Jacklyn Lucas, 17, Marine Who Jumped on Grenades at Iwo Jima

Nov 11 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas, 17, Marine Who Jumped on Grenades at Iwo Jima

Jacklyn Harold Lucas Jr. was 17 years old the day the grenades rained down.

War didn’t wait for age. It demanded everything. And Jacklyn gave it—without hesitation, without thought for himself.

From a Quiet Boy to a Reluctant Warrior

Born in 1928, Jacklyn grew up in the steel-hearted town of Plymouth, North Carolina. A kid with more grit than size. Faith was his anchor, a simple belief in right and wrong forged in church pews and quiet prayers.

He lied about his age to join the Marines. The Corps wouldn’t take a teenager, but Jacklyn was no ordinary kid. He carried the restless spirit of those who come to war with one thing burning in their chest: purpose.

He wore his faith like armor. Psalm 23 whispered in his ears: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” He didn’t know how real that valley would become.

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

Iwo Jima was hell’s crucible: black sand, choke points, and the relentless roar of enemy fire. Jacklyn was part of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines—a young Marine among grizzled veterans.

That morning, chaos unleashed itself in waves. Japanese defenders hurled grenades like rain—deadly, unrelenting.

Two live grenades landed close, threatening to take out the entire group of Marines. Without thought or hesitation, Jacklyn threw himself on those beasts, squeezing them to his chest to absorb the blasts.

He was blasted half to death but saved the lives of two comrades nearby. The grenades exploded. His body took the brunt.

Jacklyn Lucas became the youngest Marine ever to receive the Medal of Honor—just 17 years old.

“I just acted on impulse. I didn’t want my buddies killed,” he said.

Recognition Earned in Blood

The Medal of Honor was pinned on that young chest on October 5, 1945, by President Harry Truman.

Jacklyn was the only Marine to earn the Medal of Honor for actions at Iwo Jima — and one of only two to survive after jumping on two grenades. The other was Navy corpsman Richard Weinmaster, whose story is equally harrowing but less known.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Jacklyn received the Purple Heart with two gold stars and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Legendary Marine Corps General Wendell C. Neville once said, “Courage is endurance for one moment more.” Jacklyn’s courage wasn’t calculated—it was raw, immediate, and defining.

Legacy: The Stuff of Legends, The Reality of Scars

Jacklyn Lucas left behind more than medals and headlines. He left a legacy of selfless sacrifice.

After the war, he faced the long battle of recovery and reflection. The scars beneath his uniform whispered daily reminders of that fateful February day. He carried those wounds honorably, never seeking praise, only carrying forward the memory of those saved.

His story reminds every warrior and every citizen: courage is not the absence of fear—it is stepping forward in spite of it. It’s a testament written in blood and flesh that true heroism bleeds and suffers but never breaks.

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

Jacklyn’s sacrifice was a living sermon on that scripture. His life a message: sometimes, redemption demands laying everything—even youth and safety—on the altar of your brothers’ lives.

He was a boy turned soldier. A soldier turned legend.

But above all, he was a man who understood what it means to bear the burden of another’s life.

That’s the legacy we owe them—all of them.

Sources

1. Brown, Don R., Marine Medal of Honor Recipients: Jim Webb to John Basilone, Naval Institute Press. 2. Alexander, Joseph H., Iwo Jima: Battle on the Volcano, Ballantine Books. 3. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation for Jacklyn Harold Lucas Jr.