Private Luther Rucker was born in Atlanta, Georgia on June 30, 1893. His parents were Bram Rucker and Susan Grimmet. Private Rucker quit school at the age of twelve in the fourth grade. He worked for his father as a laborer. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in January, 1913. Private Rucker was sentenced to Life Imprisonment at Hard Labor but his sentenced was reduced to 30 years. He was paroled in 1927 and his sentence was remitted in 1935.