Tom Luby had his heart set on joining the Marines when he volunteered to join the forces. Due to vision complications, he proudly served on the home front during World War II. By JAMIE PATTERSON
Managing Editor

His dream was to join the Marines and do his part overseas in battle like so many of his childhood friends.
Eagerly volunteering at 18 years old, the young country boy was anxious to see where the Marines would take him in life.
But one word from a doctor sent all those dreams crashing to the ground.
That was when Tom Luby knew he would do what he could for his country on the home front at Camp Shelby.
“I was determined to join the services with my buddy W.A. Davis,” Luby said. “We left one night to go in together.”
But Luby began to get real nervous when five medical employees began gathering around him at the testing facility.
With glasses already on, Luby was concerned they wouldn’t accept him.
“They called in five doctors to look at my eyes,” he said, looking down. “I interrupted them and asked, ‘that’s not gonna keep me from getting into the Marines, is it?’
One of the doctors broke the news to Luby that because of his vision impairment, he couldn’t fulfill his dream. He would not become a Marine.
“My heart sank to my stomach,” Luby said. “My heart and soul was in it to become a Marine. All I could do was sit there and wipe the tears from my eyes.”
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