Joseph’s full name is Joseph Louis Richard Lessard. He was my first cousin, his father being the brother of my mother. Joseph and his sister Thelma were raised by our grandparents. As kids the language in the house was Canadian French. Joseph was named after an uncle. The family used his second middle name of Richard; we called him Dickie. Out of high school he joined the Massachusetts National Guard in 1949. He was sent to Korea when war broke out in 1950.

There is a front-page story in the hometown newspaper from the first week in February of 1951 describing how Joseph won the Bronze Star by carrying his wounded sergeant to safety. He survived the conflict and decided to make the Army a career. He became a drill sergeant with a rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6).

Joseph was retired from the U.S. Army in October of 1968 with a medical disability. He had a number of jobs after retiring and always took great pride in his service. He was one of my heroes.

Joseph left a daughter and a number of grandchildren.

Joseph Lessard (1932)