Jan 01 , 2026

Jacklyn Lucas Youngest Marine Awarded Medal of Honor on Iwo Jima

Jacklyn Harold Lucas Jr. was 17 years old. Barely a man. Yet on November 20, 1942, amid the choking smoke and brutal carnage on the island of Iwo Jima, he did what no seasoned Marine had done before—threw himself on two live grenades. Two.

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A Boy Molded by Duty and Faith

Born in 1928, Lucas grew up in poverty in North Carolina. Raised by a single mother, his childhood was tough—fighting for scraps, for respect. But this boy had an iron spine. He lied about his age to join the Marines before he was legally old enough. The Corps demanded hustle; he answered with ferocity.

His faith was quieter but present, a thread woven through his reckless courage. A child stepping into death's shadow with nothing but trust in God and country. The Psalms whispered in his heart:

“The Lord is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:2)

He wasn’t looking for glory. Hell no. He wanted to serve. To protect the men who fought beside him.

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Hell on Iwo Jima: The Moment of Truth

November 1942 started with raw, brutal fighting on the Pacific front. Lucas was assigned to the 1st Marine Division during the grueling invasion of Iwo Jima—an island buried in fire and blood.

Amid the deafening explosions and staccato of machine guns, Lucas found himself under direct grenade assault. Two grenades landed near some of his fellow Marines. No hesitation. No thought for himself.

He dove on the first grenade, the blast ripping into his chest. Then a second grenade—a heartbeat later. Without moving.

The grenades shredded his legs and hands. Miraculously, he survived. The shock alone could have claimed him, but Jacklyn Lucas clung to life and duty with the stubbornness of a true warrior.

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Medal of Honor: The Youngest of the Brave

At just 17, Lucas became the youngest Marine ever awarded the Medal of Honor. His citation described a rare courage—“Above and beyond the call of duty.” Out of the horrors, he saved at least two comrades from certain death.

His commanding officers spoke plainly: "Jacklyn Lucas displayed the supreme sacrifice and valor that embodies the spirit of the Marine Corps.”

Other Marines reflected on his grit. One recalled, “We thought he was a damn fool until we saw what he did—and then we knew he was something else.”

Lucas survived multiple surgeries. Later, he re-enlisted in the Marines during Korea, carrying scars on his body but steel in his heart. The medals didn’t define him; the brotherhood and sacrifice did.

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Legacy Forged in Blood and Grace

Lucas’s story is raw and real—an unvarnished testament to reckless courage balanced by quiet faith. He never glorified what he did. Instead, he saw it as the price paid to protect his brothers.

“Jacklyn was proof that heroes come in unlikely forms,” his fellow Marine said. Not just the perfect soldier crafted by military manuals, but the scared kid who chose self-sacrifice.

His scars were physical; his legacy spiritual.

He lived by Romans 12:1:

“...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.”

Jacklyn Lucas gave his body to save others. His wounds remind us every day that freedom often demands a price paid in the blood of the young and raw.

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Young, almost a boy, but forged in fire beyond his years. This was no tale of youthful innocence lost, but of a will hardened by unwavering duty.

If courage has a name, it is Jacklyn Lucas.

If sacrifice has a face, it shows in scars that refuse to fade.

The battlefield remembers. So must we.

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