Jacklyn Harold Lucas dove on two grenades and survived at Tarawa

Feb 11 , 2026

Jacklyn Harold Lucas dove on two grenades and survived at Tarawa

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was 17 years old when he dove onto two live grenades. Not once, but twice. Bloodied, broken, barely breathing—but breathing still. It was a boy who became legend that day. A boy who became one of the fiercest stories of sacrifice from the hellscape of World War II.

Early Years & A Code Born in Faith

Born August 14, 1928, in Plymouth, North Carolina, Jack Lucas was no stranger to hardship. Raised by a loving but tough family, his upbringing carved a man of grit and stubborn faith. He longed to fight, to be part of something bigger—to stand in the breach for his country and his comrades.

His belief ran deep. Jack carried a sense of divine purpose, grounded in Scripture that would soon prove more than words. He once said his faith gave him strength on the battlefield—when all hope seemed lost. His honor was stitched into every step, every choice.

The Battle That Defined Him

October 25, 1943—Tarawa Atoll, one of the bloodiest islands in the Pacific theater. The 2nd Marine Division hit razor-wire and unyielding enemy fire during the initial amphibious landing. Chaos and carnage swallowed the shoreline.

Lucas, who had lied about his age to enlist, landed with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. The fight was brutal. The enemy’s defense was merciless. Within moments of landing, a grenade landed among a cluster of roughly twenty Marines who had just taken cover.

Without hesitation, the seventeen-year-old threw himself onto the grenade —covering it with his body to absorb the blast. The explosion ripped through his chest, legs, and arms. He blacked out. When he came to, disoriented and hemorrhaging, the shouts and gunfire hadn’t stopped.

Moments later, another grenade flew—this time he did the same, diving on it again. Twice wounded, bleeding from broken limbs and burns, Lucas prevented what could have been the deaths of a dozen Marines right next to him.

He survived. Wounded and unconscious on the sandy beach, saved countless lives by sheer will and sacrifice.

Medal of Honor & Words of Commanders

For his extraordinary heroism, Jack Lucas became the youngest Marine ever awarded the Medal of Honor. Presented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in June 1945, the citation outlined actions “above and beyond the call of duty.”

His commanding officer, Colonel David M. Shoup—himself a Medal of Honor recipient—said of Lucas:

“Jack’s heroism saved the lives of at least a dozen of his comrades while exposing himself to mortal danger without hesitation. His courage under fire is an inspiration to all Marines.”

Lucas received two Purple Hearts for his wounds, as well as the Silver Star for gallantry.

His Medal of Honor citation reads in part:

“Despite his youth and relatively limited experience, Private Lucas acted without thought for himself in the face of imminent danger, exhibiting the highest possible valor.”

Enduring Legacy & Redemption in Sacrifice

Jack Lucas’ scars tell of a boy who became a man in the crucible of war. His sacrifice was raw, redemptive, and endless. After the war, he spoke openly about faith and the burden of survival—the weight shared by all who stood in the fires of combat.

In church, Lucas found solace, recalling Romans 12:1:

“…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God…”

His life was the embodiment of that command, a witness to the cost of freedom.

Veterans know the price is real. They see it in their brothers’ faces, in their own mirror. Lucas showed what it means to carry that burden willingly.

The boy who threw himself on grenades at Tarawa left a legacy of courage welded with faith. He survived the worst to teach the world about sacrifice—the sacred, brutal cost we owe, and the redemption we find in giving every last breath to something greater.

His story is not just history. It is a call to the living, a reminder that honor lives in the moments when we lay down our lives—literally or figuratively—for one another.

Jacklyn Harold Lucas, Marine, Medal of Honor recipient, bearer of scars and grace, still speaks in the silence after the guns. His courage echoes eternally.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, “Medal of Honor: Jacklyn Harold Lucas” 2. Walter B. Elkins, The Bloody Battle for Tarawa (Marine Corps Historical Series) 3. Official Medal of Honor Citation, Jacklyn H. Lucas, 1945 4. "Youngest Marine to Receive Medal of Honor," Naval History and Heritage Command 5. Pacific War Marine Corps Association Archives