Congressman Brady to Award Long Overdue Purple Heart

PHILADELPHIA --- As the result of a request by Congressman Robert A. Brady, a Purple Heart will be awarded posthumously to a Southwest Philadelphia Vietnam veteran who was killed in action 37 years ago.

A member of the 503rd Infantry, Private First Class John M. Olszewski was killed February 20, 1968 just four months after he was shipped to Vietnam. He was 20.

The combat decoration will be accepted by his mother, Mrs. Bernice A. Olszewski. For more than 30 years she had tried to get the award for her only child. She says the Army repeatedly told her that there was no record of her son being killed in action.

Last year, Mrs. Olszewski contacted Congressman’s Brady’s office. “Her call was very disturbing and I vowed to do all I could to get the honor this young man and his family deserved,” the Congressman said.

As a result of the diligent work of George Perez, a special assistant to the Congressman, PFC Olszewski’s records were updated by the National Personnel Records Center.

The award will be presented to the family during a Memorial Day ceremony sponsored by the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial Advisory Fund, Inc., at noon on Mon. May 30, 2005 at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Columbus Blvd. and Spruce St.

“This decoration is long overdue. This young man gave his life in the service of his country and the least we can do is to reward his sacrifice with the America’s oldest military decoration, the Purple Heart,” Congressman Brady said.

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