John Lesanski

Personal Information

Birthplace: Mount Carmel, PA

Service Information

Branch of Service: Army

Unit: Infantry

Theater of Operation: European

Enlisted / Commissioned: Nov 6, 1940

Discharged: Sep 27, 1945

Highest Rank: Pvt. 1st Class

Military Honors: Purple Heart

Honored By: Grand daughter - Lauren Stauffer

Biography

John Joseph “Jerry” Lesanski was born in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. Lesanski attended school until the 10th grade and began working as a coal miner prior to entering the Army. He had an older brother, Andy, for whom Jerry enlisted to save from being drafted.

Jerry was at Pearl Harbor when Japan attacked. He continued on to Europe fighting on the beaches of Normandy and at St. Lo France where he suffered a gun shot wound to his leg, sending him to the hospital, where he was for 13 months and met General Eisenhower. In addition to his time in combat, he also served as a cook and received his driver’s license driving the military jeep.

He returned home to Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, married Marion Pupo, had a family, and continued to run the family barber shop.