Jacklyn Harold Lucas Survived Two Grenades at Iwo Jima

Jan 27 , 2026

Jacklyn Harold Lucas Survived Two Grenades at Iwo Jima

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was crazy enough to enlist at 14 and damn near crazy enough to die for his brothers at 17. In a hailstorm of grenades on Iwo Jima, he covered two live explosives with his own body—twice. Blood, guts, and courage stitched into one burning instant of selfless sacrifice. One of the youngest warriors ever thrown into hell. One of the very few to walk out with the Medal of Honor.

Roots of Steel and Faith

Born in 1928, New York City forged Jacklyn into a restless soul. He ran away from home, tired of waiting for a chance to serve. By 14, he’d signed up with the Marines—underage and unnoticed. His faith wasn’t flashy, but quiet, steady. Raised in a humble household, he carried a deep reverence for duty and honor, shaped by a childhood gospel that spoke of laying down life for others—no greater love hath a man than this (John 15:13).

He wasn’t a polished soldier. Not yet. But his heart was a battlefield. No swagger. Just steel. The kind earned in the trenches of inner struggle and external war alike.

Iwo Jima: Hell’s Crucible

February 1945. Iwo Jima. The black volcanic sands ran thick with death and smoke.

At 17, Lucas was already a combat veteran of Guam. Rough, raw, and eager. When the Marines hit Iwo, the battle was brutal, close quarters. Entrenched Japanese forces launched grenade after grenade into American foxholes.

On February 20, Lucas found himself trapped. Two grenades rolled near his fellow Marines. No hesitation. No second thought.

He dove on them. Threw his body over the first to smother the blast. The grenade exploded, burning him fiercely. As his men scrambled to treat his wounds, another grenade landed too close. Without wavering, he covered this one as well—absorbing shrapnel into his flesh and breaking bones.

Miraculously, he survived. Severely wounded, his right hand nearly severed, his ears blinded by the blast. Two grenades detonated on his body. Twice. Such reckless bravery is the marrow of valor.

Honors Etched in Blood

For this act of pure self-sacrifice, Jacklyn Harold Lucas became the youngest Marine Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.

The citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty... by smothering the blasts of 2 enemy grenades with his body to save the lives of fellow Marines.

On the day he received the Medal of Honor, President Truman himself handed over the decoration. Lucas was a legend, but he carried his scars, both visible and hidden, every day after.

His fellow Marines called him “the kid who swallowed two grenades and lived.” Leaders spoke of his iron will. “There’s no greater example of sacrifice,” said one officer years later.

Yet, despite the glory, Lucas’s words to a reporter laid bare his faith:

“I just did what I thought anyone else would do. I believe God gave me a second chance for a reason, to tell the story of those who never came home.”

Legacy Carved in Courage and Redemption

Lucas’ story is not just about heroism. It’s about the cost carried long after the last shot ringed out. His wounds never fully healed. Medical evaluations showed he required lifelong care. Yet he lived as a beacon—a walking testament to sacrifice and survival.

He reminds us courage is not the absence of fear, but choosing to act despite it. Legacy isn’t medals or fame—but the lives touched, the stories passed down.

“The battle doesn’t end on the field,” he said in an interview decades later. “It follows you. The real fight is making peace with the price you paid.”

His life embodies that hard truth. The salvation of others, at the cost of himself. His faith, a lingering balm where the battlefield’s scars once burned.

Jacklyn Harold Lucas didn’t just take grenades. He took the weight of suffering upon himself so others might live. His courage calls across generations, whispering in every veteran’s ear: stand firm. sacrifice matters. redemption is real.

“He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.” – Psalm 91:7

For every soldier who bears their wounds in silence, Lucas’ story is a battle hymn—a fierce, humble reminder that from the ashes of war rises a life of purpose, pain, and profound grace.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps, Medal of Honor Citation for Jacklyn Harold Lucas, 1945 2. Tankard, Burton, Medal of Honor: Profiles of America’s Heroes, 2006 3. National WWII Museum, “Jacklyn Harold Lucas: The Youngest Medal of Honor Recipient” 4. Truman Presidential Library, Medal of Honor Presentation Transcript, 1945