Charles Joseph Kosko

Charles Joseph Kosko passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, November 1, 2013. Born to Anna Warner Kosko and Joseph Kosko on April 15, 1936, in Scranton, he attended St. John Baptist School and graduated from Pittston Central Catholic High School in 1954. Charles entered Army Basic Training in March, 1955 at Fort Dix, N.J. followed by training at Camp Gordon, Ga. in communications. Upon completion, he was assigned to Illeshiem, Germany to the 596th Signal Support Company until Dec. 1957, when he was transferred to Ft. Benning, Ga. In 1960, Charles re-enlisted as a Sgt. and was assigned to Tobyhanna Army Depot, Tobyhanna, Pa. where he met his wife, Betty Ann Hughes, a nursing student at Thomas Jefferson Medical Center. In 1960, he was assigned to the 6th Trans H-21 Company in Korea. On returning home, April 15, 1961, Betty Ann and Charles were married and moved to Ft. Knox, Ky., where he was a Maintenance Mechanic on CH-37 helicopters. The unit was transferred to Germany where their son Wayne was born January, 1964. The next assignment was Ft. Sill, Okla. to the 90th Trans Company Med Helicopter a (CH-37/47) unit, where daughter Debbie was born Aug., 1965. Charles was selected for helicopter pilot training and was trained in Mineral Wells, Texas and Ft. Rucker, Ala., graduating as a Warrant Officer in Nov., 1967. He was re-assigned to Vietnam after maintenance training in Ft. Eustis, Va., to the 240th AHC in South Vietnam. Charles flew combat missions, maintenance flights and aircraft recoveries until returning home to his family in Va., as a flight instructor at Ft. Eustis. He flew daily flights to Washington, D.C. for the Army Staff. Following advanced training in CH-47 helicopters at Ft. Rucker, Ga., he was reassigned to Vietnam with Company B 159th Aviation, part of 101st Airborne. He returned to his family in 1971, as a test pilot instructor. Charles completed college at St. Leo’s College of Florida. After 21 years of service, he retired from active duty and was assigned to the Army National Guard at Ft. Indiantown Gap, Pa. He served as Allied Trades Foreman and then Quality Control Officer for the aviation facility for 14 years until his retirement in Dec., 1990. He worked for Omega Labs as a part-time driver for the next 14 years. Charles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Betty Ann Hughes Kosko; his daughter, Debbie; son, Wayne Charles Kosko and his wife, Laurie; granddaughters, Carolyn Kosko and Andrea Kosko of Delaware; his sister, Arlene Kosko Bobnak, husband, George and their children Michael, Jerry, Paul and Laura of Philadelphia. Charles was a member of Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, the Military Officers Association and the VFW. His interests were woodworking, his family and friends, and enjoying the outdoors. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. from the Kreamer Funeral Home and Crematory, 618 E. Main Street, Annville, with the Rev. Douglas E. Smith, Pastor of Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, Palmyra officiating. Interment will be in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery with full military honors. Viewing will be held on Wednesday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1274, Lebanon, PA 17042; or Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, 131 Gravel Hill Road, Palmyra, PA 17078 in his memory.

Charles Joseph Kosko

April 15, 1936 - November 1, 2013