John P. Lucas
John P. Lucas | |
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Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Purple Heart |
Relations | Sydney Virginia Wynkoop Lucas (wife) John Porter Lucas, Jr. (son) |
Major General John Porter Lucas (January 14, 1890 – December 24, 1949) was a senior officer of the United States Army who saw service in World War I and World War II. He is most remembered for being the commander of VI Corps during the Battle of Anzio (codenamed Operation Shingle) in early 1944 the Italian campaign of World War II.
Early life and education
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Lucas was born to the former Frances Thomas Craighill and her husband, Dr. Charles C. Lewis, in
Early military career
Commissioned as a cavalry officer on June 13, 1911, Lucas transferred to the Field Artillery in 1920. Lucas spent the first few years of his service in the Philippines, returning to the US in August 1914. Lucas was assigned to Troop A of the
World War I
Lucas joined the 33rd Infantry Division in August 1917 at Camp Logan, Texas, where he continued to serve Bell, commander of the 33rd, as Aide de Camp. Lucas then led the division's Infantry School of Arms while the division trained for war. Promoted to Major on January 15, 1918, he was given command of the 108th Field Signal Battalion (the Signal Battalion for the 33rd Infantry Division) and sailed to France with this unit. He simultaneously served as the Division Signal Officer. While serving as commander of the 108th, he was seriously wounded in action near Amiens, France, on June 23, 1918.[1] Lucas was the battalion's first casualty, being struck by a fragment from a German high-explosive shell. Evacuated to a hospital in England, he was later sent back to the United States on convalescent leave, where he recovered from his wounds in the Washington, D.C., area. His wounds were severe enough to prevent him from rejoining the 33rd Infantry Division. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on October 31, 1918. Following the war, he would revert to his permanent rank of Captain.
Inter-war period
From 1919 to 1920, and after returning to the United States, Lucas was assigned as a military science instructor for the
He was selected for command of 1st Battalion,
World War II
In September 1941, shortly after his promotion to temporary Major General on August 5,[4] Lucas was assigned as the Commanding General (CG) of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington, where he conducted amphibious operations training in Puget Sound. He was only in this assignment for six months, however, during which time the United States officially entered World War II in December 1941.
He was next assigned as the CG of the
On September 20, 1943, Lucas was given command of
After the initial success of the landings at Anzio on January 22, and with little German resistance in the area, Lucas had the opportunity to break out of the beachhead and cut off the supply lines of the German 10th Army by crossing Highways 6 and 7, leaving the way open to Rome. He failed to seize the opportunity, deciding instead to wait until all of his ground troops had landed and the beachhead had been fully secured. Only 8 days after the landing on January 30, 1944 did Lucas order the British and American troops to advance on Cisterna and Campoleone. It was too late. General Albert Kesselring, on orders from Hitler, had rushed troops from outside Italy to the beachhead: now, on January 31, 1944, 8 German divisions surrounded the beachhead. Churchill was angry and furious, bewildered by the slow reactions of the American commander: "I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat onto the shore, but all we got was a beached whale."[6]
On February 6, 1944 the German 14th Army began the process of reducing the Allied beachhead. On February 16 General Eberhard von Mackensen deployed 6 divisions of his 14th Army in a full scale counter attack in an attempt to push the British and Americans back into the sea. The German counter attack was eventually held, particularly with the use of overwhelming firepower: from the air, ground artillery and offshore ships batteries.
On February 22, 1944, Lucas was relieved of VI Corps command after Shingle, the amphibious landing at Anzio. Lucas was highly critical of the plans for the Anzio battle, believing his force was not strong enough to accomplish its mission. His confidence was not reinforced when the mission was scaled back by last-minute orders and advice from his commander, Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, who told him, "Don't stick your neck out, Johnny. I did at Salerno and got into trouble.[7]
After nine days of preparation to reinforce his position and four weeks of extremely tough fighting, Lucas was relieved by Clark and replaced with Major General Lucian K. Truscott as the commander of VI Corps at Anzio.[8] Lucas spent three weeks as Clark's deputy at Fifth Army Headquarters before returning to the United States.
