This March 25, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 4, column 2:
JOHN LUCAS, JR., HONORED AT FAREWELL PARTY
Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Lucas of Lowell and Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Paulsen of Griffith were dinner guests Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Lucas, Jr., at Hammond.
Later in the evening John was pleasantly surprised when a party in his honor was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Grimmer in Griffith. Twenty-one guests were present and spent the evening playing games, after which refreshments were served.
John, who leaves for army duty this week, received many lovely going-away gifts.
The following April 1, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 1:
48 FROM LOCAL BOARD LEAVE FOR ARMY-NAVY DUTY
FORTY-ONE SELECTEES AND SEVEN VOLUNTEERS BEGIN ACTIVE DUTY
Forty-eight men, which included seven volunteers, left last week for active duty in the army and navy following their seven-day furlough after being inducted into the service at Fort Benjamin Harrison.
The local board has begun examination and reclassification of men without dependents who were married before the United States entered the war, according to Peter F. Hein, chairman of the board. Those who are not in "essential" work and without dependents are being examined first while those without dependents in "essential" work will be examined next.
Men with children and who are not in "essential" work will be examined when all available men in the first two groups are taken.
John U. Lucas of Lowell and Hammond was listed with the army inductees. (Note that some articles use "U" as his middle initial, while other articels use "W.")
This April 8, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 4, column 1:
Stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood
Word received by Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Lucas, informs them that their son, Pvt. John Lucas, has been sent to Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. for his basic training. John said he was getting along fine and the food was fairly good, "although it is not like the cooking I get at home."
Another article on page 6, column 3 of the same issue of the paper follows:
HONOR JOHN LUCAS AT ROBBINS HOME IN HAMMOND
Mr. and Mrs. R. Scott Robbins, of Hammond, welcomed 28 friends of John Lucas to their home Friday evening last week. This honored guest has left for Fort Harrison, where he is entering army service.
An informal evening was enjoyed, with games and contests. Awards were given to Mrs. Ray Lewis, Mrs. George Helfron, Mrs. Joe Warnimont, Mrs. George Daily, Syl Beiriger and Elmer Paulsen.
L.E. Keen, Sr., presented Mr. Lucas with a serviceman's gold wrist watch, a gift from the guests, and a check from the Keen Foundry Co. of Griffith, where he has been employed in the capacity of shipping clerk the past several years.
While the party was in the prospective soldier's honor, the evening took a pleasant surprise turn for Mr. and Mrs. Robbins because the group held a housewarming and presented them with beautiful evergreen trees for the landscaping of their new home.
Tasty refreshments were served buffet style from a table featuring appointments of a patriotic theme, with tall red, white and blue tapers and a huge cake decorated with miniature flags, as well as a lovely plant, another gift to the Robbins. -- Hammond Times
This May 6, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:
Pvt. James Hayden, stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., where he is receiving his basic training, talked with his parents, the Delbert Haydens, a few days ago. Jim is doing fine and said that John Lucas, another Lowell boy, was in the same division.
This January 27, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 3:
The John Lucases have received word from their son, Pvt. John V. Lucas, that he had been transferred from Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., where he had been stationed the past 11 months, to Shreveport, La. John says that everything is beautiful there, but that he would still trade it for good old Indiana. A severe sleet storm there had done much damage recently. John made the trip to Louisiana driving a jeep.
This April 20, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 3, column 2:
Pvt. John V. Lucas, who has been in Louisiana for four months on maneuvers, is now at Camp Breckenridge, Ky., and proudly announces his advancement to the rank of Sergeant. John expects to be home in a few weeks.
The following Sept. 14, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 5, column 3:
Mrs. John Lucas, Jr., is visiting her husband, S/Sgt. John U. Lucas, Jr., at Camp Breckenridge, Ky.
This Lowell Tribune article was found in the September 27, 1945, issue (page 2, column 1):
Sgt. John Lucas of Hammond, a former resident of Lowell, was recently awarded the bronze star medal for meritorious achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy in Belgium, Holland, France and Germany.
The accompanying citation reads:
"As operations sergeant and clerk in the office of the assistant chief of staff throughout the campaigns, Sgt. Lucas displayed a superior performance of duty. The unswerving devotion to duty displayed by Sgt. Lucas is in keeping with the highest traditions of the armed forces of the United States."
Sgt. Lucas is now stationed at Chalons Sur Marne, France. His wife, the former Rosemary Grimmer of Griffith, resides in Hammond.