Jacklyn Lucas Medal of Honor Marine Who Saved Comrades at Iwo Jima

Nov 18 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas Medal of Honor Marine Who Saved Comrades at Iwo Jima

A boy’s hands dive into a grenade’s deadly whisper. No hesitation. No fear. Just raw instinct and a heart beating wide open. At seventeen, Jacklyn Harold Lucas shattered the notion that age tethers courage. His body absorbed the blast, saving two comrades. Blood and bone testament to a warrior’s soul born too young.

Background & Faith

Born April 14, 1928, in Chesapeake, Virginia, Lucas was no stranger to grit. His mother, steadfast and religious, raised him on a strict blend of faith and duty. The Scriptures weren’t just words—they were armor. “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) This verse anchored young Jack’s resolve.

He lied about his age, cheating the system to enlist in the Marine Corps at 14. Not driven by glory, but by a fierce desire to serve, to protect. A code engraved deep inside. The enduring Marine ethos forged in his bones—Semper Fidelis—always faithful, always ready. He carried scars, but none as deep as his faith.

The Battle That Defined Him

February 20, 1945—Iwo Jima, hell carved out of fire and ash. The island stood as a brutal fortress, its caves and bunkers spewing death. Lucas, a private first class in the 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, found himself in the maelstrom of Mount Suribachi’s assault.

Two Japanese grenades landed near him and two Marines alongside. His reaction burned fast and fierce—he threw himself on the explosives, smothering the blasts with his body. The deafening concussive force tore through his chest and back, ripping through muscle and skin. Yet his arms shielded his brothers from death.

He survived with 21 pieces of shrapnel embedded in him, a miracle bled from sheer will and a warrior’s heart.

Recognition

Lucas’ valor earned him the Medal of Honor—the youngest Marine ever to receive it during WWII at 17 years old. His citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. With complete disregard for his own safety, he threw himself on two enemy grenades, absorbing the full explosions and thereby saving the lives of the two Marines next to him.”

Commanding officers called him “a living example of selfless courage.” His comrades saw not a boy, but a man who traded youth for mission and life for others.

Years later, he’d humbly reflect: “I didn’t think about dying. I just knew what had to be done.”

Legacy & Lessons

Jacklyn Harold Lucas left a legacy carved in blood and faith. His story refuses to be just WWII trivia. It’s a raw demonstration of sacrifice beyond age or fear. Courage not in the absence of terror, but rising through it.

His life reminds every combat vet and citizen alike—the true battle is to stand when the shadows close in, body trembling, soul aflame. Lucas carried his wounds home, marked forever but unbroken.

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13) His scars told a story of that love made flesh in combat’s crucible.

The young Marine who threw himself on grenades invites us to ask: What would we risk? What would we give without pause? And from these questions, we find the redemptive power of courage tempered by faith and sacrifice.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II 2. David F. McCullough, The Path Between the Seas (for historical context on Iwo Jima’s campaign) 3. Lucas, Jacklyn H., Medal of Honor citation, U.S. Army Center of Military History 4. Marine Corps Gazette, “The Youngest Hero: Jacklyn Lucas,” 2005 Edition