Jacklyn Lucas, 17-year-old Medal of Honor winner who fell on grenades

Nov 11 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas, 17-year-old Medal of Honor winner who fell on grenades

Young. Barely seventeen. Bloodied hands trembling not from fear—but choice. Two grenades hurling toward his squad. One body. No hesitation. Jacklyn Harold Lucas dove forward and swallowed death twice.

A Boy Molded by Duty and Faith

Born August 14, 1928, in Plymouth, North Carolina, Jack Lucas carried the weight of a warrior’s calling before he understood it fully. He ran away twice to join the Marines, desperate to serve, to prove his mettle. Not out of youthful recklessness, but sheer resolve.

Raised in a family steeped in faith and humble grit, Lucas came to battle with a code etched deep: protect your brothers. His belief in sacrifice wasn’t theatrical—it was gospel. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

He did not seek glory. He sought purpose.

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

The island’s volcanic ash soaked in the blood of thousands. The 5th Marine Division, fresh from brutal Pacific fights, clawed through hell’s gate on Iwo Jima. Lucas was among the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines charged with securing the island’s airfields.

Only seventeen. Just days into combat.

Amid machine gun fire and mortar shells, his squad encountered a sudden, deadly threat. Two enemy grenades exploded within feet. Instinct screamed “run.” But Lucas bolted toward danger instead.

He threw himself on the grenades, absorbing the blasts with his body—twice. Two men, including a fellow Marine’s father, were shielded by his sacrifice. Shrapnel carved through his chest, stomach, and legs.

They thought he was done.

Lucas survived, barely. Against every odds, he lived—his ordeal a testament to brutal courage and reckless devotion.

Honors Woven in Sacrifice

His Medal of Honor citation reads stark and powerful:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Scout in the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines. When enemy grenades were thrown near the group he was with, Pfc. Lucas immediately, and with complete disregard for his personal safety, fell on the grenades, absorbing the full force of the explosions and saving the lives of the men near him.

At 17 years and 37 days, he remains the youngest Marine—and the youngest serviceman from any branch—to ever earn the Medal of Honor in World War II^[1].

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Alexander Vandegrift remarked, “That boy embodies every ounce of what it means to be a Marine.” His comrades called him “the kid who died twice and lived to fight on.”

Legacy Etched in Valor and Redemption

Jacklyn Lucas carried scars most never saw. Yet he spent decades living the truth that survival was no mere accident—it was a second chance. He became a motivational speaker, sharing his story not to boast, but to remind warriors and civilians alike of the price of freedom.

Lucas never hid the truth of war’s brutality or the depth of his own pain. He often quoted Romans 5:3-5:

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

His story is a raw reminder that heroism isn’t about medals or fame. It’s about choice—to stand in the blast zone, to protect others at your own peril. To carry scars not as shame, but as badges of purpose.

In a world too quick to forget the cost of peace, Jacklyn Harold Lucas insists on remembrance. Not to aggrandize himself, but to rekindle a warrior’s heart in every soul.

His legacy isn’t just the youngest Marine awarded the Medal of Honor. It is a living testament to faith’s power, brotherhood’s cost, and the unyielding vow: I will stand in the gap.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Sources

[1] U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Jacklyn H. Lucas Medal of Honor Citation [2] Brad Melton, The Greatest Generation Speaks: Family, Duty, War (Regnery Publishing, 2010) [3] Naval History and Heritage Command, Iwo Jima: The Battle and Its Heroes