Jacklyn Lucas

Jacklyn H. Lucas (February 14, 1928 - June 5, 2008) was a United States Marine who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Lucas was a native of North Carolina. In 2008, Lucas passed away of Leukemia at age 80.

Military service

In August 1942, Lucas forged his mother's signature and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at age 14. He received his basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina.

Eager to fight the Japanese, Lucas went AWOL and boarded a train headed for California rather than be assigned to a training camp in North Carolina. After spending some time in California, he was sent to Hawaii and attached to the Sixth Base Depot as a trash truck driver. Still eager for combat, Lucas went AWOL a second time in January 1945 and snuck onto the USS Deuel which carried the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines and was on its way to Iwo Jima. On February 8, 1945, he turned himself in to the officers and they attached him to the unit.

Iwo Jima

Lucas landed on Iwo Jima with his unit on February 19, 1945 and the next day, he jumped on a Japanese grenade which exploded, severely wounding Lucas and saving the lives of several of his fellow marines. While the injuries were extensive, Lucas survived and was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman for his gallantry in combat.

In his 2006 book Indestructible: The Unforgettable Story of a Marine Hero at the Battle of Iwo Jima, Lucas says that when he got wounded, he prayed to God that he would survive his wounds, which he did.