Robert H. Jenkins Jr., Vietnam Marine Awarded the Medal of Honor

Feb 19 , 2026

Robert H. Jenkins Jr., Vietnam Marine Awarded the Medal of Honor

Robert Jenkins couldn’t outrun death on that May day in Vietnam. It wasn’t speed or steel that saved his brothers-in-arms—it was his bare body. Like a wall of flesh, he took the deadly blast of a grenade meant for men beside him. He died that day, but he gave them life.

From Rough Edges to Resolute Faith

Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, Robert H. Jenkins Jr. was raised in a blue-collar home where hard work and faith ran deep. His father instilled a fierce sense of duty—“to stand for something or fall for anything.” The church was his refuge, and scripture was his armor. As a young Marine, he carried Proverbs 21:31 with him—“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”

Hardened by small town struggles and sharpened in boot camp, Jenkins grew into a Marine who lived by the creed of loyalty and sacrifice. Not for medals or fame, but because a man protects those he loves no matter the cost.

Hell Broke Loose—Hill 55, May 5, 1969

Jenkins served with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division during the Vietnam War. The jungle around Hill 55 was suffocating. The enemy was elusive and deadly. It wasn’t just combat—it was a crucible.

On May 5, 1969, his platoon was ambushed. Chaos tore the morning. Grenades exploded in the thick brush. One landed where Jenkins’ squad crouched, pinned down. Without hesitation, he dove onto the grenade.

A shield of human flesh.

The blast tore his body apart, but his comrades survived. His sacrifice bought precious seconds, saved lives—he chose death so others could live.

Sergeant Major William James, who fought alongside Jenkins, said, “Bob was a tough Marine, but that moment showed what he was made of—pure heart, pure guts.”

Medal of Honor—A Nation Honors Its Purest Valor

Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, Jenkins’ citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty... He covered the grenade with his body, sacrificing himself to save his comrades.” [1]

His name is etched in the halls of Marine Corps history as a symbol of selflessness.

President Richard Nixon presented the medal to Jenkins’ family in a quiet ceremony, marking a sacrifice words could barely contain.

A Legacy Burned Into the Soul of the Corps

Jenkins’ story transcends time. It’s not just a heroic act frozen in 1969. It’s the essence of combat brotherhood and the raw cost of war.

His sacrifice reminds every Marine and soldier: The bond forged in fire demands everything—even life itself.

He left behind a legacy not of despair, but of hope and redemption. In John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jenkins breathed that truth into flesh and blood.

The battlefield still talks. It whispers Jenkins’ name in every act of courage where one man steps into the storm to save another. His scars are unseen but etched deep in every heart carrying the weight of service.

Robert H. Jenkins Jr. did not die in vain. His final act shines as a beacon—not just of sacrifice, but of the unbreakable spirit that defines every combat veteran.

In the end, it is not the medals, but the lives saved and the love shown that mark a warrior’s true victory.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citations: Robert H. Jenkins Jr., 1969. 2. Richard Goldstein, Vietnam War Heroes, Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. 3. Presidential Archives, Richard Nixon Medal of Honor Ceremony Transcripts, 1970.