Farewell Jack Lucas, Marine and Medal of Honor Recipient

Jack Lucas, who at 14 lied his way into military service during World War II and became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, died last Thursday in a Hattiesburg, Miss., hospital. He was 80.  Jack Lucas had been battling cancer.

Chris Talbott, a writer with the Associated Press wrote that they just don’t make them like that anymore in his article covering the passing of Mr. Jack Lucas: Vet who earned Medal of Honor at 17 dies.

Jacklyn "Jack" Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation’s highest military honor. He used his body to shield three fellow squad members from two grenades, and was nearly killed when one exploded.

"A couple of grenades rolled into the trench," Lucas said in an Associated Press interview shortly before he received the medal from President Truman in October 1945. "I hollered to my pals to get out and did a Superman dive at the grenades. I wasn’t a Superman after I got hit. I let out one helluva scream when that thing went off."

He was left with more than 250 pieces of shrapnel in his body and in every major organ and endured 26 surgeries in the months after Iwo Jima. He was the youngest serviceman to win the Medal of Honor in any conflict other than the Civil War.  What a story!  Semper Fi Jack Lucas!  Thank you for your service to your country!

Epilogue: While we honor the sacrifices of those that have given their lives in service to our country, please let us not forget our most recent recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor (MOH) as a result of the War on Terror.  As I heard Colonel Oliver North recently point out, it’s sad when people remember the gossip and wild exploits of movie stars, but yet can’t remember the single name of one Medal of Honor recipient.  Therefore, I have listed the names of those five Medal of Honor recipients below who have died fighting the War on Terror.  In addition, I have provided a link honoring the "Faces of the Fallen" who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting the War on Terror. Thank you for your service!  God Bless America!

•  Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith
•  Corporal Jason L. Dunham
•  Lt. Michael P. Murphy
•  Master-at-Arms, Navy Seal, Michael A. Monsoor
•  Army Pfc. Ross McGinnis

Comments

[Joanne]

Thanks for the great post! I linked it over at my blog. I had the honor of meeting a WWII vet recently. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, and made it into Germany before he was wounded, two weeks before the Battle of the Bulge. He had quite the story to tell! We need to thank these heroes before they all gone. They indeed have my undying gratitude!

[Thomas Teuscher GySgt USMC, ret.]

I had the honor and privilege of meeting and shaking his hand at a Memorial Day ceremony here in Orlando several years ago.
He and the Marines who have gone before live on in the ones who serve today. So he becomes one of the immortals as has my father who fought at Guadalcanal, New Britain and Peleliu.