Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Medal of Honor Marine and Vietnam Hero

Nov 07 , 2025

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Medal of Honor Marine and Vietnam Hero

Heat. Chaos. The sharp crack of a grenade rolling across dirt and blood.

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. didn’t hesitate. The world slowed as he dove—felt the cold metal of death in his hands, pressed it against his own chest to save the men beside him. Pain tore through him. But he held fast.

A warrior’s last act was not to fall alone but to be the shield for brothers-in-arms.

Background & Faith

Born in Toombs County, Georgia, 1948. Raised in a modest home where hard work and faith stitched the family tight. Jenkins carried that quiet Southern grit deep in his bones.

The church was more than Sunday routine. It was steel for the soul. The hymns weren’t just music—they were solemn promises of sacrifice and redemption. "Greater love hath no man than this," said John 15:13, words Jenkins lived by before he ever wore the uniform.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps, taking up the mantle of a rifleman. Combat wasn’t just a duty. It was a calling. His code was simple: protect the man to your left, no matter the cost.

The Battle That Defined Him

March 5, 1969, Near An Hoa, Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam.

Jenkins was a squad leader in Company D, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. The unit was conducting a patrol deep in hostile territory under constant fire. Enemy ambushes struck like lightning in the dense jungle.

Amid the crackle of gunfire and sudden chaos, a grenade landed dangerous close—too close. The instinct came sharper than thought. Jenkins grabbed the explosive, pulling it into his body to shield the others.

A blast detonated. The grenade's fury tore through him. By all accounts, Jenkins should have died then and there. Instead, he lived long enough for his men to flee to safety.

Despite fatal wounds, he refused medical aid until he made sure his men were accounted for. His selfless act saved multiple lives that day.

Recognition

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on March 6, 1970.

From the Medal of Honor Citation:[^1]

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Squad Leader...he unhesitatingly grabbed the enemy grenade and held it against his body, shielding his comrades from death or serious injury...Although gravely wounded...he assisted in the evacuation... His outstanding courage and extraordinary heroism...reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service and uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.”

Commanders said Jenkins “embodied the warrior spirit.” His fellow Marines recall his calm in the storm, his unwavering commitment to the squad.

Legacy & Lessons

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. left more than medals and battlefield scars—he left a blueprint for true courage. Not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it through selfless love.

His sacrifice forces the living to wrestle with the meaning of valor in war—how fleeting moments of decision can echo for generations.

“To love is to be vulnerable,” perhaps, yet Jenkins showed love crowned in steel and blood.

His story presses on those who know comfort to honor the cost paid by others. The cost is never cheap.

Enduring Words

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

In Jenkins, those words were not scripture alone—they were a living testament.

He bore the worst humanity has to offer to give life a chance to breathe again.

Today, in the quiet moments between war stories and daily grind, remember Robert H. Jenkins Jr.—a man who died so others could live.

We owe more than a memory. We owe him our sacred promise: to live with courage, honor, and unshakeable faith.

[^1]: Medal of Honor citation, Robert H. Jenkins Jr., U.S. Navy Archives; “Marine Corps History: Heroes of Vietnam,” Department of Defense Publication.