Although relieved of his command and bitter towards Clark and the British, who he believed had used him as a scapegoat,[9] Lucas's achievements during the fighting in Italy were still recognized with the award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Silver Star. The Navy DSM's citation reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Major General John Porter Lucas (ASN: 0-3101), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States. As Commanding General, VI Corps, U.S. Army, he was in command of the Combined British and United States attack forces which effected the assault and occupation of the beachhead of Anzio-Nettuno, Italy, on 22 January 1944. His thorough planning, extensive experience, and excellent cooperation made possible the successful execution of this difficult and hazardous amphibious assault despite a short preparatory period of less than thirty days. By his superior judgment, courage, and stamina, he directed this critical operation in which two reinforced Allied Army Divisions contained as many as twelve enemy divisions, and thereby contributed immeasurably to the defeat of the enemy in Italy. His personal courage, determination, and outstanding leadership were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Armed Services.[10]
In March 1944, Lucas was assigned as deputy commander and later as commander of the U.S. Fourth Army, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.[11]
Post-war service and final years
After the war, he was made Chief of the US Military Advisory Group to the Nationalist Chinese government, led by
Memorialization
A camp in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, was named after MG Lucas in honor of his service.[12] The polo field at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was renamed Lucas Field in his honor. Lucas was widely known as a polo player in his youth. Lucas Street at Fort Sill is also named in his honor. On June 28, 1962, Lucas Place at Fort Eustis was named in his honor.
Awards and decorations
Decorations
Distinguished Service Medal with Oak leaf Cluster | |
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Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
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Silver Star |
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Purple Heart |
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Mexican Service Medal |
World War I Victory Medal with one service clasp | |
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American Defense Service Medal |
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American Campaign Medal |
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four campaign stars
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World War II Victory Medal |
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Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus |
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Grand Cordon of the Order of the Cloud and Banner |
Dates of rank
2nd Lieutenant (Regular Army) (RA) – June 13, 1911
1st Lieutenant (RA) – July 1, 1916
Captain (RA) – May 15, 1917
Major (Temporary) – January 15, 1918
Lieutenant Colonel (Temporary) – October 30, 1918
Captain (RA) – January 20, 1920
Major (RA) – July 1, 1920
Lieutenant Colonel (RA) – August 1, 1935
Colonel (RA) – May 2, 1940
Brigadier General (Army of the United States) (AUS) – October 1, 1940
Major General (AUS) – August 5, 1941
Major General (RA) – January 24, 1948
Miscellany
John Porter Lucas was a
Media depiction
In the movie Anzio the character of the over-cautious "General Lesley" is presumably based on John P. Lucas.[14][15]
References
- ^ a b c Taaffe 2013, p. 100.
- ^ Millard K. Bushong, Historic Jefferson County (Boyce, Va: Carr Publishing Company Inc 1972), p. 430
- LCC D769.1.B48 1989.
- ^ a b c d "Biography of Major General John Porter Lucas (1890−1949), USA". generals.dk.
- ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 99−100.
- ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 112.
- ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 110.
- ^ Battlefield S5/E3 – The Battle for Monte Cassino
- ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 114.
- ^ "Valor awards for John P. Lucas". Military Times.
- ^ a b Taaffe 2013, p. 336.
- ^ "Camp Named For General Lucas". Spirit of Jefferson Farmer's Advocate. January 25, 1951. p. 4. Retrieved August 16, 2022 – via Google News Archive.
- ^ Denslow, William R. 10,000 Famous Freemasons, Vol. II, K-Z.
- ^ Vaughan-Thomas, Wynford. Anzio. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 1961. OCLC 276480
- ^ "Sbarco di Anzio, Lo" at IMDb
Further reading
- ISBN 0-313-20093-9.
- Sassman, Roger W. (April 10, 1999). Operation SHINGLE and Major General John P. Lucas. Army War College, U.S. Army. Report A357363. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2006.
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- Thompson, Julian (1991). "John Lucas and Anzio, 1944". In Bond, Brian (ed.). Fallen Stars. Eleven Studies of Twentieth Century Military Disaster. London: Brassey's. ISBN 0-08-040717-X.
- Anzio Beachhead (22 January-25 May 1944). United States Army Center of Military History. 1990 [1947]. CMH Pub 100-10. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
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ignored (help) - Taaffe, Stephen R. (2013). Marshall and His Generals: U.S. Army Commanders in World War II. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. OCLC 840162019.