PFC Jacklyn (Jack) Lucas fraudulently enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII at the age of 14 in August of 1942.  Two and a half years later he would become the youngest Marine in history to be awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic actions on Iwo Jima.  PFC Lucas was just 17 years old when he landed on Iwo-Jima.   His life is chronicled in his wartime memoir Indestructible.

Private Lucas was assigned to Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL.  In June of 1943 he was transferred to the 21st Replacement Battalion at New River, NC and one month later transferred to the 25th Replacement Battalion.  He was qualified as a heavy machine gunner.

On 4 Novemember, 1943 Private Lucas left for Hawaii joining the 6th Base Depot of V Amphibious Corps in Hawaii.  He was promoted to Private First Class on 29 January, 1944. 

Telling his buddies that he was going to join a combat outfit, PFC Lucas walked out of camp on 10 January 1945.  When he failed to return that night he was run as Unauthorized Absence or "UA".  One month later he was declared a deserter and reduced to the rank of Private.

Jack Lucas had stowed away on the USS Deuel which was transporting 5th Marine Division units to Combat.  He turned himself in onboard ship to the Commander of Troops on 8 February, 1945 and was allowed to remain with the division in Headquarters Company.  He turned 17 at sea just six days before his actions on Iwo Jima.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the First Battalion, Twenty-sixth Marines, Fifth Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands 20 February 1945. While creeping through a treacherous, twisting ravine which ran in close proximity to a fluid and uncertain front line on D-plus+1 Day, Private First Class Lucas and three other men were suddenly ambushed by a hostile patrol which savagely attacked with rifle fire and grenades. Quick to act when the lives of the small group were endangered by two grenades which landed directly in front of them, Private First Class Lucas unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon one grenade and pulled the other one under him, absorbing the whole blasting force of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from the concussion and murderous flying fragments. By his inspiring action and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, he not only protected his comrades from certain injury or possible death, but also enabled them to rout the Japanese patrol and continue the advance. His exceptionally courageous initiative and loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Private First Class Lucas and the United States Naval Service. 

/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

His fellow Marines thought he was killed in the blast, so they left him and continued the attack. PFC Lucas was severely wounded in the right arm and wrist, right leg and thigh, and chest.  He was medevaced to the hospital ship Samaritan and eventually to San Francisco on March 28th, 1945.  He would undergo a total of 21 surgeries.  Approximately 200 pieces of shrapnel remained in his body for the rest of his life. 

The deserter status was removed from his service record in August of 1945 and Private Lucas was reappointed to the rank of Private First Class while he was a patient at the U.S. Naval Hospital Charleston, South Carolina.   He was medically discharged from the Marine Corps on 18 September of 1945. 

On 5 October, 1945 PFC Jack Lucas was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman.