Jacklyn Harold Lucas, Youngest Marine to Receive WWII Medal of Honor

Oct 29 , 2025

Jacklyn Harold Lucas, Youngest Marine to Receive WWII Medal of Honor

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was fifteen years old when he became a shield between death and his fellow Marines. Two grenades landed near him on the Peleliu battlefield. No hesitation. He threw himself on them, absorbing the blasts with his body.

Bloodied but alive. His intestines exposed. Shrapnel everywhere. A kid who wasn’t supposed to be there, yet carried the weight of a hundred men on his shoulders.

Born for Battle: A Warrior’s Foundation

Lucas grew up in Virginia, motherless, tough as the pine trees lining the rural roads. Raised by a father who served in World War I and molded by a world gripped in depression and war, Jacklyn was no stranger to hardship.

Faith anchored him through chaos. A boy driven by duty, faith, and an unbreakable resolve to protect. As Romans 5:3-4 says, “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Jacklyn lived that scripture in the mud and fire.

He lied about his age, refused to wait, and enlisted in the Marine Corps at just 14. Army recruiters were wary, but the Marines accepted him. His youth was no barrier. It was fuel—a reckless courage stoked by a hunger to serve, to fight, to protect his brothers in arms.

Peleliu: Hell on Earth

September 15, 1944, Peleliu Island, Palau group. The island was a death trap—a blistering furnace of salt, sand, and enemy fire that shredded the lungs. The goal was to capture an airstrip vital for the upcoming Philippine invasion.

The 1st Marine Division faced one of the war’s most brutal battles. Intense, bitter, and unforgiving. Marine platoons clawed through coral ridges, facing machine guns, sniper fire, and well-fortified Japanese bunkers.

Lucas fought with Easy Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. Almost immediately after landing, his position was prey to enemy grenades. Two explosives bounced and rolled next to him amid explosions and screams. His choice was stark: flee or shield his men.

He chose sacrifice.

He dove on those grenades, smothering the blasts with his body. The shockwave tore through him, fracturing his back and pelvis. He lost nearly half his blood. Yet he survived—the youngest Marine ever to earn the Medal of Honor for valor in WWII.

Recognition Born in Fire

The Medal of Honor citation reads: “By his great personal valor, Lieutenant (junior grade) Lucas saved the lives of others at the risk of his own life.”

Jacklyn was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) in recognition of his courage. He earned two Purple Hearts for wounds sustained at Peleliu and Okinawa.

Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller—one of the Corps’ most legendary figures—called Lucas “one of the bravest men I’ve ever known.”

The nation took notice of a boy who ran headlong into death to save his brothers. His story was a beacon—a reminder that courage is not the absence of fear but the mastery of it.

Legacy: The Price, Purpose, and Redemption

The scars of that day never left Lucas. Minutes between life and death carved into flesh and soul. But he carried redemption, not regret. His sacrifice echoed beyond the battlefield.

He spoke often about purpose and service, emphasizing that true courage springs from love for others. “If you can save one life,” he said, “the cost—no matter how high—is worth it.”

Battle teaches this hard truth: Sacrifice is never wasted. It becomes the foundation of brotherhood, hope, and the future.

Jacklyn Harold Lucas is a testament to that truth.

“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” — Proverbs 3:26

His legacy calls every warrior, every citizen to hold fast: Stand in the breach. Bear the scars. Carry the flame forward.

Because that’s what it means to live a life worth fighting for.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps, Medal of Honor Citation, Jacklyn Harold Lucas. 2. "Battle for Peleliu, September–November 1944." Marine Corps Historical Division. 3. Puller, Lewis B., Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, USMC. 1947. 4. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: WWII.