Oral History Interview with Jack Lucas, February 21, 2005

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Jack H. Lucas. Lucas was born in Plymouth, North Carolina on 14 February 1928. On 8 August 1942 he quit attending Edwards Military Institute, Salemburg, NC and joined the Marine Corps when he was 14 years old. He forged his mother’s signature on the enlistment documents thus allowing him to join the military even though he was underage. Lucas went to Parris Island, South Carolina for boot camp and received additional training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina. Contrary to orders he received, he joined the cadre with which he had trained and went by troop train to California. He then went to Camp Catlin, Hawaii. There, Lucas stowed away on the USS Deuel (APA-160) bound for Iwo Jima. He graphically describes the action in which he was severely wounded. Returning to the United States by hospital ship, he was taken to the Naval Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina where he remained until 2 September 1945. On 5 October 1945, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman. Following this, Lucas joined Admiral Chester Nimitz in touring the country during which he met various dignitaries including New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and Admiral William F. Halsey. Lucas eventually joined the US Army and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. In 1961, he survived a parachute jump in which his chute did not open