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Personal Details
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Home State
Pennsylvania | |
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Year of Birth
1931 |
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This Military Service Page was created/owned by
MAJ Mark E Cooper
to remember
Lupyak, Joseph (Joe), CSM USA(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Soldier and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
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Contact Info
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Last Address
Fayetteville, NC
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Date of Passing
Jan 21, 2023 |
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Last Known Activity:
COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR (RETIRED) JOSEPH W. LUPYAK
Mr. Lupyak was born in Forest City, Pennsylvania.
Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Joseph Lupyak enlisted in the Army in February 1951, and after a distinguished career spanning over 30 years of active service, he retired in September 1980.
Mr. Lupyak's military career has included a wide variety of worldwide assignments from Fort Bragg to Germany, Panama, Korea, and Vietnam. He was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division in February 1951 and completed jump school in May 1951.In October 1951 he was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, in Korea. He served for 13 months in Korea and participated in numerous operations during the Korean War.
In 1957 Mr. Lupyak was an instructor in the USARCARIBE School in Panama, and in 1959, he attended the Missile Electronic School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before being assigned to a British Missile Warhead Detachment in Dortmund, Germany in 1960.
Other assignments include the Sergeant Major for the Advisory Group, Ohio National Guard; Command Sergeant Major of the 27th Airborne Engineer Battalion; Command Sergeant Major, Hawk Missile Battalion, Korea; and Command Sergeant Major, 3d Battalion, 325th Infantry Brigade, 82d Airborne Division.
Mr. Lupyak's Special Forces experiences began early in the history of Special Forces. He joined the 77th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in February 1954. He served in Detachment A Berlin in the early 60's; served in both 7th and 3d Special Forces Groups; participated in the Son Tay Raid in 1970; and served with 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in the Republic of Vietnam. He was selected as the Command Sergeant Major for 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in 1976 and served in that position until his retirement in September 1980.
After retiring, Mr. Lupyak worked overseas for 2 years, and in 1983, became one of the first civilian instructors hired for the newly acquired positions in the Special Forces School. He moved to the position of Assistant Operations Officer/Training Officer for 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) in 1984. Mr. Lupyak currently holds the position of Branch Chief of the Special Forces Qualification Course for the Training Development Division in the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.
Mr. Lupyak has an Associate Degree in Business and is a member of the Honor Society. He is a past President of Special Forces Chapter 62, Special Forces Museum Association, and Son Tay Raid Association. He is Distinguished NDIA Lifetime Member for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, He is a Distinguished Member of the 1st Special Forces Regiment and a Member of the Special Forces Hall of Fame. He has also been awarded the Gold Order of St Philip Neri Award by the Special Forces Association. He was the distinguished citizen of the year in his hometown in Forest City, PA. His awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor device with cluster, Legion of Merit, Air Medal w/cluster, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry w/Palm, Combat Infantryman Badge with Star, and Master Parachutist Badge.
Mr. Lupyak is married to the former Goldy Hatgi of Panama. They have one son, Richard.
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1951-1951, 4745, B Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry (Airborne)
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1951-1951, 1745, 11th Airborne Division
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1951-1952, 1745, C Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry
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1951-1952, 1745, 3rd Infantry Division
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1954-1957, 11B10, 77th Special Forces Group
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1957-1959, 11G50, School of the Americas (Faculty Staff)
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1959-1960, 1916, Ordnance Munitions and Electronics Maintenance School (Staff)
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1960-1961, 1916, US Army Europe (USAREUR)
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1961-1962, 3354, NATO School Oberammergau (Staff)
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1962-1965, 11F10, Detachment A, Berlin Brigade
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1965-1967, 11Z50, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
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1967-1968, 11Z50, HHC, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
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1968-1969, 11F10, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)
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1969-1970, 11Z50, C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group
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1970-1970, 11Z50, Joint Contingency Task Group (JCTG) Son Tay Raiders
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1970-1972, 11Z50, C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group
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1972-1973, 11Z50, State Area Command (STARC) Ohio
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1973-1974, 00Z, 27th Engineer Battalion
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1973-1974, 00Z, 20th Engineer Brigade
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1974-1975, 00Z, HHB, 2nd Battalion, 71st Air Defense Artillery
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1974-1975, 00Z, 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade
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1975-1975, 00Z, HHC, 3rd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry
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1975-1976, 00Z, HHC, 82nd Airborne Division
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1975-1980, 00Z, HHC, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
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1980-Present, US Army John F Kennedy Special Warfare Center & School (USAJFKSWCS)
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Reflections on CSM Lupyak's
US Army Service
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TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY?
