 cal.
machine guns. During his second tour he flew electronic warfare and reconnaissance airplanes over
enemy controlled territory during and in support of combat operations. After his active duty he
joined the U.S. Army Reserves. As an Army Reserve employee he became the Aviation Facility
Manager at Tipton Army Airfield located at Fort Meade, Maryland. In this position he was responsible
for training Army Aviators to maintain combat skills as well as upgrading to new standards. These
training programs involved all types of helicopters and light airplanes.
Col. Gorsuch had many accomplishments in his long and distinguished career. He was one of the
founding members of the Army Aviation Association (AAAA). He has personally flown four of the
aircraft on display at the Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama. As a Captain, he was the
first officer on orders with the 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, and deployed to Vietnam with that
unit. Because of his unique, historic assignment with the 14th Battalion, after the unit was
redesignated as the 14th Aviation Regiment, he was designated as a Distinguished Member of the
Regiment. Upon his return from his second tour in Vietnam, he was appointed Project Manager for
development of a Helicopter Landing Pad System at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. His
military awards include the Master Army Aviator Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal
with 12 oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the
Navy Unit Commendation, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, two National Defense
Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal with numerous Campaign Stars, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal,
the Republic Of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Device, and the Vietnam Campaign
Medal.
He retired from the Army Reserve on August 1, 1989 and from U.S. Army Reserve civilian employment
on July 30, 1993. In October of last year, George was honored by a reunion at Fort Meade of more
than ninety of his past co-workers and friends. Some had traveled a long distance. It was a
testament to the many lives he had touched in his 21 years of employment there and their respect and
devotion to him. He commented, at the time, it was better than any medicine he could have received.
Col. Gorsuch was buried with full military honors at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, Timonium, Md.
From: bravedave@erols.com
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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