John Luke Hastings was born on December 12, 1917 in Scottsboro, Jackson County, Alabama. He was the son of Thomas Bailey Hastings and Maggie Lucinda Knight Hastings. John enlisted in the US Army at Ft. McPhearson, Alabama on January 30, 1942 and served in Africa and then went to England for training for 7 Months to fight in the invasion of Normandy. He served during World War II as a Private First Class in the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. He died on June 6, 1944 during the invasion on Omaha Beach, France and is now buried in Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.