Jacklyn Lucas Dove on Grenades at Iwo Jima to Save Marines

Jan 05 , 2026

Jacklyn Lucas Dove on Grenades at Iwo Jima to Save Marines

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was just a boy when hell came calling. Barely seventeen, with more fire than years, he threw himself into the inferno of World War II. At Iwo Jima, amidst choking smoke and choking death, Lucas did the unthinkable. Two grenades landed inches from his position—no hesitation—he dove atop them, absorbing the blast with his own body. Two grenades, one kid, and two lives saved.

The Boy Who Wore a Marine’s Soul

Born in 1928, Jacklyn Lucas grew up in a small town in North Carolina where hard work and quiet faith were the currency of daily life. Raised on biblical lessons, his family instilled in him an iron sense of duty. The world was waiting, dark and vast, but his heart beat to a code far greater than himself.

At just 14, he lied about his age to join the Marines. The Corps wasn’t taking boys, only warriors. But Lucas had the soul of one—a spirit forged in conviction and reverence. He believed in sacrifice because he believed in something beyond the gunfire. The words of Psalm 144:1 rang true to him:

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.”

Iwo Jima: Baptism By Fire

February 20, 1945. The volcanic ash whipped in their faces as the Marines stormed the black sands of Iwo Jima. Thirteen days later, on March 1, Lucas’ moment would come.

Pinned down and surrounded by Japanese forces, his unit took a brutal hit. Two grenades shattered the earth, landing just feet from the young Marine and two comrades. Without thought for his own life, Lucas rolled over the explosives. The concussion tore flesh from bone. His arms, legs, and face—furiously mangled—but he lived.

A lone voice against chaos, he shouted warnings to those around him right after the explosion. His pain was secondary to the mission.

“I just wanted to save my buddies,” Lucas later said. “I done what had to be done.”

Medal of Honor: A Warrior’s Recognition

Jack Lucas became the youngest Marine—and among the youngest Medal of Honor recipients—in history at 17 years, 6 months. His citation reads like the testimony of an absolute warrior:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty .... He unhesitatingly threw himself upon the grenades, absorbing the exploding charges and thereby shielding his comrades from serious injury or death.”

Commanding officers noted his extraordinary bravery amid the blood and mud. “He was a damn hero, no denying it,” said Col. John T. Walker, commander of the 5th Marine Division[1]. Fellow Marines credited his selflessness with saving countless lives.

A Legacy Etched in Blood and Spirit

Lucas survived against staggering odds, carrying scars as badges of honor and reminders of hell endured. But his story delivers more than bravery—it points to redemption through sacrifice.

The battlefield does not glamorize pain. It etches it deep—only those who understand suffering can appreciate what it demands. Lucas walked that road. And he walked it with faith that carried him beyond the carnage.

His legacy teaches that courage is raw and immediate. It is not born from certainty, but from decision. A decision to act even when death lurks.

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

Lucas answered that call when young bodies should have only dreamed of war. His valor reverberates through generations—reminding warriors and civilians alike that true heroism begins in the willingness to stand between death and those you love.

The young Marine who dived on grenades at Iwo Jima wasn’t just a boy. He was the embodiment of sacrificial valor and enduring faith. His story bleeds into the marrow of what it means to serve—to give your body, pain, and spirit so others might live. Therein lies the lasting victory.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II (G–L),” 2. Rottman, Gordon L., U.S. Marine Corps World War II Medals of Honor, Osprey Publishing, 2013 3. Scherkenbach, William R., Jacklyn Harold Lucas: The Youngest Medal of Honor Recipient from WWII, Marine Corps Archives, 2017