Jack Lummus
Encyclopedia
Andrew Jackson Lummus, Jr. (October 22, 1915–March 8, 1945) was a two-sport athlete at Baylor University
, a professional football player with the New York Giants
, and an officer in the United States Marine Corps
. He fought, and died, at the Battle of Iwo Jima
during World War II
and received the Medal of Honor
for his service.
on a cotton
farm. He was the youngest child and only son of four born to Andrew Jackson Lummus Sr., and Laura Francis Lummus.
He attended Ennis High School
from September 1931 through May 1934, where he was a star in football
and track. He received all-district honors for football in his sophomore and junior years. He dropped out before the end of his senior year due to the views of his family that the cost of graduating, such as buying a picture and gown, were too wasteful considering the ongoing Depression
. This may also have been affected by a case of influenza
he contracted. He finished his high school education at Texas Military College
on a two-year sports scholarship and won all-conference honors for his participation in football.
He graduated on May 28, 1937, receiving scholarship offers from Baylor University
and Tulane University
. He enrolled at Baylor on September 14, 1937. There, he was an All-Southwest Conference center fielder for three years and an outstanding end on the football team. Those three years, the Bears finished third in baseball, and Lummus was considered to be the best center fielder that had ever played for Baylor.
In football
he played first-string end wearing No. 53. For two consecutive years, he was nominated by the Associated Press
to the All-America
n team, and in 1938 he made honorable mention for the team. He was sometimes compared to Sam Boyd. Before he left Baylor, he signed a minor league baseball
contract with the Wichita Falls Spudders
, and uniform player's contract with the New York Giants
.
On May 26, 1941, an Army Air Corps
recruiter came to the school. Lummus and 25 other students enlisted in the Air Corps and signed up for a civilian flying school as a result of this visit. While waiting for the Air Corps to call him, Lummus inexplicably dropped out of Baylor; he was going to graduate soon, and his academic records showed satisfactory grades. The ongoing war in Europe was thought to have influenced this decision
After dropping out, Lummus joined the Class D Spudders of the West Texas-New Mexico League
. He played right and center field. On July 6, 1941, he played his 26th, and last, game for the Spudders. The Army Air Corps had called on him to honor his enlistment papers. In those 26 games, he had a .257 batting average.
Lummus reported to Hicks Field, 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas
, to enroll in the flight school there that was licensed by the Army but run by civilians. While making his first solo flight, he flew the flight plan and landed without flaw. While taxiing on the runway however, he accidentally clipped a fence with his wingtip, washing him out of flight school.
. As one of the 30 players who made the Giants' roster, he wore No. 29. He had signed on as a free agent
and received a $100 monthly salary. He made the team as a rookie
end and played in nine games.
On December 7, 1941, the Giants were playing their archrival the Brooklyn Dodgers
. Around half-time, the Associated Press ticker in the press box gave out a message saying, "Airplanes identified as Japanese have attacked the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor." The players continued the game, knowing nothing of the attack.
The Giants lost but went on to play the Chicago Bears
in the NFL championship game
.
, he was assigned to Camp Elliott, 10 miles north of San Diego
. There he joined the Devildogs, the San Diego Marine Corps baseball club.
In May 1942, he was sent to the busy seaport of Mare Island
as a military police
man. There he joined another baseball club. On June 10, he was promoted to private first class, and two months later he was promoted to corporal. On October 18, he enrolled at the Officers Training School at Quantico, Virginia
. He graduated on December 18, and received a commission as a second lieutenant. He was sent back to California and was assigned to the elite Marine Raiders
at Camp Pendleton
. When the Marine Raiders were dissolved, he was assigned to the 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division.
In January 1944, he was assigned as executive officer, Company F, Second Battalion, 27th Marines. In August 1944, the division was transferred to Camp Tarawa
outside of Waimea, Hawaii
. Lummus boarded the USS Henry Clay for the trip. After four months of training, the Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps
and would fight to take the island of Iwo Jima
.
, February 19, 1945. He landed at 9 a.m. on the beach known as Red One. He and his platoon spent the next two weeks incessantly fighting the dug-in Japanese.
His initial duty was a liaison officer for the Second Battalion, spotting targets on the slopes of Mt. Suribachi for artillery
and air strikes. On March 6, he was given command of Company E's third rifle platoon. On March 8, his platoon was spearheading a final assault on an objective east of Kitano Point, near the northern edge of the island. Despite minor wounds received from grenade shrapnel, Lummus knocked out three enemy strongholds, well-fortified positions arranged to defend each other, which were preventing his platoon from reaching its objective. Following this action, he stepped on a land mine
and was mortally wounded, losing his legs. While lying on the ground, he urged his platoon on, until he was carried off to an aid station.
