A boy of small stature, Zussman joined the high school football team despite his coach's skepticism.

After graduating from high school, Zussman joined Teamsters Local 337 in Detroit, eventually rising to the position of shop steward at his place of employment.

[2] Zussman spent one year of college at Wayne State University and also took night classes in metallurgy.

After being wounded at the battle of Monte Cassino in Italy, the Army offered Zussman a Headquarters position.

Zussman declined, stating he wanted another front line position; he was then assigned to a tank unit in France.

[4] On September 21, 1944, nine days after the battle at Noroy-le-Bourg, Zussman was killed by a German mortar bomb blast.

[1] On May 24, 1945, at a graduation ceremony at the United States Army Armor School (then located at Fort Knox) Zussman was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Noroy-le-Bourg.

Again he walked before his tank, leading it against an enemy-held group of houses, machine gun and small arms fire kicking up dust at his feet.