Hancock County Courier
June 30, 2011
Commander Robert Andrew “Gus” Kaminski, 39, of San Diego, California, died peacefully at his home on May 27, 2011 following a courageous three-year battle with cancer.
He was born February 2, 1972 in Steubenville. A Weirton resident, he graduated from Brooke High School in 1990 and accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
After graduating from the Academy and being commissioned as an Ensign in May 1994, Gus reported directly to Basic Underwater Demolition /SEAL training. He graduated with Class 200 in August 1995.
His first assignment was with SEAL Team 3, where he completed three deployments to the Persion
Gus ‘ second assignment was at SEAL Team 5 as the operations officer. He was responsible for training and equipping eight SEAL platoons for overseas deployments and maintained six departments, ordnance, diving, training, communications, medical and administrative.
From June 2000-2004 Gus served as an Officer In Charge of the U.S. Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs. He Commanded a 12-member team and its mission of supporting recruiting goals for Naval Special Warfare.
Following his first Leap Frogs assignment, Gus completed a joint tour at Special Operations Command South in Homestead, Florida. He served at the U.S. Army Centric Command on a U.S. Air Force Reserve Base as on of three SEAL’s.
Gus returned to the Leap Frogs in June 2007 for a second tour as OIC. Gus’s awards include a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals, and various unit and service awards.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents; Louis Fahrion of Wintersville, Mary Kaminski of Weriton, and Ben Kaminski and Stella Kaminski Metz of Chester.
He is survived by his devoted wife, Candice Trasatti Kaminski; his parents, Robert and Patricia Anne Kaminski of Weirton, and Alex P. and Jane Zucosky of Wintersville; his grandparents, Mrs. Ruth Fahrion of Wintersvillem and Mr. and Mrs. Alex J. Zucosky of Weirton; and his siblings, Kathleen (Kaminski) Buren of Lutherville, MD, Kelly (Zucosky) Seagraves of Atlanta, GA, and Michael Zucosky of Fort Collins, CO. In addition, he leaves six nieces and nephews, Mia and Ben Buren, Gavin, Tanner and Emerson Seagraves, and Alexander Zucosky.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at the Chapel of the Seas on the Naval Amphibious Base at Coronado, CA, on June 13, 2011, followed by a Memorial Service on the lawn of Special Warfare Command, Military Funeral Honors at Ft. Rosecrans Military Cemetery, overlooking San Diego Bay, and a SEAL Celebration of Life at Gator Beach on Naval Base Coronado.
Donations may be made in Andy’s “Gus’) name to the National Brain Tumor Society at www.braintumor.org or to the Navy SEAL Foundation www.nswfoundation.org/donate. Donations may also be sent to Navy SEAL Foundation, 1619 D. Street-Building 5326, Virginia Beach, VA 23459
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