High school has moment of silence for slain Marine

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004 | 8:20 a.m.

Students at Durango High School on Tuesday observed a moment of silence for 2003 honor student graduate John Lukac, a Marine private first class killed in action in Iraq on Saturday.

Gilbert Mestas, dean of the school at 7100 W. Dewey Drive in southwest Las Vegas, said the announcement of Lukac's death was made during morning announcements and was followed by a moment of silence in his memory.

The son of Czechoslovakian-born parents also will be remembered at the school in a flag presentation ceremony on a date to be determined.

Mestas said neither the school's principal nor the ROTC director were at the school Tuesday, but both will be involved in determining when the school will present a ceremonial U.S. flag to John's parents, Jan and Helena Lukac.

Marine Staff Sgt. Tom McCarty said Lukac is back home in the United States and will probably be brought to Las Vegas today or Thursday.

But it was unknown Tuesday when funeral services will be held. McCarty said funeral plans will be announced by a mortuary once they are set.

Meanwhile, condolences over the 19-year-old's death continued to come in.

"My heart goes out to John Lukac's parents and his entire family," Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said in a news release. "I can't imagine the emptiness and pain in their hearts right now.

"I hope they understand that all Nevadans join with them in mourning their brave son. We are grateful for John's service to his nation. ... We will never forget the sacrifice he made on behalf of freedom."

John Lukac died about 1:40 p.m. Saturday as the result of an explosion in the Al Anbar province, according to a military summary of the incident given to his family. He was one of eight Marines killed and nine injured in the attack.

Lukac, a member of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force stationed in Hawaii before deployment, was the seventh military member from Nevada killed in Iraq, Kuwait or Afghanistan since fighting began in the Middle East in late 2001.

At least 1,121 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war, according to the Associated Press.