Waymon Lucas, Jr. grew up in Maryland. In the 6th grade, he and his class went to the Naval Academy at Annapolis and were all given sailor’s hats. Waymon’s experience gave him a profound feeling of pride about the military and his nation and he joined the US Navy at the age of 18.

Waymon went to Basic Training at Great Lakes, IL and then went to Tennessee to receive extra training in Aviation Structural Mechanics. Since aircraft had always fascinated him, he was able to combine two passions in one. As Waymon later said “There’s nothing like seeing an aircraft you’ve worked on and maintained being launched off the end of a catapult. I’m proud to have been part of and served the best aviation team in the world, the U.S. Naval Aviation team!” Waymon went to his first duty station in 1972 at San Diego, CA, aboard the USS TICONDEROGA (CVS-14) working on the maintenance of their airplanes. He was able to see many parts of the world including the Mediterranean aboard the USS AMERICAN (CVA-66) and the Virgin Islands on the USS KENNEDY (CVA-67). Out of seven squadrons that he was in, only two aircraft were ever lost. The most heart wrenching was aboard the USS KENNEDY, when a young sailor was given a seat aboard the EZC HAWKEYE to fly home to attend his wife’s funeral and the plane went down with all five aboard perishing. The other had a happier ending, when an F8 CRUSADER flamed out after takeoff. Fortunately, the pilot ejected safely. Waymon also enjoyed stateside stations, such as Norfolk, VA; Andrews AFB and Pax River, MD, where along with his military duties he became a Volunteer Firefighter, joined a gospel group and he and his wife had their first child, Damien. They later had two more children, Adriane and Jennetta. Waymon’s last duty station was San Diego, CA during Operation Desert Storm. After, in his civilian career, he ended up working the same job he left, but this time he was in charge!

Waymon heard about the “Old Soldier’s Home” when he was young and had noticed it on his leave and earnings statement while in the military. So in December 2014, he came to AFRH-W. Waymon enjoys music and plays his harmonica on campus.