John Porter Lucas
Major General, U.S. Army

John Porter Lucas, a native of Kearneysville, WV, was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, class of 1911. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry on 13 June 1911. He transferred to the Field Artillery in 1920.

Second Lieutenant Lucas spent the first few years of his service in the Philippines. He returned to the U.S. in August 1914 and was stationed at Columbus, NM, where he served as the Commander of the Machine Gun Troop of the 13th Cavalry Regiment. On 9 March 1916, 2LT Lucas distinguished himself in action against Pancho Villa's raiders during the Battle of Columbus. During the Mexican Punitive Expedition, he served as an Aide-de-Camp to Major General George Bell, Jr. at Fort Bliss, TX.

Captain Lucas joined the 33rd Infantry Division in August 1917 at Camp Logan, TX, where he continued to serve MG George Bell, Jr., Commander of the 33rd, as Aide-de-Camp. CPT Lucas then led the Division's Infantry School of Arms while the Division trained for war. Promoted to Major on 15 January 1918, he was given Command of 108th Field Signal Battalion, 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 23 June 1918. MAJ Lucas was the Battalion's first casualty after being struck by a fragment from a German high-explosive shell. Evacuated to a hospital in England, he was later sent back to the U.S. on convalescent leave, where he recovered from his wounds in the Washington, DC, area. His wounds were severe enough to prevent him from rejoining the 33rd Infantry Division. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 31 October 1918. Following WWI, he reverted to his permanent rank of Captain.

From 1919-20, Lucas was assigned as a Military Science Instructor for the University of Michigan R.O.T.C. program in Ann Arbor, MI. In 1920, he rejoined the Field Artillery. He was promoted to Major in 1920, and in that year also entered the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, OK. He graduated from the Field Artillery Advanced Course in 1921 and became an instructor at the Field Artillery School from 1921–23. He then entered the one-year program at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, graduating in 1924 and finishing 78th out of 247 in his class. He next became the Professor of Military Science and Tactics for the R.O.T.C. program at Colorado Agricultural College (now Colorado State University), Fort Collins, CO. He served in this position for approximately 5 years (1924–29), earning an MS degree in 1927.

Major Lucas was selected to command 1st Battalion, 82d Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Bliss, TX, from 1929-31. He then enrolled in the Army War College, Carlisle, PA, in June 1931, and graduated in June 1932. From 1932 to 1936, Lucas worked in the Personnel Division, G1, of the War Department General Staff, where he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 1 August 1935. From July to October 1940, he served as Commander, 1st Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, OK and on 2 May 1940, he was promoted to Colonel. He then served as Commander of the Artillery Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, until July 1941, when he was notified that he would be given command of the 3rd Infantry Division.

In September 1941, Brigadier General Lucas was assigned as Commander, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, WA, where he conducted amphibious operations training in Puget Sound. Now a Major General, Lucas was next assigned as Commander, III Corps, Fort McPherson, GA, (April 1942-May 1943). In the Spring of 1943, MG Lucas was sent overseas as a Deputy to Eisenhower, and briefly took command of II Corps (9–19 September 1943). On 20 September 1943, Lucas was given command of VI Corps, taking over from Major General Ernest J. Dawley. On 22 January 1944, from the deck of the cruiser USS Biscayne, Lucas was relieved of command after Operation 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 not to "stick his neck out." 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 Commander of VI Corps at Anzio. Lucas spent three weeks as Clark's Deputy at Fifth Army Headquarters before returning to the United States.

In March 1944, MG Lucas was assigned as Deputy Commander, and later as Commander, of the U.S. Fourth Army, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, TX. After WWII, he was made Chief of the US Military Advisory Group to the Nationalist Chinese Government led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (1946–48). In 1948, he was assigned as Deputy Commander of the reactivated Fifth Army in Chicago, IL.

While still on active duty as Deputy Commander of the Fifth Army, MG Lucas died suddenly at Naval Station Great Lakes Naval Hospital, near Chicago on 24 December 1949.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Medal with Oak leaf Cluster
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star Medal
Purple Heart
Mexican Service Medal
World War I Victory Medal with Service Clasp
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Silver and 3 Bronze Stars
World War II Victory Medal

Foreign Medals and Awards

Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Cloud and Banner

Honors

A camp in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, was named after MG Lucas in honor of his service.

The polo field at Fort Sill, OK, was renamed Lucas Field in his honor. Lucas was widely known as a Polo player in his youth.

Lucas Street at Fort Sill, OK, is also named in his honor.

On 28 June 1962, Lucas Place at Fort Eustis, VA, was named in his honor.

Burial

Major General John Porter Lucas is buried at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Sydney Virginia Lucas (1892–1959). An obituary written by long-time associate and friend Major General Laurence B. Keiser appeared in the October 1950 issue of "The Assembly," the magazine of the Association of West Point Graduates.

In Cinema

In the movie Anzio the character of the over-cautious "General Lesley" is presumably based on John P. Lucas.