At the aid station, he famously told the doctor, Thomas M. Brown, "Well, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good end today.". He was transferred to the field hospital, where he underwent surgery and a transfusion of 18 pints of blood, but died of internal wounds on the operating table. He was buried in plot five, row 13, grave 1,244 in the Fifth Division Cemetery. His body was later moved to Ennis, Texas.
In a letter to his mother, Lummus' commanding officer wrote:
citation reads:
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, a professional football player with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and an officer in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He fought, and died, at the Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his service.
Biography
He was born in Ellis County, TexasEllis County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 111,360 people, 37,020 households, and 29,653 families residing in the county. The population density was 118 people per square mile . There were 39,071 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
on a cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
farm. He was the youngest child and only son of four born to Andrew Jackson Lummus Sr., and Laura Francis Lummus.
He attended Ennis High School
Ennis Independent School District
Ennis Independent School District is a public school district based in Ennis, Texas .In addition to Ennis, the district serves the towns of Alma, Bardwell, and Garrett in southeastern Ellis County...
from September 1931 through May 1934, where he was a star in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
and track. He received all-district honors for football in his sophomore and junior years. He dropped out before the end of his senior year due to the views of his family that the cost of graduating, such as buying a picture and gown, were too wasteful considering the ongoing Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. This may also have been affected by a case of influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
he contracted. He finished his high school education at Texas Military College
Texas Military College
Texas Military College was a military school located in the city of Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas, United States.-History:Texas Military College, a private primary school, high school, and junior college in Terrell, began operation in September 1915...
on a two-year sports scholarship and won all-conference honors for his participation in football.
He graduated on May 28, 1937, receiving scholarship offers from Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
and Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
. He enrolled at Baylor on September 14, 1937. There, he was an All-Southwest Conference center fielder for three years and an outstanding end on the football team. Those three years, the Bears finished third in baseball, and Lummus was considered to be the best center fielder that had ever played for Baylor.
In football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
he played first-string end wearing No. 53. For two consecutive years, he was nominated by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
to the All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n team, and in 1938 he made honorable mention for the team. He was sometimes compared to Sam Boyd. Before he left Baylor, he signed a minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
contract with the Wichita Falls Spudders
Wichita Falls Spudders
The Wichita Falls Spudders were a minor league baseball team that formed in 1920 and played its last game in 1957. They were based in Wichita Falls, Texas....
, and uniform player's contract with the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
On May 26, 1941, an Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
recruiter came to the school. Lummus and 25 other students enlisted in the Air Corps and signed up for a civilian flying school as a result of this visit. While waiting for the Air Corps to call him, Lummus inexplicably dropped out of Baylor; he was going to graduate soon, and his academic records showed satisfactory grades. The ongoing war in Europe was thought to have influenced this decision
After dropping out, Lummus joined the Class D Spudders of the West Texas-New Mexico League
West Texas-New Mexico League
The West Texas-New Mexico League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1937 through 1955. The league was not active in 1943-1945 because of World War II...
. He played right and center field. On July 6, 1941, he played his 26th, and last, game for the Spudders. The Army Air Corps had called on him to honor his enlistment papers. In those 26 games, he had a .257 batting average.
Lummus reported to Hicks Field, 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, to enroll in the flight school there that was licensed by the Army but run by civilians. While making his first solo flight, he flew the flight plan and landed without flaw. While taxiing on the runway however, he accidentally clipped a fence with his wingtip, washing him out of flight school.
New York Giants football career
He then traveled to the New York Giants' training camp in Superior, WisconsinSuperior, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...
. As one of the 30 players who made the Giants' roster, he wore No. 29. He had signed on as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
and received a $100 monthly salary. He made the team as a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
end and played in nine games.
On December 7, 1941, the Giants were playing their archrival the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
. Around half-time, the Associated Press ticker in the press box gave out a message saying, "Airplanes identified as Japanese have attacked the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor." The players continued the game, knowing nothing of the attack.
The Giants lost but went on to play the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the NFL championship game
NFL Championship Game, 1941
The 1941 National Football League Championship game was the 9th annual championship game and was held December 21, 1941 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game was played two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The attendance was 13,341, the smallest ever to see an NFL title game...
.
Military career
After the championship game, Lummus enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on January 30, 1942. After finishing basic training at the Mainside recruit training center in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, he was assigned to Camp Elliott, 10 miles north of San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. There he joined the Devildogs, the San Diego Marine Corps baseball club.
In May 1942, he was sent to the busy seaport of Mare Island
Mare Island
Mare Island is a peninsula in the United States alongside the city of Vallejo, California, about northeast of San Francisco. The Napa River forms its eastern side as it enters the Carquinez Strait juncture with the east side of San Pablo Bay. Mare Island is considered a peninsula because no full...
as a military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
man. There he joined another baseball club. On June 10, he was promoted to private first class, and two months later he was promoted to corporal. On October 18, he enrolled at the Officers Training School at Quantico, Virginia
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
. He graduated on December 18, and received a commission as a second lieutenant. He was sent back to California and was assigned to the elite Marine Raiders
Marine Raiders
The Marine Raiders were elite units established by the United States Marine Corps during World War II to conduct amphibious light infantry warfare, particularly in landing in rubber boats and operating behind the lines...
at Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
. When the Marine Raiders were dissolved, he was assigned to the 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division.
