WWTBAM Bored

Jack Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation's highest military honor. He used his body to shield three fellow squad members from two grenades, and was nearly killed when one exploded.

"A couple of grenades rolled into the trench," Lucas said in an Associated Press interview shortly before he received the medal from President Truman in October 1945. "I hollered to my pals to get out and did a Superman dive at the grenades. I wasn't a Superman after I got hit. I let out one helluva scream when that thing went off."

He was left with more than 250 pieces of shrapnel in his body and in every major organ and endured 26 surgeries in the months after Iwo Jima.

He was the youngest serviceman to win the Medal of Honor in any conflict other than the Civil War.

Semper Fi and God bless you for your service, sir.

I thought somebody RIP'd Mr. Lucas yesterday, but I have no problem doing it again.

I salute you, Mr. Lucas! God Bless our Vets.

For a minute there I was mixing him up with Calvin Graham -- who enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 12! Ricky Schroder played him in the movie. Unfortunately, Calvin's story has a sadder ending as he was dishonorably discharged when his true age was discovered, and even after he legitimately enlisted after turning 17, he spent the rest of his life fighting for his benefits. His Purple Heart was finally restored 2 years after his death in 1992.