Jacklyn Harold Lucas Youngest Marine to Receive the Medal of Honor

Dec 13 , 2025

Jacklyn Harold Lucas Youngest Marine to Receive the Medal of Honor

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was not supposed to survive that day.

At just 17, barely out of boyhood, he threw himself on two grenades in the sweltering chaos of Iwo Jima. The blast tore through his body, shattered bones beneath youth’s fragile skin—but he lived. More than that: he saved the lives of the Marines fighting beside him. He became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II.

Background & Faith: A Boy from North Carolina with Grit Beyond Years

Born August 14, 1928, in Plymouth, North Carolina, Lucas was restless and fierce from the start. He tried joining the Marines at 14 but was thrown out for being too young. That didn’t stop him; at 17, he forged papers and lied his way back in. This wasn’t some reckless kid chasing glory.

His faith ran deep—raised with the Old Testament’s iron will and New Testament mercy. He carried a Bible in his pack, turning to Psalm 23 for courage:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”

Lucas believed sacrifice was a heavy calling, one he embraced without hesitation.

The Battle That Defined Him: Iwo Jima, February 20, 1945

The black volcanic sands of Iwo Jima churned with fire and fury that morning. Lucas was with the 1st Marine Division, barely out of boot camp but hungry to prove himself. They hit the beach under relentless machine-gun fire. Lunging forward, he stormed a Japanese pillbox, using a grenade to clear the entrance.

Then came the moment that etched his name into history.

Two enemy grenades landed among his squad. Without a second thought, Lucas leapt upon them, pressing the deadly charges into the earth beneath his body. The explosions gouged his flesh and snapped the bones in his chest and hands. Blood soaked sand and uniform alike—but the other Marines were alive. Alive because one kid chose to hold that hell within himself.

When he woke in the hospital, his hands mangled beyond repair, he could have chosen bitterness. Instead, he kept faith and fought through agonizing surgeries.

Recognition: Valor Beyond Words

For extraordinary heroism, Lucas was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman—one of only nine Marines to earn it during the campaign. His citation reads in part:

“By his intrepid actions and daring initiative, he saved the lives of the men with him, inspiring all who witnessed this heroic deed.”

Generals and fellow Marines spoke of his grit and selflessness. Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller called him “a living example of Marine Corps spirit.” Fellow Marines simply called him "Jack," a kid who stood taller than most because of what he was willing to bear.

Legacy & Lessons: The Weight of Sacrifice and the Light of Redemption

Lucas’ scars ran deeper than flesh. The loss of his hands, the pain etched into every waking moment, reminded him what freedom costs. Yet his story is not only about physical wounds. It’s about the raw truth of valor—the choice to become a shield for others without calculation or fear.

His life speaks to every veteran who’s walked through their own fire: that courage is born in moments when survival is impossible. Redemption is found in the scars we carry, not the ones we hide.

He once said of his ordeal:

“I guess I was lucky to have come out on the other side. But the ones I saved—that was my real victory.”

Jacklyn Harold Lucas is a testament to sacrifice’s bitter price and the enduring strength of the human spirit—a reminder that sometimes the youngest warriors carry the heaviest burdens, but their faith and valor echo forever.

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

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division – Medal of Honor Citation: Jacklyn Harold Lucas 2. The Pentagon Historical Archives – “Marine Hero from Iwo Jima,” official WWII unit records 3. Truman Library – Medal of Honor Presentation, 1945 4. "American Valor: The Marines’ Battles of WWII," by Rick Atkinson