Jacklyn Lucas Youngest Marine Who Saved Comrades at Iwo Jima

Nov 11 , 2025

Jacklyn Lucas Youngest Marine Who Saved Comrades at Iwo Jima

Jacklyn Harold Lucas Jr. was 17 years old when he did the unthinkable—diving on enemy grenades with bare hands to save his brothers-in-arms. Bloodied, shattered, but unbroken, he became the youngest Marine ever awarded the Medal of Honor. This wasn’t some reckless stunt. It was the purest, rawest form of sacrifice.

The Making of a Warrior

Born in 1928, Jacklyn Lucas came from a blue-collar home in North Carolina where grit was a family trait. Raised with a stubborn streak of independence and a fierce sense of loyalty, Lucas skipped the paperwork and lied about his age to join the Marines in 1942.

Faith wasn’t a distant notion for him—it was armor. Scripture shaped his code: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). That wasn’t just words; it was a blueprint for his actions in Hell. A young man forged by the Great Depression, trained by war, and driven by an unshakable belief in something bigger than himself.

Iwo Jima: The Crucible of Sacrifice

The day was February 20, 1945. The Island of Iwo Jima was a volcanic hellscape soaked in smoke and blood. Lucas was part of the 2nd Marine Division storming the beaches under withering enemy fire. Soon after landing, two grenades landed near his foxhole.

Without hesitation, Lucas took both grenades in his hands and threw himself on top of them, absorbing the blasts with his body. Both hands and thighs were torn apart, his flesh armored only by resolve and sheer will. He later said, “If you’re gonna die, die for something worthwhile.”

His wounds were grave—scars that never faded. His Marines owed him their lives. Two separate explosions, two shattered hands, and the grit to survive against the odds. The man who could have run instead chose to stand in those deadly seconds.

Medal of Honor and Praise

On June 28, 1945, President Truman pinned the Medal of Honor on Lucas, now recognized as the youngest Marine recipient in history 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… voluntarily absorbed the full charge of two grenades, thereby protecting his comrades from certain serious injury or death.”

His commanding officer, Colonel Harold Roise, called Lucas “a living legend, a young man whose courage saved lives in the face of certain death.”

Enduring Legacy

Jacklyn Harold Lucas lived long after the war—an embodiment of sacrifice and redemption. Even with hands mangled and his body scarred, he carried the weight of his actions quietly and without bitterness. His example reminds us that valor doesn’t ask for youth, time, or preparation. It demands a heart willing to face hell for others.

He never glorified war. He viewed his story as a testament to faith, brotherhood, and purpose. Lucas lived by the reminder that scars—both seen and unseen—tell tales of sacrifice few can understand.

“The bravest are those who commit themselves to something larger than self,” he once said. His life’s story is a clarion call to all warriors of the soul: Redemption comes not by avoiding the fight, but by standing in the storm for those beside you.

Jacklyn Harold Lucas Jr. bled so others could breathe. His hands ruined and his spirit unbroken—he carved a legacy in blood and faith that will never fade.

Sources

1. United States Marine Corps, Medal of Honor Citation for Jacklyn Harold Lucas Jr. 2. Department of Defense, Iwo Jima Combat Action Reports, February 1945. 3. Truman Library, Presidential Medal of Honor Ceremony – June 28, 1945. 4. Alexander, Joseph H., Iwo Jima: Battle of Marines, History Publishing, 1947.