The Brothers Lukasik..... A Story from 56-G.

Tonight, I had the pleasure of getting to meet Mark and David, the Lukasik brothers.  Their father, like mine, was a member of Pilot Training Class 56-G.  The Lukasik boys are partners in a restaurant in Fort Myers, Florida and rode their Harley’s all the way out here to the reunion in Colorado Springs. 

When we finished dinner, I took the opportunity to walk over to their table to visit a while, along with other children of 56-G vets.  Mark, like his father, was also an Air Force Veteran.  Over the flowing drinks, he held court with us, regaling us with stories of his hijinks as a cadet at the Air Force Academy (79TLCWB… yes.  This is an acronym for the AFA Class of 79, ‘The Last Class With Balls’), and the commandant who was a General named (aptly) Richard Head…. You can’t make this stuff up.  Mark’s brother David, put in over 20 years with the US Coast Guard.  I’m surrounded by patriots.

Their father wasn’t with us.  He was Captain Bernard F. Lukasik. 

“Bernie” Lukasik was a name I’d heard a hundred times when my dad would talk of the members of 56-G who’d paid the ultimate price.  On the 18^th of February, 1964, Captain Lukasik’s heroism earned him the Air Force Cross.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Bernard Francis Lukasik (AFSN: 0-48211), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with the 1st Air Commando Squadron, 34th Tactical Group, Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, as a Advisor-Pilot of a T-28D aircraft on 18 February 1964. On that date, Captain Lukasik provided airpower against advancing Viet Cong guerrillas who were intent on capturing a Vietnamese airman who had bailed out of his burning aircraft.

Despite the danger of hostile gun fire, Captain Lukasik continuously flew his aircraft at extremely low level and remained in the area until he was satisfied that the safety of the downed airman was assured. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Captain Lukasik reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

The next day, Bernie was shot down and killed while providing air cover against Viet Cong forces who were trying to capture a downed RVNAF airman.

Mark and I talked of his father, who was 28 years old when he was killed.  I asked Mark how old he was when it happened.  “I was 6”, he replied.  “I have great memories of dad”, he told me.  His brother David, however, was too young to have them.  “That’s why I bring him to these things”, Mark related, “So he’ll know.  So he can get a better sense of who dad was and where he came from”.

By this time in our conversation, David had left the table and gone to bed.  I told Mark about the trip that I’d taken Carter and Brandon on Spring before last, where we’d accompanied Dad on a guy’s trip to Washington, DC.  I told him of our trip to Arlington Cemetery and the short walk from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to Section 35, site 1427 which holds the remains of Captain Bernard F. Lukasik.  I showed him the picture where my sons posed with their Grandfather and his old friend, who left us way too soon. 

Very few words were exchanged at that point.  I wanted Mark to know that though his father left this world before my time, he was part of my thoughts and memories.  His service and sacrifice matters still, not just to him and his brother, but also to his old friends and comrades…. And to his country.  It didn’t stop with his father.  Their mother is also buried in that same plot, passing a mere 5 years after their father.  An uncle, Colonel Joseph Lukasik, USAF is also buried just feet away.

“My entire family is at Arlington”, Mark remarked. 

The Pilot Training Class 56-G did its part.  Tonight, I’ll remember Captain Bernard Lukasik…. And cherish the new friendship I share with his sons…those little boys he left behind in the early days of the Vietnam War.

 

Ride Safe, and With Purpose.