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The Courage to Serve

What would you be willing to sacrifice for a friend? A stranger? Your country?

For generations of American veterans, those questions have been answered through extraordinary acts of courage, sacrifice, and service. As we look toward Veterans Day, I want to share the story of one such American: Jack Lucas, a man who would become known as the “Indestructible Marine.”

At just 14 years old, Jack lied about his age to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He was still a boy, but he had the heart of a patriot and a determination to defend the country he loved. Just days after his 17th birthday, Jack found himself fighting in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II: Iwo Jima.

When two live grenades landed near his fellow Marines, Jack made a split-second decision. He threw himself onto the grenades, using his own body to shield his compatriots from the explosions. Miraculously, he survived.

For his extraordinary heroism, Jack Lucas was awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military decoration. And in a detail that will stick with a person: he wore that medal on his first day of high school after the war.

While most teenagers were worrying about homework and football games, Jack Lucas had already faced death on a battlefield, saved the lives of his fellow Marines, and helped win a battle that would define freedom for generations.

Although Jack was born in North Carolina, he eventually made Mississippi his home. And I think I speak for all Mississippians when I say we are proud to claim him as one of our own.

Today, roughly 180,000 veterans call our state home. They are our parents and grandparents, siblings, neighbors, and friends. Some have stories of extraordinary heroism, like Jack Lucas. Others served quietly, never seeking recognition or praise. But every single one of them answered a call to serve something greater than themselves. That is what makes Veterans Day so important.

We live in a country where freedom is woven into the fabric of our everyday lives. We can speak our minds, worship freely, raise our families, and pursue our dreams. But that freedom has never been free. It has been defended, generation after generation, by ordinary Americans willing to make extraordinary sacrifices.

This Veterans Day, I encourage you to take a moment to thank a veteran. Listen to their story. Teach your children what their service means. And ask yourself the question Jack Lucas answered on the battlefield of Iwo Jima: What would I be willing to sacrifice for someone else?

To every veteran across Mississippi and this great nation: Thank you. We are forever in your debt.