AW1 Joseph Robert Lucas USS Enterprise Born: August 22, 1963 Died: February 16, 1995 Hometown: Unknown

Scott Lucas (father):
AW1 Joseph Robert Lucas went to VP-16 as an AWAN in August of 1983, and stayed six years. After serving in VP-30 and Fleet Air Wing in 1993 he was ordered to the drydocked USS ENTERPRISE which was undergoing refitting. He worked with others on the design, efficacy, and function of the Combat Information Center. Joseph was killed in a car/truck accident February, 1995, before dawn in South Carolina. He was on his way to Jacksonville for flight time and to visit his wife and four children.

AWC Dan Miller:
I was Joe's LPO during that time. This was a traumatic event for us in the AW module, as we were just getting the ship back together after the 90-94 COH. Joe was the Operations Department Career Counselor, assisting many ET, OS, AG, DP, IS, AC, and yes AW personnel with getting their orders, reenlisting, and all the other things that a good CC does. He was transitioning back to the division, learning along with the rest of us how to get the equipment working again.
I first met Joe as an AWAN in VP-30, he was in the acoustic track, I in the SS-3. I was happy to see a friendly VP face when I got orders to the Big E years later. Joe was someone who could go from quoting Beavis and Butthead one minute and great literature the next.
Joe was especially fond of his family; we all sympathized with his plight as a geographical bachelor. The week that he died he was going to see his family over St. Valentine's Day.
Joe was buried in Arlington Nat'l. Cemetery, following a moving service and full Naval honors. As far as I know, Joe claimed Washington, D.C as his hometown...for which he got quite a lot of ribbing from me.
I always say a prayer for Joe whenever I pass Santee, SC.