I had four uncles that served in WWII, so I was very proud of my family's service in the Army. After High School I spent a few years in the reserves and had moved to New York City. When the Korean War broke out, I enlisted because I wanted to do my part.
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TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO FOR BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
I volunteered to be an Airborne Infantry Soldier when I enlisted in 1951 and was assigned to the 11th Infantry Division. Shortly thereafter, I volunteered for Korea and was assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. I went to Korea as a Private and was made a BAR Automatic Rifleman and ended up four months later as a Sergeant First Class Platoon Sergeant. After Korea, I got out, but after 90 days, I missed the comradeship of the Army and re-enlisted. I immediately volunteered for the newly formed Special Forces and was assigned to the 77th Special Forces Group. In 1980, I retired after being the Command Sergeant Major of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) for 5 years.
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IF HE/SHE PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO HIM/HER AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
From Nov 1951 to Dec 1952, I was in the Korean War in C/1-15 Inf, 3rd ID. We fought continuously in the Chinese Communist Forces Spring Offensive, UN Summer-Fall Offensive, Second Korean Winter Offensive, and Korea, Summer-Fall 1952 . We were at ChoWan, Operation White Horse, and the Defense of outposts, Kelly, Caviti, and Nori. In 1966 and 1967 I was the Team Sergeant of three different SF ODAs in Vietnam. We conducted hundreds of combat operations against the enemy. And in 1970, I was chosen as one of 56 Special Forces Soldiers selected for Operation Ivory Coast, the rescue mission to bring home American POWs from the Son Tay Prison, 23 miles from Hanoi, North Vietnam. I was the Platoon Sergeant/Element Leader of the Redwine Element of the Son Tay Raid.
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FROM THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
The Korean War has to stand out above the rest. The 3rd ID fought hard under terrible conditions and hardships. The Chinese would send the first two waves in armed with nothing but hand grenades. The third and forth waves would have old weapons and bayonets. By the time the fifth wave came, we were out of ammunition. The fifth wave always consisted of their best, most well trained Soldiers with the best weapons. The comradeship among those survivors that fought together is amazing. I still get letters from guys who were there.
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WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS DO YOU BELIEVE HE/SHE WAS MOST PROUD OF FROM HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE?
[Editor's Note: CSM Lupyak was awarded the Silver Star for his participation in the Son Tay Raid. See official Citation opposite.]
Description of Operation Ivory Coast: On November 21, 1970, U.S. Army Colonel Arthur D. "Bull" Simons and Lieutenant Colonel Elliot "Bud" Sydnor led a team of 56 U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers in a joint Air Force/Army raid on the Son Tay prison camp (located 23 miles west of Hanoi) in North Vietnam. The objective was to recover some 70 American Prisoners of War thought to be held at the camp. The mission, though executed successfully, failed to recover any prisoners, because all had been moved to another camp before the raid. The successful demonstrations of capability in Operations Ivory Coast and Kingpin were, in part, responsible for the creation of a joint United States Special Operations Command in 1987.
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IF KNOWN, PLEASE LIST ANY INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM HIS/HER TIME IN THE MILITARY WHO STOOD OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEM AND WHY?
That's a hard question, because I have served with so many great Soldiers who had a big impact upon me. But if I had to choose one, it would be COL Robert A. Montell, the Commander of the 5th Special Forces Group. He was the smartest officer that I ever met. He lived and breathed Special Forces and we are still in contact today.
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IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
I am a DoD Civilian employee and serve as the Branch Chief of Branch 1 of the Training Development Division, Directorate of Training and Doctine at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Our branch develops all the training for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course.
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IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER?
I think that I have a better outlook on life. Because of my Army experience over the last 60 years, I understand world politics and situations better than civilians who have never served. All of us who have served careers in the military have a better understanding of what is really going on in the world than those who never served.
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HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?
 | | TWS and the US Army |
ATWS is a great way to keep in touch and reconnect with those that we have served with. I got a message today from a Soldier who supported my ODA in Vietnam. I also got an email from the son of an old friend who passed away, asking about his father. He found me on ATWS. Published on TWS "Voices" February 1, 2010
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