After the war, Rocco met his wife Joan at a dance in Jaffrey, NH, and was married soon thereafter. Although the building in which he was located was hit and severely damaged during a heavy bombardment by enemy artillery and mortars, Private Pasquale, a radio operator, heroically remained at his post and maintained a vital channel of communication.” In addition to the Bronze Star, Rocco was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon with Bronze Service Arrowhead, and the Belgian Fourragere for action in the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign. (Starting with 30,000 men) the remaining 12,000 men got over the cliffs and into attack for 6 days and nights.” It was in France where Rocco earned a Bronze Star…”For heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy in Caumont, Normandy, France, 4 July 1944. He described the chaos and horror in one of his letters home to his family…”The 16th regiment went in at about 6am… to establish a beachhead….the 18th regiment went in about 10am and found the 16th all battered up with dead and wounded, gaining only about 50 to 60 yards…the 18th got slaughtered…(my regiment) the 26th invaded about 2pm…found only dead and wounded and the live ones dugged in the sand fox holes…we dug our fox holes on the water line and stayed in position until dusk, sweating out the incoming tide. Rocco participated in the “D-Day Invasion”, landing as the 3rd wave on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France on June 5, 1944. Military operations included North Africa (facing the storied Nazi Panther Division), Sicily, England, France, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. He served in the storied 1st Infantry (“The Big Red One”) Division as a Radio Operator. Rocco enlisted in the Army on and separated from the Army with an Honorable Discharge on Nov 7, 1945. Rocco is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Rocco was raised in Fitchburg, Mass, among 6 siblings: the late Rose (Perry), Elsie (Sherrin), Lena (Boulay), and brother Anthony he is survived by brothers William and Raymond. Rocco was born the son of Italian immigrants, Filomena (Minicucci) Pasquale and Berardino “William” Pasquale, who hailed from the region of Abruzzo, Italy. In their retirement years they lived in Beverly Hills, Florida. Rocco and Joan raised their three children in Rindge, NH. Rocco was married for over 56 years to the late Joan (Burt) Pasquale, who passed away at the age of 78, in May of 2007, in Beverly Hills, Florida. He was born on January 30, 1922, in Fitchburg, Mass. Pasquale, War Hero, Chess Organizer and adored father passed away at the age of 92 on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, while receiving loving care at the New Hampshire Veteran’s Home in Tilton.
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