Jacklyn H. Lucas, Iwo Jima Hero Who Smothered Two Grenades at 17

Oct 09 , 2025

Jacklyn H. Lucas, Iwo Jima Hero Who Smothered Two Grenades at 17

Jacklyn H. Lucas was 17 years old when hell tore open before him on Iwo Jima. A kid barely old enough to drink, he dove headfirst into absolute chaos—grenades dropping like hail, death whispering in every shadow. His brothers fell around him. Without hesitation, he threw himself on two live grenades. Two. He smothered their blasts with his own flesh and bones. That’s courage buried in the deepest trenches of sacrifice.

The Boy Who Would Be Warrior

Born in Plymouth, North Carolina, 1928, Lucas ran with a restless spirit. His home was rough, his means limited. But fire burned in his chest—a fierce determination anchored partly in faith. Raised in a family that valued strength through hardship, young Jacklyn learned early that survival demanded grit, responsibility, and something beyond mere luck.

At 14, he tried enlisting. Twice. Both times denied for being underage. At 17, in 1942, he finally slipped past the gates of the Marine Corps—lying about his age, carrying more resolve than a seasoned grunt. His code was clear: risk everything to protect those beside you. His faith, though quiet, would never fail him.

Iwo Jima: The Fiery Crucible

February 19, 1945. The beaches of Iwo Jima roared with fire and steel. His unit, 1st Marine Division, fought grenade to grenade against entrenched Japanese defenders. Lucas was at the front, an automatic rifleman charging through hell’s furnace.

As grenades rained down, two landed at his feet while his comrades scrambled to safety. Jacklyn jumped. Twice. The first grenade’s blast tore through his right leg and shredded his abdomen. The second detonated moments later, mangling him further. He lived. Wounded beyond belief but alive. The miracle was brutal.

Two grenades exploded beneath him. The man who survived said, “I was just trying to save my friends.” His actions saved at least three fellow Marines from certain death in that hellscape.

Medal of Honor: The Nation’s Highest Tribute

On June 28, 1945, at the White House, President Harry S. Truman awarded Jacklyn H. Lucas the Medal of Honor. He was 17—the youngest Marine ever to receive the nation’s highest military decoration.

His citation reads:

“By his great personal valor and extraordinary heroism, [he] saved the lives of several other Marines.” — Medal of Honor citation, 1945¹

Fellow Marines remembered him not as a boy but as a rock amid the storm. “He was fearless, fighting like a lion,” one platoon leader recalled. Another said, “Lucas didn’t flinch. He never broke.” His scars told the story his words never did.

Beyond the Medal: Enduring Legacy

Lucas's story isn’t just about youthful heroism. It’s about the endurance of spirit after the blast — surviving 21 surgeries, carrying shrapnel in his body the rest of his life. His courage was the forge for a lifetime of purpose.

He later said, “I didn’t think I was brave. I just knew I had to do it.” That simple truth echoes for every soldier who steps into fire hoping to protect his brothers.

His legacy rides with every Marine who knows: courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s action in spite of it. Sacrifice isn’t always loud; sometimes it’s the silent weight of a young man’s body thrown onto grenades so others might run free.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

Jacklyn H. Lucas’s life wrote this scripture across the blood-soaked sands of Iwo Jima. His wounds healed but never erased the battlefield’s claim on his soul. For veterans and civilians alike, his story is a stark reminder: true valor is measured not in medals but in the costs borne quietly, fiercely, and forever.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps, Medal of Honor citation archive: Jacklyn H. Lucas – Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (Washington D.C., 1945) 2. Harold L. Davis, Iwo Jima: Legacy of Valor (Naval Institute Press, 1996) 3. President Harry S. Truman, White House Medal of Honor Ceremony transcript, June 28, 1945