Jerry Bruschette was born on November 19, 1935, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was commissioned a 2d Lt in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through the Army ROTC program at Northeastern University in Boston on August 1, 1958, and completed the Engineer Officers Basic Course and Special Demolition Course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in January 1959. Lt Bruschette also completed Jump School at Fort Benning, Georgia, in January 1959, followed by service as a Platoon Leader, Communications Officer, Executive Officer, Company Commander, Assistant G-3 Officer, and Assistant S-3 Officer with the 307th Engineer Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from February 1959 to October 1962. During this time he completed Ranger School and Special Forces training, and deployed to Laos from May to July 1962. Capt Bruschette next served as a Detachment Commander with Company D, 1st Special Forces Group, and then Company B, 1st Special Forces Group on Okinawa from October 1962 to July 1965, and during this time he deployed to South Vietnam from April to October 1963, February to August 1964, and December 1964 to July 1965. He attended the Infantry Officers Career Course at Fort Benning from August 1965 to May 1966, and then the Military Assistance Training Advisory Course at the U.S. Army Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg from May to August 1966. Maj Bruschette again served as a Detachment Commanding Officer, this time with Company D, 5th Special Forces Group in South Vietnam from August 1966 to July 1967, followed by service as a Field Operations Officer in the Unconventional Warfare Department of the Army Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg from August 1967 to January 1969. His next assignment was as S-3 Officer and then Executive Officer of 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in South Vietnam from January 1969 to January 1970, and then as a Branch Chief at the Army Institute of Military Assistance at Fort Bragg from January to June 1970. He attended Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from August 1970 to June 1971, and then served as G-3 for Air, G-3 Operations Officer, and then G-5 Officer for the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg from July 1971 to July 1974. LTC Bruschette next served as Chief of the Plans and Operations Division at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg from August 1974 to January 1975, followed by Foreign Language School and then Security Assistance Management School from January to August 1975. He then served as Chief Staff Advisor for Airborne Forces to the U.S. Army Element of the U.S. Military Training Mission to Saudi Arabia in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, from August 1975 to August 1976. His final assignment was as Deputy J-2 with Joint Unconventional Warfare Task Force Atlantic at Fort Bragg from October 1976 until his retirement from the Army on April 1, 1979. Jerry Bruschette died on January 6, 2014, and was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona.

His 4th Silver Star Citation reads:

For gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 15 June 1969. Major Bruschette distinguished himself while serving as Battalion Operations Officer, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, in the Republic of Vietnam. In the early morning hours on the cited date, a North Vietnamese Army sapper company launched an attack against Fire Support Base Currahee. The initial contact seriously wounded the perimeter defense officer and his platoon leader. Major Bruschette immediately carried the wounded platoon leader through rocket propelled grenade and small arms fire to the aid station 200 meters away. Upon returning to the bunker line, he discovered two enemy soldiers attempting to penetrate the perimeter. He assaulted their position and silenced them. For the remainder of the attack, he moved from position to position reorganizing the troops and directing the redistribution of ammunition and the utilization of the reaction force. In the morning after the attack, he led a small team on a sweep of the perimeter when five insurgents, hiding in a depression, fired a rocket propelled grenade which wounded Major Bruschette. Assaulting and firing as he advanced, he single-handedly silenced all five enemy soldiers. As a result of his actions, only six friendly troops were wounded during the five hour defense of the fire base. Major Bruschette's personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.