By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
In October, Edward DePasque got the thrill of a lifetime. The U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War had the opportunity to go on the much-publicized Honor Flight out of Chicago. Family and friends agreed that if anyone should deserve the recognition of the Honor Flight, Ed meets or exceeds all criteria. His extensive experience on the front lines in Korea could be a scripted into a five-star Hollywood movie.
Having worked as a Forward Scout to a cannoneer on the rugged frozen terrain of Korea, Ed could tell numerous stories about that war. Many of these experiences, Ed would like to forget, but fortunately, there were good times as well.
One memory that will never be forgotten is when Ed convinced his Master Sergeant that he’d make a better cook than a sharp-shooter. Since they needed an extra cook, he got the job. After he was discharged, Ed discovered that many of his Army experiences had a beneficial carry-over into his civilian life. His sharp-shooting experience has made him an excellent hunter and his cooking experience made him a great chef in the kitchen.
Ed has become a bit of a living legend at the American Legion Post in Elmhurst, where they look forward to his wild game feasts every year. Ed is also greatly appreciated for his wise leadership as a past Post Commander.
DePasque was born in Chicago in the 1930s to parents who were both from Italy, but had come to America as children themselves. Ed was one of nine children, although two of his siblings died when he was young. He was too young to fight in WWII, but both his father and his older brother worked in defense factories in the Chicago area during that time.
After high school graduation, Ed was drafted and sworn in during October of 1951. The recruiters were looking for volunteers to join the Marines rather than the Army, but when only one person out of a group of 150 volunteered, the recruiters counted off every third man and designated each as a “volunteer” to join the Marines! Luckily Ed was not chosen to “volunteer” so he was able to join the Army instead.
Following a tradition of dropping a silver half-dollar into Puget Sound for good luck, Ed shipped out from Seattle to join the 999th artillery battalion in Korea. His unit was stationed just three or four miles behind the front lines. The soldiers moved up to the front lines when necessary. Given the terrain and climate of Korea these journeys were often quite treacherous. The men often needed to use tank retrievers to help get the guns up and down the icy hills or to dig someone out if they got stuck.
After about six weeks as a cannoneer, Ed was talking with the mess sergeant who was complaining about not having enough good workers on kitchen duty. That was when Ed mentioned his cooking experience, having come from a large Italian family. Once he proved himself, Ed remained a cook for the rest of his military career.
After leaving the service, Ed returned to Chicago where he spent his career working with sheet metal and other construction work, mostly in the heating and air-conditioning field. He retired from working full-time in 1996, but continued to work part-time for another five years.
While serving as best man at a friend’s wedding, he met a pretty bridesmaid who later became his wife. They married in 1955, had two daughters, who both live hear him in Elmhurst, as well as three grandchildren. After his wife passed away in 1990, Ed has been traveling around the country and now boasts having visited all 50 states and has driven to them all except Hawaii. Having built a cabin in Colorado about 40 years ago, Ed still goes there on a regular basis. He still enjoys hunting and fishing.
Congratulations to Ed DePasque for having made the Honor Flight to Washington, DC.
