AFGHANISTAN — A Villas soldier, Army Spc. Michael Scusa, 22, a graduate of Lower Cape May Regional High School, was among eight U.S. troops slain Oct. 3 in this mountainous, war-torn land when well-armed Taliban insurgents attacked two remote outposts in Nuristan province near the border of Pakistan.
The county was stunned by the CNN story, which reported the tragic news. It stated that militants opened fire with rockets, mortars and heavy-caliber machine guns, according to an initial U.S. military report on the battle.
Two Afghan security force members were also killed in the attack.
According to CNN, the bodies of Scusa and three other U.S. soldiers, Army Sgt. Joshua Kirk, of South Portland, Maine; Christopher Griffin, of Kincheloe, Mich.; and Pfc. Kevin Thomson, of Reno, Nev. were to be returned to the United States yesterday, according to a Pentagon report.
Scusa was among 611 American troops killed, as of yesterday, in Operation Enduring Freedom, in and around Afghanistan, according to Department of Defense statistics. He was also among seven New Jersey residents killed by hostile forces, according to DOD reports.
According to a published report, which quoted David Shuhart of Villas, who lived with Scusa and his mother until Scusa joined the Army, the young soldier would have turned 23 on Oct. 12. He was reportedly following the dream he had long held, to join the Army. He enjoyed military games on computer.
Stationed in Fort Carson, Colo., Scusa was married, and had just reenlisted, and was in his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
He and his wife, Alyssa wed about a year and a half ago, and had a son, Connor.
In his teen years, Scusa was briefly a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
His mother, Cynthia Woodard resides in Burlington County.
No funeral arrangements are known at this time.
For the full story courtesy of CNN click here
