Pfc. Paul O. Cuzzupe II, 23, of Plant City, Fla., died Aug. 8 in Akhtar-Mohammad-Khan, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment, Vilseck, Germany.
For more information, the media may contact the U.S. Army, Europe, and Seventh Army public affairs office at 011-49-622-157-6315 or ocpa.pi@eur.army.mil.
Editors note: Pfc. Cuzzupe was a member of HHT, and was in the service 13 months. His awards included:
Bronze Star Medal, Posthumous
Purple Heart, Posthumous
Army Good Conduct Medal, Posthumous
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/Bronze Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
NATO Medal, Posthumous
Combat Medical Badge, Posthumous
Combat and Special Skill Badge Basic Marksmanship Qual Badge
Bar, Weapon: Rifle (Inscription: Rifle)
Expert
Overseas Service Bar
Pfc. Cuzzupe will be interred 16 August 2010 at Hillsboro Memorial Gardens, Brandon, Florida.
From the Wolfpack 3/2SCR newsletter “Wolf Tales”:
Private First Class Paul “DOC” Orazio Cuzzupe II was born in Kansas on December 2, 1986. He grew up in Plant City, Florida where he graduated from Armwood High School. Upon graduation, he attended college at St. Leo University, where he completed three years of studies towards his bachelor’s degree. After college, Paul worked as a respiratory therapist and played the guitar as a member of several bands in the Tampa, Florida area. Paul joined the Army as a Private First Class on July 6, 2009 and conducted Initial Entry Training with F Battery, 1st Battalion, 40th Field Artillery, 434th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Upon completion of IET, he attended combat medic training with F Company, 232nd Medical Battalion at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Paul arrived at Rose Barracks, Germany in March of 2010 and was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Squadron, 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment on April 19, 2010. Due to his compassionate nature, DOC was known as “Care Bear” to the other Soldiers in the medical platoon. In preparation for the Regiment’s deployment, Paul was attached to Ghost Company where he was assigned as the medic for 3rd Platoon. In June of 2010, Paul deployed to Afghanistan with the rest of Ghost Company in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Though a relative newcomer to 3rd Platoon, Paul proved his mettle to his fellow warriors in a short time and quickly earned the revered nickname “DOC”, a testament to his special status within our ranks.
