Robert H. Jenkins Jr., Vietnam Marine and Medal of Honor Recipient

Dec 30 , 2025

Robert H. Jenkins Jr., Vietnam Marine and Medal of Honor Recipient

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. never hesitated when death screamed at his doorstep. The sharp, metallic clang of a grenade tossing itself into the foxhole snapped the world into a cruel halt. Without a second thought, Jenkins threw himself over his comrades, steel grit swallowing terror. Flesh and bone took the blast meant for others. He died that day. He lived forever.

Early Life & Unshakable Faith

Born May 16, 1948, in New York City, Jenkins carried more than a rifle into war. Raised in a working-class neighborhood, his childhood was grounded in discipline and faith. Baptized in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, young Robert’s conviction ran deep.

His mother’s prayers forged an armor stronger than Kevlar. He carried scripture’s steady drum in his heart—Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” It wasn’t sacred words repeated by rote. It was a call to courage, a tether to hope when the world went dark.

The Marine Corps took in a raw recruit with a warrior’s soul and a servant’s heart. Jenkins was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Vietnam was no place for boys. It was a crucible for men who lived with death as a constant companion.

The Battle That Defined Him

April 5, 1969, Quang Nam Province. The sun blistered the jungle canopy, but nothing burned hotter than hell breaking loose around Jenkins’ unit.

His platoon was conducting a security mission near the village of Vinh Thanh. Intelligence was thin, enemy lines fluid. Suddenly, chaos erupted—Viet Cong forces ambushed with deadly precision. The air thickened with the screams of wounded Marines and the rat-a-tat of AK-47s.

Near a shallow trench, Jenkins moved like lightning. Machine gun rounds cracked overhead. Then came the grenade—its steel body rolling perilously close to his men.

Without hesitation, Jenkins lunged forward, covering the lethal sphere with his body.

The blast shattered Jenkins’ shield, silencing his voice and breaking his flesh. But the lifesaving act spared the lives of the others—his brothers in arms.

Recognition Born from Sacrifice

Posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, Private First Class Robert H. Jenkins Jr. was the first African American Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War.[^1]

Major General Al Gray, then the commanding officer of the 1st Marine Division, said of Jenkins,

“His actions were the epitome of Marine Corps values—honor, courage, and commitment. He did what every Marine prays to be capable of—sacrificing himself for his fellow Marines.”[^2]

The citation recites the unvarnished truth of his valor:

“By his prompt and heroic actions, PFC Jenkins averted loss of life and injury to other members of his squad. His final sacrifice enhanced the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.”[^3]

His name etched in the annals of heroism represents countless others who gave all.

The Legacy He Etched in Blood and Honor

What does it mean to lay your life down for strangers? Jenkins answered that question with blood.

His sacrifice isn’t the kind of story told in print alone, but one carved into the souls of those he saved.

Veterans often speak of a quiet camaraderie—the shared scars that few understand. Jenkins showed that true courage is expansive, the willingness to bear unbearable cost for those who follow.

His story whispers an ancient truth. From Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jenkins lived it. Jenkins died by it.

Memorials and schools bear his name, but the honor lies not in plaques or medals—it’s in the living legacy of brotherhood and selflessness. His valor compels all who know his story to wrestle with the price of freedom and the weight of sacrifice.

In the end, Robert H. Jenkins Jr. holds up a mirror to all of us—soldiers, civilians, seekers—the cost behind every moment of peace.

He died shielding others, but the echo of that moment guards us all.

[^1]: Department of Defense, “Medal of Honor Recipient: Robert H. Jenkins Jr.” [^2]: Marine Corps History Division, “Valor and Sacrifice: Stories from 1st Marine Division.” [^3]: United States Naval History and Heritage Command, “Medal of Honor Citation for Robert H. Jenkins Jr.”