In January 1944, he was assigned as executive officer, Company F, Second Battalion, 27th Marines. In August 1944, the division was transferred to Camp Tarawa
Camp Tarawa
Camp Tarawa was a training camp located on the big island of Hawaii constructed and used by the 2nd Marine Division during World War II. The grounds of the camp were situated between the volcanic peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Marines were sent straight from the bloodly Battle of Tarawa to the...
outside of Waimea, Hawaii
Waimea, Hawaii
Waimea refers to multiple places in Hawai‘i:*Waimea, Hawaii County, Hawaii*Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii*Waimea Bay on O‘ahu*Waimea Canyon State Park on Kaua‘i...
. Lummus boarded the USS Henry Clay for the trip. After four months of training, the Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps
V Amphibious Corps
The V Amphibious Corps was a formation of the United States Marine Corps and was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions during World War II. They were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fleet and were notably involved in the battles for Tarawa and Saipan in 1944...
and would fight to take the island of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
.
Iwo Jima
Lummus was in the first wave of troops to land at Iwo Jima on D-DayD-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, February 19, 1945. He landed at 9 a.m. on the beach known as Red One. He and his platoon spent the next two weeks incessantly fighting the dug-in Japanese.
His initial duty was a liaison officer for the Second Battalion, spotting targets on the slopes of Mt. Suribachi for artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and air strikes. On March 6, he was given command of Company E's third rifle platoon. On March 8, his platoon was spearheading a final assault on an objective east of Kitano Point, near the northern edge of the island. Despite minor wounds received from grenade shrapnel, Lummus knocked out three enemy strongholds, well-fortified positions arranged to defend each other, which were preventing his platoon from reaching its objective. Following this action, he stepped on a land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
and was mortally wounded, losing his legs. While lying on the ground, he urged his platoon on, until he was carried off to an aid station.
At the aid station, he famously told the doctor, Thomas M. Brown, "Well, doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good end today.". He was transferred to the field hospital, where he underwent surgery and a transfusion of 18 pints of blood, but died of internal wounds on the operating table. He was buried in plot five, row 13, grave 1,244 in the Fifth Division Cemetery. His body was later moved to Ennis, Texas.
In a letter to his mother, Lummus' commanding officer wrote:
- Jack suffered very little for he didn't live long. I saw Jack soon after he was hit. With calmness, serenity and complacency, Jack said, 'The New York Giants lost a good man.' We all lost a good man.
Medal of Honor citation
His Medal of HonorMedal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a Rifle Platoon attached to the 2d Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese forces on Iwo JimaIwo JimaIwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
in the Volcano Islands, 8 March 1945. Resuming his assault tactics with bold decision after fighting without respite for 2 days and nights, 1st Lt. Lummus slowly advanced his platoonPlatoonA platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
against an enemy deeply entrenched in a network of mutually supporting positions. Suddenly halted by a terrific concentration of hostile fire, he unhesitatingly moved forward of his front lines in an effort to neutralize the Japanese position. Although knocked to the ground when an enemy grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
exploded close by, he immediately recovered himself and, again moving forward despite the intensified barrage, quickly located, attacked, and destroyed the occupied emplacement. Instantly taken under fire by the garrison of a supporting pillbox and further assailed by the slashing fury of hostile rifleRifleA rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
fire, he fell under the impact of a second enemy grenadeGrenadeA grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
but, courageously disregarding painful shoulder wounds, staunchly continued his heroic 1-man assault and charged the second pillbox, annihilating all the occupants. Subsequently returning to his platoon position, he fearlessly traversed his lines under fire, encouraging his men to advance and directing the fire of supporting tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s against other stubbornly holding Japanese emplacements. Held up again by a devastating barrage, he again moved into the open, rushed a third heavily fortified installation and killed the defending troops. Determined to crush all resistance, he led his men indomitably, personally attacking foxholes and spider traps with his carbineCarbineA carbine , from French carabine, is a longarm similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length....
and systematically reducing the fanatic opposition until, stepping on a land mineLand mineA land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
, he sustained fatal wounds. By his outstanding valor, skilled tactics, and tenacious perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, 1st Lt. Lummus had inspired his stouthearted marines to continue the relentless drive northward, thereby contributing materially to the success of his regimental mission. His dauntless leadership and unwavering devotion to duty throughout sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval ServiceUnited States Department of the NavyThe Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima