Luz was born in Fall River, Massachusetts on June 17, 1921 to Portuguese parents. He had six sisters and three brothers. He later moved to and grew up in West Warwick, Rhode Island. He dropped out of high school as a junior to help support his family during the Great Depression. Luz decided to join the Airborne on August 25, 1942 at Providence, Rhode Island; he went to Camp Toccoa, Georgia for Paratrooper training and was assigned to Easy Company.