Jacklyn Lucas, 17-Year-Old Marine Who Survived Two Grenades

Nov 10 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas, 17-Year-Old Marine Who Survived Two Grenades

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was 17 years old when he threw himself on two grenades to save his fellow Marines. Two grenades—detonating under his chest and legs. Most men would have died. Jacklyn did not. Instead, he survived to carry the scars of that moment for the rest of his life. No medal earned was more expensive.

Before the Bloodshed: The Boy Who Wanted to Serve

Born on September 14, 1928, in Plymouth, North Carolina, Jacklyn didn’t wait for age to define his service. At 14, he lied about his age and joined the Marine Corps by running away from home. A youth tempered early by a fierce determination to serve—no matter the cost.

Raised in a devout household, his faith was quiet but steadfast. The boy who would face chaos on Peleliu carried a code of honor and sacrifice deep inside—something greater than himself. The ideals of duty and protection weren’t just military doctrine; they were gospel truths lived in flesh.

The Battle That Defined Him: Peleliu, September 1944

At just 17, Private Lucas landed on the bloody coral reef of Peleliu with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. The battle is infamous for its brutality—a nettle bed of heat, sand, artillery, and death.

Three days in, the moment came that would etch Lucas into history.

Two Japanese grenades landed at the feet of three Marines, including Lucas. Without hesitation, he covered both explosions with his body.

The result: severe wounds, shattered knees, missing fingernails, and burns. Yet still, he refused to surrender to death.

His wounds would be lifelong. A knee shattered by grenade fragments never regained full use. His scars ran deep, but so did his will to keep fighting—not just the enemy, but the darkness inside.

“I felt I was just doing my duty,” Lucas told The New York Times years later. "I did what I had to do for my fellow Marines.”¹

Medal of Honor: A Price Paid in Blood

Jacklyn Lucas remains the youngest Marine—indeed, the youngest American serviceman—to ever receive the Medal of Honor during World War II. The citation recounts the act of valor vividly:

“When two enemy grenades landed near the group of men, Private Lucas immediately sprang upon them to absorb the explosion with his body. This courageous act saved the lives of two nearby Marines. Despite serious wounds, Private Lucas refused to be evacuated until ordered, inspiring his unit by his devotion to duty.”²

General Alexander Vandegrift, Commandant of the Marine Corps, called Lucas’ actions “beyond heroic.”

His Medal of Honor was awarded by President Harry Truman in 1945 when Lucas was only 17 years old.

Legacy: Courage Rooted in Selfless Faith

Jacklyn Lucas survived to make a lifetime of testimony about sacrifice and redemption. His story is not just about youthful bravery. It's about the scars that follow valor—and the grace that must heal them.

He lived with agonizing pain but never sought glory from his wounds. Instead, he dedicated his life to veterans’ causes, speaking truth about combat’s legacy.

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

Lucas breathed those words. His two grenades were death incarnate, but his body was a shield. The world labels these moments heroism. For those who wear the scars, it’s simply brotherhood.

The battlefield never forgets those who stand in harm’s way—least of all the ones who dive on grenades. Jacklyn Harold Lucas’ sacrifice was raw, brutal, and real. His faith and fierce will carved a path from the chaotic reefs of Peleliu to the halls of history.

In his broken knees and shattered youth, we find a truth every veteran knows: True valor is sacrificial. True courage is redemptive.

And for those who bear the scars—visible or hidden—the fight does not end when the fighting stops. It is a lifelong charge to live with purpose, honor, and unshakable faith.

Sources

1. The New York Times, “Jacklyn Lucas, 80, Marine Who Survived Two Grenades,” 2008 2. Medal of Honor Citation, Jacklyn Harold Lucas, U.S. Marine Corps Archives