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 Lieutenant Ira Steele, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
Steele was a native Texan, born and raised in the small town of Comanche. He grew up on his family’s farm, where he developed an interest in serving his country as a Marine.
When he was of age, Steele initially joined the U.S. Navy and served as a sailor. He then transferred branches to seek out his lifelong dream of joining the Marines.
Steele attended Marine boot camp at Parris Island, a small island on the coast of South Carolina. He then became a member of the infantry unit and eventually trained in the artillery program, furthering his dreams of selfless service in the military.
With his new artillery training, Steele was commissioned to go to war in the Pacific. He harnessed a hopeful outlook, accepting his commanding officer’s request, saying, “Yeah, I’ll go. I’ll go to Japan.”
He described his time serving with the Marines overseas as chaos, a time he had to muster up immense bravery. He recalled a battle in Guam, where he and his team “were crawling on their bellies through waist-high grass.” When close enough to the Japanese soldiers, Steele aimed and fired his weapon. He admitted that “Shooting a guy made me feel funny.” It was an experience that has stuck with him since — one he will never forget.
To listen to Lieutenant Ira Steele 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 Their interviews are then permanently archived in the Office of Veterans Records at the GLO, where they join the historical documents of other Texas heroes such as Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis.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.