Jack Lucas has died. Rest in peace Marine.

[Wcross]

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/03/ap/national/main4150010.shtml

Although only 14 years of age, muscular build, 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) high, weighing 180 pounds (82 kg),<2> he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve without his mother's consent<2> on 6 August 1942. He gave his age as 17, and went to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, for recruit training.

During his rifle training Pvt Lucas qualified as a sharpshooter. He was next assigned to the Marine Barracks and Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. In June 1943, he was transferred to the 21st Replacement Battalion at New River, North Carolina, and one month later he went to the 25th Replacement Battalion, where he successfully completed schooling which qualified him as a heavy machine gun crewman.

He left the continental United States on 4 November 1943, and the following month he joined the 6th Base Depot of the V Amphibious Corps at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was advanced to private first class on 29 January 1944.

With statements to his buddies that he was going to join a combat organization, PFC Lucas walked out of camp on 10 January 1945, wearing a khaki uniform and carrying his dungarees and field shoes in a roll under his arm.

He was declared absent without leave (AWOL) when he failed to return that night and a month later, when there was still no sign of him, he was declared a "deserter", and a reward offered for his apprehension. He was also reduced to the rank of private at that time.



He stowed away on board USS Deuel which was transporting units of the 5th Marine Division into combat. He surrendered to the senior troop officer present on 8 February 1945 dressed in neat, clean dungarees. He was allowed to remain, and shortly after he was transferred to Headquarters Company, 5th Marine Division. He reached his 17th birthday while at sea, six days before the heroic actions at Iwo Jima, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

On the day following the landing at Iwo Jima, he was creeping through a twisting ravine with three other men of his rifle team when the Japanese opened a hand grenade attack on them. The men jumped into two shallow foxholes. Lucas pushed a thrown hand grenade into the volcanic ash and covered it with his helmet,and along with his body. He was left for dead by his companions, although he was miraculously still alive. Severely wounded in the right arm and wrist, right leg and thigh, and chest, Pvt Lucas had undoubtedly saved his companions from serious injury and possible death.<1>





Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacklyn_H._Lucas

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An American hero has passed. I thought I would recognise what he did for his country at such a young age. Semper Fi Mr. Lucas.

[Rick Myers]

1. Semper Fi, Marine

From an old air dog...

GODSPEED!!!

[TacticalPeek]

2. Slow hand salute.

http://www.usmra.com/farewellmarine.htm



Thanks for the sacrifice, Luke.

[HawkerHurricane]

3. From a squid...

"When he gets to Heaven
To Saint Peter he will tell
'Another Marine reporting, sir,
Who has served his time.'"

[pansypoo53219]

4. thank you for posting this.

needs to be repeated. shows how inferior georgee is.

[Wcross]

5. He makes me feel inferior.

Imagine doing that for your buddies at the age of 17. He had every reasonable expectation of instant death but in order to save his three buddies he was willing to do it. The fact he lived through it is amazing. His actions on Iwo Jima that day were about self sacrifice for his buddies, nothing more & nothing less. It transsends politics. He was one hell of a guy. I am sorry we have lost him.

[buckrogers1965]

6. Now that is a man.

But I thought they were still just kids at 14?

If we gave 14 year olds the responsibilities of adults, they would easily perform those duties earnestly and diligently. It's the boredom of having nothing important to do that gets so many young adults in trouble.

[Wcross]

7. He was seventeen when he was wounded.

Yes, he was just a kid when he enlisted but that was a different time in our history. We still weren't out of the depression, maybe he thought he would be less of a burdon on his family if he enlisted? Obviously he went above & beyond the call of duty in service to his country but he probably did it for his buddies.

[Teaser]

9. "teenager" is a marketing category

.

[Lex]

8. RIP, Jack Lucas.

[Ohio Joe]

10. RIP - NT

[tinymontgomery]

11. I meet Mr Lucas once

he was a riot to listen to. Funny as hell and very unpretentious. RIP Mr. Lucas.

[ananda]

12. Look at this about Lucas and the parachutes.

He died at a hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on June 5, 2008 of leukemia with wife Ruby by his side. He had earned a business degree from High Point University and had also later served in the U. S. Army in the 1960s as paratrooper to conquer his fear of heights. He survived a training jump in which both parachutes did not open.<1>

Wow! He must have led a charmed life. First he survives lying on top of a live grenade that explodes, and then later he survives a jump in which both his parachutes failed. Whoa !!!!!!

[Hand]

13. Taps for a hero...

Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun
From the hills, from the lake, from the sky
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.

Then goodnight, peaceful night;
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, goodnight.

:patriot: :cry: