USMC makes Georgia teen with cancer an honorary Marine

Nov 10, 2023

Ryan Robertson Anchor, Investigative Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor, Investigative Reporter)

Jack Lowe is a Marine. It’s the only thing he’s ever wanted to be. His parents both served in the Corps. His grandfather was a USMC pilot. Jack Lowe is a Marine.

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The 17-year-old lives in Georgia with his parents. Last year, as a junior in high school, doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing sarcoma. Lowe beat it once — even ringing the victory bell at the hospital — but the cancer came back in August. The cancer is resistant to chemotherapy and doctors say Jack only has a “short window” of life left.

Jack Lowe holds his Eagle Globe and Anchor out after becoming an “Honorary Marine,” during a ceremony at the Lowe family residence on November 1, 2023. (Source: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Warren Smith)

Unwilling to see their young hero leave this life without achieving his dreams, Jack’s friends and family started searching for ways to make the young man a Marine. As fate would have it, the USMC started an honorary Marine program in 1992 to honor civilians with extraordinary contributions and ties to the Corps.

It’s a rare honor and requires approval from the Corps’ commandant. According to Marine Corps Times, as of July, there were only around 75 people in the program’s history.

However, the request to make Jack an honorary Marine was quickly approved.

Daniel Lowe, father of Jack Lowe, hugs his son after presenting him the Eagle Globe and Anchor during a ceremony where Jack Lowe was named an “Honorary Marine,” at the family’s residence on November 1, 2023. (Source: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Warren Smith)

On Nov. 1, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Walker Field led Jack through his induction ceremony. With one hand on his walker and one in the air, Jack Lowe swore his oath of enlistment.

The general said the greatest weapon Marines have is their fighting spirit.

“Throughout this very challenging time, Jack has displayed a tenacious fight underpinned by steady resolve and a wry, witty sense of humor,” Field said during the ceremony. “Henceforth, we as Marines embrace him as one of our own.”

Field then ordered Jack’s father, a retired Marine Corps staff sergeant, to remove the Eagle Globe and Anchor pin from the general’s own uniform and give it to Jack, signaling the new “Devil Dog” had found his pack. Jack Lowe is a Marine.

Over the weekend, Jack Lowe was able to attend the 248th Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Atlanta, Georgia.

Marines from Marine Forces Reserve’s Combat Logistics Regiment 45 and staff from Recruiting Station Atlanta was able to get him a set of dress blues for the event. pic.twitter.com/PXiVODBIYC
— Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. (@MCRDPI) November 6, 2023

Wanting to show their newest member a good time, the Corps made sure Pvt. Lowe attended a nearby birthday ball to celebrate the Corps’ 248th birthday with his brethren. Jack said he had a blast at the event. The guest speaker, Sgt. Maj. John Miller, told the young man that he’s right where he needed to be: among his fellow Marines, because Jack Lowe is a Marine.

Tags: Cancer, Georgia, Marine Corps

JACK LOWE IS A MARINE. IT’S REALLY THE ONLY THING HE’S EVER WANTED TO BE. HIS PARENTS SERVED IN THE CORPS. SO DID HIS GRANDFATHER. JACK LOWE IS A MARINE.

THE 17-YEAR-OLD LIVES IN GEORGIA WITH HIS PARENTS. LAST YEAR, DOCTORS DIAGNOSED HIM WITH A RARE FORM OF BONE CANCER CALLED EWING SARCOMA. HE BEAT IT ONCE, BUT IT CAME BACK IN AUGUST. THE CANCER IS RESISTANT TO CHEMOTHERAPY, AND DOCTORS SAY JACK ONLY HAS A SHORT WINDOW OF LIFE LEFT.

UNWILLING TO SEE THEIR YOUNG HERO LEAVE THIS LIFE WITHOUT ACHIEVING HIS DREAMS, JACK’S FRIENDS AND FAMILY STARTED SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO MAKE THE YOUNG MAN A MARINE. AS FATE WOULD HAVE IT, THE USMC STARTED AN HONORARY MARINE PROGRAM IN 1992 TO HONOR CIVILIANS WITH EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND TIES TO THE CORPS. IT’S A RARE HONOR, AND REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.

BUT MARINES STICK TOGETHER, AND THE REQUEST TO MAKE JACK AN HONORARY MARINE WAS QUICKLY APPROVED.

ON NOVEMBER FIRST, MARINE CORPS BRIG. GENERAL WALKER FIELD LED JACK THROUGH HIS INDUCTION CEREMONY. WITH ONE HAND ON HIS WALKER AND ONE IN THE AIR, JACK LOWE SWORE HIS OATH OF ENLISTMENT.

THE GENERAL SAID THE GREATEST WEAPON MARINES HAVE IS THEIR FIGHTING SPIRIT. HE THEN ORDERED JACK’S FATHER TO REMOVE THE EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR PIN FROM THE GENERAL’S OWN UNIFORM AND GIVE IT TO JACK, SIGNALING THE NEW DEVIL DOG HAD FOUND HIS PACK. JACK LOWE IS A MARINE.

WANTING TO SHOW THEIR NEWEST MEMBER A GOOD TIME, THE CORPS MADE SURE PRIVATE LOWE ATTENDED A BIRTHDAY BALL AS WELL TO CELEBRATE THE CORPS’ 248TH BIRTHDAY WITH HIS BRETHREN. JACK SAID HE HAD A BLAST AT THE EVENT, AND THE GUEST SPEAKER TOLD THE YOUNG MAN HE’S RIGHT WHERE HE NEEDED TO BE. AMONG HIS FELLOW MARINES, BECAUSE JACK LOWE IS A MARINE.