Naval Destroyer named after WWII Hero Jack H. Lucas christened at Ingalls

A naval destroyer is named after a Marine famous for his heroism in the World War II battle of Iwo-Jima.

The christening was Saturday at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Jack H. Lucas, 17-years-old in 1945, threw himself on a grenade to save his fellow Marines.

Through gravely injured, Lucas survived the explosion after 21 surgeries.

President Harry Truman awarded the young man the Medal of Honor, making him the youngest recipient at the time. U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo said, “He’s just got a great story to tell about service and sacrifice. He’s also part of the Greatest Generation, where not only do we appreciate what they did for our nation — we owe them so much — but he also has part of that legacy of the Greatest Generation that they’ve left behind for future men and women who join the military and follow in their footsteps.”

Lucas died in 2008 at the age of 80 in Hattiesburg.