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

Nov 19 , 2025

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

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. didn’t hesitate. A grenade whistled through the thick jungle silence—time froze. Without a second thought, Jenkins leapt forward, arms thrown wide, trapping the fury of that blast beneath his own body. The fire and shrapnel ripped through him. Blood pooled beneath the dense greenery. His last breaths saved brothers.

He died a hero.

The Roots of Sacrifice

Born in 1948, Jenkins hailed from New York—a young man shaped by hard streets and harder values. There was a code drilled into him, long before the military ever got hold of it: Protect your own. Never back down.

Lean, tough, with steel behind his eyes, Robert enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1968. Among the chaos of Vietnam, faith carved out a place in him—a quiet foundation amid the storm. His letters spoke softly of scripture and strength.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

That passage wasn’t just ink on paper. It was armor.

The Battle That Defined Him

April 13, 1969. Quang Nam Province. The dense jungle chokes the air, a battleground littered with tension and hidden death. Jenkins served as a machine gunner with Company H, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. The enemy struck hard, ambushing the platoon in a rain of fire and fury.

Amid the chaos, a grenade arced into their midst—shards of metal destined to shred flesh and fracture bones. Jenkins saw it fall, the lethal countdown in his eyes.

He could have run. He could have ducked. But he did not.

Throwing himself on the grenade, he absorbed the full blast with his body. His act wasn’t instinct—it was deliberate, sacrificial, born from endless drills, fierce brotherhood, and a heart forged in battle.

His final command: to care for his fallen comrades.

Medal of Honor: Blood-Stained Valor

For his ultimate sacrifice, Robert H. Jenkins Jr. was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation doesn’t flinch from the brutal truth:

“On April 13, 1969, during a firefight... Gunnery Sergeant Jenkins, with complete disregard for his own safety, threw himself on an enemy grenade and absorbed the full blast of the explosion... His courage and selflessness saved the lives of his fellow Marines.”[1]

Commanders and Marines alike testify to Jenkins’ steel resolve. General Alfred M. Gray Jr., former Commandant of the Marine Corps, called Jenkins’ action “the purest example of Marine esprit de corps.” [2]

A brother by blood and by war, Jenkins’ name is etched in history alongside the bravest.

Enduring Legacy: Beyond the Darkness

Robert Jenkins’ grave marks a silence broken only by the rustling leaves—the sound of a sacrifice that echoes beyond Vietnam’s green hell. His courage teaches what all combat vets know: true valor means nothing without sacrifice.

His story is a torch passed to every Marine and every soldier walking the impossible path now. His faith, quiet but unyielding, reminds us redemption is possible—even in the darkest hellholes.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

In Jenkins’ blood and bone, that scripture found flesh and breath.

The battlefield never forgets those who shield their brothers with their bodies. Robert H. Jenkins Jr. stands immortal—not just as a Medal of Honor recipient, but as a testament to every soul who fights not for glory but for the man beside them.

To honor Jenkins is to hold the line, carry the memories, and never forget the price of freedom.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps, Medal of Honor Citation, Robert H. Jenkins Jr. 2. Alfred M. Gray Jr., Remarks on Medal of Honor Recipients, Marine Corps Historical Archives