OSS Rucker, Lucius Owen, Jr

[John Robertson]

• SURNAME

Rucker ​

• FORENAME

Lucius Owen, Jr ​

• UNIT

OSS Senior Parachute Training Instructor ​

• RANK

Lieutenant Colonel ​

• NUMBER

​

• AWARD

Legion of Merit, Bronze Star ​

• PLACE

WW2 ​

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

from Mississippi​

born 13.12.1915 Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, USA​

father Lucius Owen Rucker (1887-1950)​

mother Fannie (nee Millsaps) Rucker (1884-1973)​

employed by Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company, 220 South President, Jackson, Mississippi​

resided 310 Downing Street, Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi (draft card)​

16.10.1940 draft card Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi​

503rd Parachute (HQ Company)​

OSS Parachute School, Schools and Training Branch Area A-2 (Captain)​

OSS Algiers (air ops)​

OSS Chief of Air Ops, Kunming, China ​

served Korea​

later CIA​

29.08.1942 married Ellen Louise (nee Tabor)​

07.12.1957 married Etta Mae (nee Nesmith) Rucker (1916-1976)​

died 15.09.1986 (Aged 70)​

Lakewood Memorial Park, Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi, USA. Section 6.​

​

 

[Whlong]

Lou o Rucker jr was/is my great uncle. He never spoke of his missions. Are these books related to his past operations and training?

 

[Craig Robertson]

Lou o Rucker jr was/is my great uncle. He never spoke of his missions. Are these books related to his past operations and training?

I've updated your great uncle's record. If you have any more information to add/amend please let me know.
Also books listed are recommended OSS books.

 

[Whlong]

Thank you.

I saw some of his medals and wings from different countries with his name on them were on an auction. I hope to be able to see how to get them on day. I really appreciate you adding those notes.

Something I discovered:
He instructed some of the first OSS women from different countries. Those 38 women he instructed as parachutists represented only 1 percent of the 3,800 people he trained to jump out of airplanes. He supervised more than twenty thousand jumps in his career, and he reported that only 50 trainees had refused at the last minute to jump out of the plane. None of those who refused was a woman.