WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) announced new legislation to rename the Pengilly Post Office after First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski, a Pengilly resident who was killed in action at age 25 during the Vietnam War. First Lieutenant Koski was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Silver Star, and First Oak Leaf Cluster for battlefield valor. Pengilly resident Brian Walker, who was saved from drowning when he was a child by First Lieutenant Koski, worked with Klobuchar on the naming effort.
Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN-08), along with Representatives Brad Finstad (R-MN-01), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), and Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-07), introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski has long been admired in Pengilly for his heroic actions both before and during his military service,” said Klobuchar. “By naming the Pengilly Post Office in his honor, we are paying tribute to his sacrifice and keeping his memory alive for generations to come.”
“Lieutenant Koski was an American hero who we are proud to call Minnesotan,” said Smith. “He is remembered by those who knew him as a man of bravery and decency and has been recognized for his selfless service in the Vietnam War. By naming the Pengilly Post Office after him, we hope this building will serve as a reminder of his service to Minnesota and the United States.”
“First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski is an American hero. On March 8, 1968, his exemplary bravery saved the lives of his brothers-in-arms but ultimately cost him his life. First Lieutenant Koski’s sacrifice, like those of so many other Americans, must not be forgotten. The freedoms we enjoy are made possible by those who make this sacrifice. That is why it is my privilege to introduce this legislation to rename the post office in his hometown of Pengilly in his honor,” said Stauber.
First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski was born in Itasca County and served during the Vietnam War. First Lieutenant Koski is honored at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and buried at the Nashwauk Cemetery in Itasca County.
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