[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 59 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LEO ALEXANDER VOSKAN

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 10, 2014

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy and service 
of Leo Alexander Voskan.
  From the day he was born in New York in 1915, Leo had a keen thirst 
for adventure. The son of Armenian immigrants who came to the United 
States in search of a better life for their family, Leo spent his 
childhood on the waterfront in New York City.
  By the time Leo reached High School, he had developed into quite the 
athlete and was the quarterback for his high school's football team and 
was also a member of the school's track team. His physical talents 
extended beyond the athletic field and onto the stage. As an avid 
dancer, Leo taught dance for the Arthur Murray Studio and was also a 
competitive dancer at the famous Rainbow Room in New York's Rockefeller 
Center.
  While attending New York City College following High School, Leo was 
forced to leave school and assume the responsibilities of the family's 
manufacturing business due to his father's failing health.
  With World War II looming on the horizon, Leo voluntarily enlisted 
into the U.S. Army for both patriotic and family reasons. Leo's goal 
was to keep his younger brother George out of the military as long as 
he possibly could so that he could maintain the family business while 
Leo went overseas to fight.
  While serving as a member of the U.S. Army's Signal Corps, his 
superiors recognized his leadership potential and sent him to Officer's 
Candidate School where upon his commission he earned the rank of 2nd 
Lieutenant.
  Leo was in command of a Combat Engineering Platoon that participated 
in the Normandy invasion, where despite his leadership; many of his men 
were lost including his Company Commander. Leo was given a battlefield 
promotion and assumed Command of the entire Company.
  In Normandy, Leo's Company fell under the command of General George 
Patton and went on to liberate France and eventually fought in the 
Battle of the Bulge. Leo was also involved in the liberation of several 
concentration camps across Nazi Germany.
  Upon returning home Leo and his brother George resumed their roles in 
the family's manufacturing business. During this period, Leo also met 
the love of his life, Joan. Leo and Joan soon married, moved to the New 
Jersey suburbs and began their family. Leo was a loving father to four 
children, Craig, Gail, Lynn and Diane who tragically died of pneumonia 
at the age of three.
  In 1952, Leo moved his family to Longwood, Florida to start an orange 
grove business which was devastated in the freeze of 1958. Always the 
determined entrepreneur, Leo continued his professional life by 
starting several businesses's including, a night crawler supply company 
and a pallet manufacturing company which helped sustain his family. Leo 
was also passionate about politics and teaching others about business 
including real estate licensing.
  Leo's zest for life will always be treasured by those who knew him 
and his service to our nation will never be forgotten. Mr. Speaker, 1 
ask all Members of the U.S. House of Representatives join me in 
recognizing the distinguished life and service of Leo Alexander Voskan.

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