Medal of Honor Marine Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Threw Himself on a Grenade

Dec 30 , 2025

Medal of Honor Marine Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Threw Himself on a Grenade

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. heard the grenade before he saw it. The final dozen heartbeats screamed a brutal choice — run or shield the men beside him. Without hesitation, he threw himself over the deadly sphere. The blast crushed his body, but bought his squad a few more precious breaths. Death became sacrifice in an instant.

Background & Faith

Born in Delaware in 1948, Robert Henry Jenkins Jr. grew up under the watchful eyes of a tightly-knit family. Grounded in faith and a strong sense of duty, he learned early that honor was earned, not given. "I believed in serving something bigger than myself," Jenkins once said in a rare interview, reflecting the steel behind his soft-spoken nature.

Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1967, Jenkins carried with him this personal code—faith, loyalty, courage. The unforgiving jungles of Vietnam would soon test these tenets beyond all measure.

The Battle That Defined Him

March 5, 1969. Combat base near Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam.

Jenkins served as a squad leader with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. That day, they attacked a well-entrenched North Vietnamese position. The air crackled with gunfire and whispered death.

Amid the firefight, a live grenade landed in their midst. Soldiers froze—seconds stretched like hours. Jenkins didn’t hesitate. He threw himself onto the grenade, absorbing the full blast with his body.

Despite suffering fatal wounds, Jenkins’ sacrifice saved five fellow Marines. His last moments were testament to raw valor, the kind that doesn’t fade into legend—it’s carved into the souls of those who survive.

Recognition

Posthumous Medal of Honor awarded on October 25, 1970[^1].

The citation reads:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty... By his extraordinary heroism and selfless action, he saved the lives of several Marines and contributed significantly to the success of the mission."

Colonel Lewis J. Fields, Jenkins’ battalion commander, described him as “the epitome of Marine Corps spirit and sacrifice.”

Veterans who knew Jenkins recall a man who never sought glory but gave all for others. His courage was pure, unmarred by ego or hesitation.

Legacy & Lessons

Jenkins’ story is not just one of death, but a beacon of brotherhood and redemption forged in combat’s crucible. His sacrifice reminds us where true heroism lives—in the willingness to die so comrades might live.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

To veterans, Jenkins stands for the ultimate measure of commitment. To civilians, a call to recognize and remember what it cost.

His grave at Eastern National Cemetery is a silent sentinel, but the fire he lit still burns in each Marine’s heart.

Courage like Jenkins’ isn’t a myth. It’s raw and righteous sacrifice—pain and faith intertwined on a battlefield where love is the last weapon standing.

That grenade was an end for Robert H. Jenkins Jr.—but the legacy he left continues to fight. We owe him more than words. We owe him our remembrance.

[^1]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Vietnam War