Before George Masko parachuted behind enemy lines in Normandy on D-Day, he emptied his pouch of rations, water and a gas mask and filled it with vials of morphine. A medic in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, Masko chose to forgo his own supplies in favor of stockpiling medicine he knew wounded soldiers would need.
That single moment was reflective of the life George Masko would lead. Family members say he always put the needs of others first. And when it came time for him to be honored for his accomplishments, he turned the attention away from himself and credited those who had helped him.
"That shows you my dad's thinking of others. He was very much a selfless person," said Marshall Masko, George's son. He recalled his father telling him that "when you achieve something great, credit those who helped you, because they will be there to support you again when you most need it."
George Masko died of natural causes March 26 at his home in Phoenix, where he and his wife had moved from Minnesota. He was 96.
Born and raised in Columbia Heights, Masko was the son of Czech immigrants and the youngest of five siblings. Shortly after graduating from high school, Masko was drafted to serve in World War II.
He was a witness to history and tragedy, participating in D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of Holland, the liberation of the Wöbbelin concentration camp and the occupation of Berlin.
After being decorated for his service and discharged, Masko returned home and was drafted to play professional baseball for the Chicago White Sox; he had played on the Army's baseball team and was "naturally really good," said son Marshall.
But Masko ultimately decided to skip the majors and pursue a career in business, which he thought would be more financially sustainable.
