Jacklyn Lucas, Youngest Marine to Receive Medal of Honor at Iwo Jima

Dec 14 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas, Youngest Marine to Receive Medal of Honor at Iwo Jima

Jacklyn Harold Lucas was a boy carved from pure grit—a living testament to the cost of courage. At 17 years old, he didn’t hesitate when death landed near. Two grenades, tossed onto his foxhole, sealed his fate—or so it seemed. He dove, heart first, onto the explosions to save his brothers-in-arms. A life swallowed by fire to protect others—that’s valor born in the furnace of war.

The Boy Who Fought Like a Man

Born April 14, 1928, in Plymouth, North Carolina, Jacklyn Lucas was no ordinary kid. Raised by modest means, toughened by early hardship, his heart beat with a warrior’s rhythm. Faith held him firm. He believed in something greater than himself. The Marine Corps became his calling—a brotherhood, a purpose.

He lied about his age to enlist in 1942—barely 14 and too young to serve. But Jacklyn smashed through every barrier until the Corps took him in. A kid who knew only one path: forward. He found strength in Psalm 91, the shelter of the Most High amid the chaos.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” — Psalm 91:1

Iwo Jima: Fire, Smoke, and Steel

February 19, 1945. Iwo Jima. A name carved into Marine blood and bone. Jacklyn was now 17, thrown into one of the fiercest battles in the Pacific Campaign. The island was a molten cauldron of death—bunker to bunker, grenade to grenade.

In the hellish maw of Hill 215, two live grenades landed in Jacklyn’s foxhole. Without pause, he threw himself on the explosives. The first blast tore through his chest, the second shattered his abdomen and legs. Yet, by sheer force of will, he pushed through the blast, saving five others nearby.

In that instant, he became the youngest Marine in history to perform an act of such selfless heroism.

He survived against impossible odds—101 pieces of shrapnel removed from his scarred body. The pain was beyond measure. The healing, slow and agonizing. But he lived. And he carried that moment in his bones.

Honors Etched in Valor

For his extraordinary bravery, Jacklyn Lucas was awarded the Medal of Honor on October 5, 1945, by President Truman himself. The citation reads with unflinching respect:

“By his indomitable courage and inspiring valor, PFC Lucas saved the lives of several of his comrades and enabled the group to maintain its position during the fierce assault.”**

Generals and fellow Marines spoke of him with reverence. As Major General John T. Walker put it:

"That boy took a bullet meant for a man... and stood tall. His guts gave us all hope."

The Medal of Honor was not merely a decoration. It was a sacred trust—a reminder of the cost of war and the profound bond between warriors.

Enduring Legacy: Sacrifice Beyond the Battlefield

Jacklyn’s story isn’t just about one moment of heroism. It’s a lifelong testament to scars carried—seen and unseen. A soldier’s wounds don’t end when the fighting stops. He grappled with pain, rebuilt a shattered life, and shared a message etched in sacrifice.

He once said: “War’s not about glory—it’s about saving lives, sometimes by giving yours.” His act of stuffing himself over grenades speaks louder than any bullet or bomb.

For veterans still walking their own valleys of shadow, Jacklyn’s faith and courage reinforce this truth: There is purpose in pain. Strength in sacrifice. Redemption in service.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13

Jacklyn Harold Lucas, the youngest Marine to earn the Medal of Honor, stands not just as a relic of a distant war, but as a beacon—reminding us all that sometimes the bravest battle is standing in harm’s way for others. His legacy roars through time: sacrifice is not weakness. It is the finest strength a man can wield.

War takes much, but in heroes like Lucas, it leaves a legacy of hope. Because when a boy covers grenades with his body, he carries the soul of every warrior who would do the same.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command – Jacklyn Harold Lucas, Medal of Honor Recipient 2. U.S. Marine Corps History Division – Iwo Jima Battle Reports and Medal Citations 3. “Marine Boy Hero: Jacklyn Harold Lucas and the Battle for Iwo Jima,” Military Times, 2019 4. The White House Historical Association – Medal of Honor Recipients WWII