January 21, 2023 (Age 91)
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Special Forces
SFA Mem# D-2004
Joe's son passed on the sad news about his dad's death this morning. Many knew Joe from his time as the 5th SFG(A) CSM.
Awaiting details/obit.
DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL FORCES REGIMENT
Command Sergeant Major Joseph Lupyak was born in Forest City, Pa. He enlisted in the Army in February 1951, and after a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years of active service, he retired in September 1980. CSM Lupyak’s military career has included a variety of worldwide assignments from Fort Bragg to Germany, Panama, Korea and Vietnam. He was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division in February 1951 and completed jump school in May 1951. In October 1951, he was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, in Korea. He served 13 months in Korea and participated in numerous operations during the Korean War. In 1957, CSM Lupyak was an instructor in the U.S. Army Reserve Caribbean School in Panama, and in 1959, he attended the Missile Electronic School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before being assigned to a British missile warhead detachment in Dortmund, Germany, in 1960. His other assignments include command sergeant major for the Advisory Group, Ohio National Guard; command sergeant major of the 27th Airborne Engineer Battalion; command sergeant major, Hawk Missile Battalion, Korea; and command sergeant major, 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. CSM Lupyak’s Special Forces experiences began early in the history of Special Forces. He joined the 77th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in February 1954. He served in Detachment A, Berlin Brigade in the early 1960s; served in both the 7th and 3rd Special Forces groups; participated in the Son Tay Raid in 1970; and served with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in the Republic of Vietnam. He was selected as the command sergeant major for the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in 1976 and served in that position until his retirement in September 1980. After retiring, CSM Lupyak worked overseas for two years, and in 1983, he became one of the first civilian instructors hired for the Special Forces School. He moved to the position of assistant operations officer/training officer for the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, in 1984. He has since served as the branch chief for the Training Development Division of the Directorate of Training and Doctrine in the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. CSM Lupyak has an associate’s degree in business. He is a past president of the Special Forces Association Chapter 62, the JFK Special Warfare Museum Association, and the Son Tay Raid Association. His awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” Device with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit, Combat Infantryman Badge with star and the Master Parachutist Badge. CSM Lupyak is married to the former Goldy Hatgi of Panama. They have one son, Richard.