AUSTIN – Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., is proud to announce the next installment of the series highlighting the VLB’s Voice of Veterans oral history program. This week, we highlight the service of Private First Class (PFC) Leslie Rasco, who served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945 during World War II.
Rasco was born in Groesbeck, Texas, in 1923. He was born into a family of patriots with his great-grandfather having served in the Civil War, and all three of his brothers served in both the Navy or Army.
Rasco was drafted for the war on January 24,1943, vividly recalled that moment, and the ones that followed shortly after.
“I was sent to Camp Roberts, California. Because I was one-eyed, they put me in the quartermaster, where I washed clothes for about six months, and then they transferred me to the bakery," he said, adding he was then sent to Camp Shanks, New York, for eight weeks of infantry training and then was sent overseas.
"They loaded us on a freight ship, and it took nine days to get to Europe. We landed in Glasgow, Scotland, and took a freight train to Southampton, England. We got on a British ship and went across the channel there. I landed on Omaha Beach in September of ’44. That was three months after the initial invasion in June.”
Rasco was assigned to the 30th Infantry Division and recalls his first battle in October of ’44 in Mariasdorf. “We went from Alfsdorf to Mariasdorf, but a minefield was in front of us. I saw three mines blow, and the next morning, I went out with my Lieutenant to get a soldier. We loaded him onto a stretcher to get him out. The only thing that saved us was that the ground froze that night so we wouldn’t trip the mines.”
When describing his experience at the Battle of the Bulge, Rasco recounted the events that earned him his Purple Heart medal. “After we’d been down in the Battle of the Bulge, we loaded up about twelve tanks. We were fighting Hitler's 1st SS division, and a German tank knocked out our first four tanks.” Rasco recalled. “We all jumped off and dug into the woods. That night, we tried to shoot the tank with a bazooka, but once we got close, he cut loose with that machine gun, and a bullet went through my helmet and hit me on the top of the head. If it had been half an inch lower, I wouldn’t be here.”
While fighting with the Allied forces, Rasco was in combat for seven months and overseas for eleven months and eleven days. His division ended their tour in Magdeburg, Germany, for a month while waiting for the Russians to take Berlin. After being asked how he felt once the combat was over, Rasco said, “We were real glad it was over with. We could relax because we weren’t fighting anymore.”
After the conflict in Europe ended in 1945, Rasco headed for home. “We loaded in Southampton on the Queen Mary and started home.” He said. “Once we finally got to the open sea, we were home in four days. Once we got to the New York harbor, everybody went over to see the Statue of Liberty. We were all glad to see it.”
Following his time in the Army, Rasco was discharged and officially presented his Purple Heart Medal for his brave service as a PFC during the war. He returned to his family home and was a member of the American Legion in Groesbeck before getting married and moving to Corsicana, where he lived for 20 years.
To listen to PFC Leslie Rasco tell his story, click the button below:
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Veterans can email VoicesofVeterans@glo.texas.gov to tell their stories. Please note that the Veteran must be a resident of Texas at the time of their interview.
Voices of Veterans is a state agency's first Veteran oral history program. It records the stories of Texas Veterans through their time in service and after returning home from combat.
The VLB records interviews with Veterans over the phone or in person. Their interviews are then permanently archived in the Office of Veterans Records at the GLO, where they join the historical documents of other Texas heroes such as Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis.
Veterans' interviews are also available to researchers, historians, genealogists, and the public. These precious records inspire future generations and remind us of our Veterans' sacrifices.
To listen to the over 500 archived stories of Veterans documented through the GLO's Voices of Veterans oral history program, click the button below:
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Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., brings a lifetime of experience to the Texas General Land Office (GLO). In 2016, she became the first Republican elected to the Texas State Senate from Travis County and the first woman to represent Texas Senate District 24. She made history again in 2022, winning a statewide election to become our state’s first female Land Commissioner.