#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran Alfred Rascon

Jan. 15, 2023: Alfred Rascon

Alfred Rascon was born in September 1945 in Chihuahua, Mexico. He moved to the United States at an early age, settling in Oxnard, a small town in southern California, and he helped support his family by picking lemons with his father. Rascon’s childhood was also a crucial part of his military journey. As a young boy, he spent much of his time playing with “military stuff” in a store near his house. He also witnessed servicemen from several branches of the military consistently visit his hometown and was particularly interested in visits from airborne forces. Eventually, he pursued his military interest by joining the Army in August 1963.

Rascon completed basic training at Fort Ord, California, in October 1963. He hoped to become a paratrooper and serve at the Jungle Warfare Training Center, but because it was a requirement to be a sergeant to pursue such a position, he instead became a medic. He completed his basic medical training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, and worked as a medical specialist. Afterwards, he attended Jump School. 

After Jump School, Rascon joined the 173rd Airborne Brigade, which was set to be the first brigade in Southeast Asia, and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Regiment. On the USS Breckinridge, Rascon sailed to Okinawa, Japan, where he served for two years. He then deployed to Vietnam in May 1965, serving in Bien Hoa for almost three years.

While serving in Operation Silver City on March 16, 1966, Rascon’s platoon was attacked by enemy forces. Because his unit was vastly outnumbered, Rascon was directed to seek shelter. Nonetheless, he advanced forward to provide care for a wounded serviceman, moving past fires, bullets and grenades. He then additionally proceeded to throw himself onto his comrade to protect him from continued enemy fire and succeeded in moving him off the enemy trail. Despite sustaining heavy injuries, Rascon continued to support his unit. Not only did he move to care for another injured soldier, but he also retrieved ammunition for him from the soldier he initially treated. Shortly after doing so, grenades exploded close by, causing severe injuries to his face. Still, he continued to fight. Seeing that grenades were targeting the unit’s M79 grenadier, Rascon once again risked his life by throwing himself onto the grenadier. His action caused him to sustain further injury. Despite the severe wounds he had suffered by this stage, he continued to inspire his unit, telling the grenadier that “everything’s going to be alright.” He also continued to provide care until his evacuation, at which point he himself was finally treated. For his actions, Rascon received a Medal of Honor in March 2000.

After evacuating to Japan for recovery, Rascon returned to the U.S., where he attended college and became a U.S. citizen. In 1969, he returned to Vietnam, where he served as an intelligence officer until 1974. He then served in Panama from 1976 to 1984 before getting married in 1985. Rascon then left active duty and worked for several government agencies, including the Selective Service, of which he became director in 2002. He then returned to service as a reservist in 2003, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as the individual mobilization augmentee to the Surgeon General’s Office before retiring in 2008.

We honor his service.

Writer: Khaled Maalouf

Editor: Tayler Rairigh

Researcher: Ryan Nishiyama

Graphic Designer: Charles F. Hundley