Jacklyn Lucas the Youngest Medal of Honor Marine at Iwo Jima

Oct 07 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas the Youngest Medal of Honor Marine at Iwo Jima

Jacklyn H. Lucas was fifteen years old when he stood between death and dozens of Marines on Iwo Jima. Two grenades came hurling into his foxhole. Without hesitation, he jumped on them—twice—absorbing the fury with his own body. Not many live after that kind of blast, and fewer still with their souls intact.

Raised in Honor, Forged in Faith

Jacklyn was no ordinary kid from Plymouth, North Carolina. His compass held steady on duty, faith, and family. Raised by a blue-collar family, he believed in something greater than himself. He once told reporters, “I wasn’t scared. I just knew I had a job to do.” The boy who lied about his age to enlist wanted to prove that courage isn’t measured in years but in heart.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13). For Lucas, those words became flesh and blood.

The Battle That Defined Him

February 20, 1945. Iwo Jima. The bloodiest island campaign in the Pacific. At just fifteen years, nearly half the age of his fellow Marines, Lucas was dug in among the 5th Marine Division.

His foxhole was a death trap. Japanese soldiers launched grenades into their position like venomous rain. The first one landed in the pit. Without flinching, Lucas dove onto it, absorbing the blast but surviving. When the second grenade followed moments later, he did the same. Shrapnel tore through his legs, hips, and chest. Nearly dead, he still managed to crawl to a medic and survive.

His wounds were horrific—multiple fractures, scrapes, blood loss—but his spirit did not break. The medics said they thought he’d never walk again. The Marine Corps thought he’d never fight again. But Lucas fought—and lived—to tell the tale.

Medal of Honor: Valor Beyond Measure

Jacklyn Lucas is the youngest Marine, and youngest American serviceman, to receive the Medal of Honor for combat heroism in World War II.

His citation states:

“Private First Class Lucas distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the Fifth Marine Division on Iwo Jima. When two enemy grenades landed in his foxhole, Private Lucas, unequivocal in his devotion and consideration for his comrades, lunged upon the deadly missiles and smothered the explosions with his body. Wounded severely, he still contributed to the success of the mission with his courageous spirit.”

General Holland M. Smith said of the young Marine, “Jacklyn Lucas demonstrated a level of bravery and sacrifice that is impossible to overstate.”

Lucas’s story spread across the world. Yet the medal was not his trophy—it was a symbol of the scars he bore and the brothers he saved.

Enduring Legacy: Courage, Sacrifice, and Redemption

After the war, Lucas lived quietly—humble, scarred, but unbroken. He dedicated his life to reminding others what true sacrifice means. A man who gave his youth to war now gave his voice to peace. His story is not just about courage under fire; it is about the price we pay for freedom.

His scars were both physical and spiritual. Yet, in every painful step, he found purpose.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Jacklyn Lucas did not seek glory. He sought to be a shield for others. His example challenges every generation to act without hesitation—even when the cost is high.

The youngest Marine who risked everything at Iwo Jima shows us that courage is not absence of fear but action despite it. That sacrifice is eternal. That redemption is possible—no matter how deep the wound.