The Joseph P. Cascio Korean War Story
The Joseph P. Cascio Korean War Story
My Father Joseph P. Cascio faithfully served his Country in the Korean War in the 45th Thunderbird Division. His Rank was Master Sergeant. He had a platoon of about seven men fighting in trenches on the front line and was pinned down. My father’s men spoke Italian and he instructed them to speak softly in Italian and stay low in order to throw the enemy off.
The Enemy in the evening tried to fight and get my Father’s men to help out who they thought was a fallen comrade, but my Father told them it’s a trick. As they fought my Father instructed his men to spread out and since they only had a cook and bolt rifle and not enough ammo to spread out and throw their grenades to make the enemy think they are surrounded, but out of the whole platoon my father was shot multiple times and was the only survivor.
After he was honorably discharged he was informed he would receive the Purple Heart. He not only never did receive his medal. When I called The U.S. Department of Defense in Washington D.C. They said all military records prior to World War II were destroyed. and the only way to get that medal now is to go to a pawn shop.
I called VETfriends.com and they where crying when they heard the story, but was able to locate the only large Purple Heart medal of that time period and is sending it to me. I could not even get a Veterans Affairs representative to pin the medal on him. I feel this is a Disgrace on how they just don’t care for Veterans.
