#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Lucius Byron Nash

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Navy Veteran Lucius Byron Nash. Lucius served during World War I from 1917 to 1919.

Lucius was born in 1892 in Illinois. He originally enlisted in the Navy Reserves in August of 1917 as an Electrician First Class. He was then recalled to active duty and reported to the USS Salem. On December 18, 1917, he passed the Naval Engineering Examination. Lucius was commissioned as an Ensign and assigned to active duty 10 days later where he was to report to the Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts.

Lucius was then assigned to the USS Roanoke which was a minelayer that was tasked with placing mines across the North Sea to prevent German U-boats from attacking Atlantic shipping lanes. His duty onboard the USS Roanoke required long hours, often in the pouring rain. In 1918, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. In 1919, he finished his service.

Lucius passed away in 1980.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Veterans History Project

This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from Veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.

Graphic by Emma Catlett. Emma is a sophomore at Baylor University and is studying Political Science with a French minor and Pre-Law concentration.