Robert H. Jenkins Jr., Medal of Honor Marine Who Saved Four Comrades

Jan 30 , 2026

Robert H. Jenkins Jr., Medal of Honor Marine Who Saved Four Comrades

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. saw the flash before the explosion. Seconds stretched, agony compressed—then the grenade detonated against his chest. Hell came in a thunderclap, but so did salvation. He absorbed the blast with his own flesh, shielding his comrades.

That day, Sgt. Jenkins didn’t just fight for survival—he fought for every life beside him.

Background & Faith

Born in 1948, Robert H. Jenkins Jr. grew up in Waynesville, North Carolina. A son of modest means, raised with a strong sense of duty and respect.

Faith grounded him. Raised in the Lutheran church, Jenkins carried scripture like armor. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) That verse wasn’t just words—it was his compass in the chaos.

Before Vietnam, he joined the Marine Corps in 1967, knowing the road was long and brutal. His mother remembered her son’s quiet resolve: “He believed in doing what was right, no matter the cost.”

The Battle That Defined Him

On March 5, 1969, near An Hoa Combat Base, Quang Nam Province, Jenkins’ unit faced relentless enemy fire. The Viet Cong struck with surprise and fury.

As grenades rained down, chaos roared. Jenkins and his squad pushed forward, squeezing every ounce of survival instinct. Then the moment came: a live grenade landed amidst them.

Without hesitation, Jenkins hurled himself over the explosive device. The blast tore through his body. Shrapnel shattered bone, lungs collapsed, and blood painted the earth.

But four comrades—alive, breathing—owed him their lives.

His last act was a blanket of steel and sacrifice. Medics called it selfless beyond measure.

Recognition

Posthumously, Jenkins received the Medal of Honor. The citation detailed cold steel courage:

“Sgt. Robert H. Jenkins Jr., by his valor and self-sacrifice, saved the lives of four Marines. His gallantry reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.”

President Richard Nixon, in the July 1970 ceremony, called Jenkins “a hero who exemplifies the warrior spirit and profound love for his brothers in arms.”

Comrades who survived recounted his fearless calm under fire. One said simply, “Bob didn’t hesitate. He didn’t flinch. That’s the kind of man you want watching your six.”

Legacy & Lessons

Jenkins’ story is etched deep in the annals of Marine Corps history—a blood-stained testament to valor. His sacrifice echoes in every brother-in-arms who steps into the crucible of combat.

Sacrifice isn’t abstract. It bears a face. It bleeds. It carries weight on family wreaths and battlefield dust.

He taught us that honor demands action, even when death is certain. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but choosing others over self. Redemption comes in sacrifice; purpose in protecting your own.

“The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.” — Isaiah 57:1

Robert H. Jenkins Jr.’s story is both a wound and a balm. A raw reminder of war’s cost, but also a beacon of how valor shapes the soul beyond the battlefield.

His blood baptized a legacy where brothers die, so brothers live. That sacrifice is the crucible of freedom, and the foundation of every thankful heartbeat today.

Sources

1. Department of Defense, Medal of Honor Citation for Robert H. Jenkins Jr. 2. U.S. Marine Corps Archives, Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipients 3. Nixon Presidential Library, July 1970 Medal of Honor Ceremony Transcript 4. Marine Corps Times, Remembering Sgt. Robert H. Jenkins Jr.: A Marine’s Ultimate Sacrifice, 2019 5. Isaiah 57:1, Holy Bible, King James Version