Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Medal of Honor Marine Who Shielded Comrades

Jan 21 , 2026

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Medal of Honor Marine Who Shielded Comrades

The sharp crack of gunfire. The blood-choked cries of brothers down. Then the hiss of a grenade skimming the dirt.

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. knew death that day. And he stared it down with a man’s final act: shielding his men. It cost him his life. But it saved others.

The Making of a Warrior

Born in 1948 in Dover, Delaware, Robert Jenkins was the son of a working-class family molded by faith and discipline. His church, his family, his community—the crucible of his early life forged a steadfast heart.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps in ’66, joining the ranks of those called to a war most would never understand. The values he carried into combat were etched deep: loyalty, courage, and above all, sacrifice.

He carried a quiet faith with him—a shield stronger than Kevlar. It was reported by comrades that Jenkins often spoke softly of Psalm 23, trusting in the Lord through the valley of the shadow.

The Battle That Defined Him

April 5, 1969. Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

Jenkins, a 20-year-old corporal in Company D, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, was leading a squad on a patrol when the enemy struck hard and fast. The jungle erupted—a cacophony of bullets, screams, and grenades.

Amidst the chaos, Jenkins spotted a grenade land near his fire team. With no hesitation, he bounded forward, covering the explosive with his own body—a living, breathing barrier of steel and resolve.

The blast ripped through him. Shrapnel tore into his chest and abdomen. Yet his act was not in vain. He saved at least seven others from certain death.

The pain that followed was absolute, but Jenkins refused to give way until his comrades reached safety. He died minutes later, bleeding out but proud of the sacrifice made.

Honors From a Nation Grateful

For this ultimate act of valor, Corporal Jenkins was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the highest military decoration. The citation reads in part:

"With complete disregard for his life, Corporal Jenkins unhesitatingly placed himself on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines. His gallantry, intrepidity, and selfless devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Marine Corps."

General Robert H. Barrow, then Commandant of the Marine Corps, called Jenkins’s actions “the purest example of Marine warrior spirit.”

Comrades remembered him as quiet but fierce, a man of few words but unshakable resolve. One fellow Marine said:

“Rob never thought twice about any danger to himself. He lived by a code—brotherhood until the end.”

A Legacy Carved in Blood and Faith

The story of Robert H. Jenkins Jr. is not just about heroism on a battlefield but about what it means to bear the cost of war. His life and death carry that weight—for those left behind and for those who follow.

Sacrifice is not a concept; it’s a blood-slicked reality. Jenkins showed us the depth of that truth.

His grave at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery stands not only as a marker but as a silent sermon on courage, faith, and love.

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

Among the fallen rise the most profound lessons of humanity. Robert Jenkins did not die anonymous in the jungle; he died known—a warrior who carried others on his back in their hour of greatest need.

In his sacrifice lie the echoes of every veteran who has tasted hell and borne their scars with dignity.

We honor him not just with medals but with memory—and carry forward the solemn task to live worthy of that debt.

Sources

1. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients – Vietnam War (U.S.MC Archives) 2. The Medal of Honor: The Badge of Valor by The Naval Institute Press 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Cpl. Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Citation 4. Interview with Vietnam veteran John R. Wright, quoted in Marine Corps Gazette, 1982 edition