The Green Bay Packers and Network Health paid special tribute to U.S. Army veteran George Gosz during Sunday afternoon's game against the Arizona Cardinals for 'Operation Fan Mail.'
This year marks the 18th season of Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game.
Gosz was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1957 and served until 1959. His platoon took part in a series of atomic nuclear tests conducted by the U.S. military known as the Desert Rock exercises. In 1957, he was five miles away from the nuclear test that involved the largest troop maneuver ever conducted on U.S. soil, generating a mushroom cloud larger than the one produced in the bombing of Hiroshima during World War II. Following detonation, Gosz's platoon was ordered to march into the bomb zone and even slept on the burned-out ground.
At the time, the effects of radiation exposure were not well known. Years later, many of the soldiers involved at various bomb testing sites developed cancer and other illnesses as a result of their exposure, including Gosz, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer over 25 years ago.
A native of Rockwood, Wis., Gosz has been a devoted Packers fan all his life. He attended the legendary Ice Bowl in December of 1967. To this day, Gosz tells the story of how he braved the coldest game in NFL history by sitting inside an old sleeping bag in the Lambeau Field bleachers. He and his wife of 63 years, Nancy, currently reside in Manitowoc, where they are very involved in volunteer work in the community.
Gosz attended the game with his daughter, Tami, who nominated him to be recognized, and his grandsons, Wyatt and Walker.
Operation Fan Mail, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor those who are on active duty or are veterans of the military, along with their families. In addition to being recognized on the video boards prior to the game, selected families will receive four tickets to the game, courtesy of Network Health. The Packers and Network Health will host a family at each 2024 home game and recognize them on the field during pregame activities. A total of 210 families have been saluted during the past 17 seasons.
To choose families, the Packers and Network Health are asking interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular fan should be saluted this season.
Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at packers.com/Lambeau-field/operation-fan-mail. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member of their family serving on active duty, or a member of their family who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter or sibling.
