Falling on a grenade
Encyclopedia
Falling on a grenade refers to the deliberate act of using one's body to cover a live time-fused
Fuse (explosives)
In an explosive, pyrotechnic device or military munition, a fuse is the part of the device that initiates function. In common usage, the word fuse is used indiscriminately...

 hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...

, absorbing the explosion and fragmentation in an effort to save the lives of others nearby. Since this is almost universally fatal, it is considered an especially conspicuous and selfless act of individual sacrifice in wartime; in United States military history, more citations for the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 have been awarded for falling on grenades to save comrades than any other single act.

Such an act can be survivable: In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 Jack Lucas
Jacklyn H. Lucas
Private First Class Jacklyn Harold Lucas was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Iwo Jima campaign — for unhesitatingly hurling himself over his comrades upon one grenade and for pulling another one under himself...

, in the battle of Iwo Jima, placed two grenades under his steel M1 Helmet
M1 Helmet
The M1 helmet is a combat helmet that was used by the American military from World War II until it was succeeded by the PASGT helmet beginning in 1985. For over forty years, the M1 was standard issue for the U.S...

 and himself before they exploded. Lucas lived, but spent the rest of his life with over 200 pieces of shrapnel in his body. In 2008 near Sangin
Sangin
Sangin is a town in Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14,000 people. It is located on in the valley of the Helmand River at 888 m altitude, 95 km to the north-east of Lashkar Gah. Sangin is notorious as one of the central locations of the opium trade in the...

 in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

  Matt Croucher used his rucksack to pin the grenade to the floor, and that and his body armor absorbed the majority of the blast. However, the odds of survival are slim. US Marine Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....

 Jason Dunham
Jason Dunham
Jason Lee Dunham was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who earned the Medal of Honor while serving with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines during the Iraq War. While on a patrol in Husaybah, his unit was attacked and he deliberately covered an enemy grenade to save nearby Marines...

 died on April 22, 2004 from wounds sustained on April 14 attempting to use his PASGT
Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops
Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops, sometimes abbreviated to PASGT, was a combat helmet and ballistic vest used by the American military from the mid 1980s until 2005, when the system was succeeded by the Lightweight Helmet, Modular Integrated Communications Helmet, and Interceptor body...

 helmet to shield himself and others from a grenade explosion.

This action has been used as a plot device in war stories. For example, in an episode of the television show M*A*S*H, Luther Rizzo plays a joke on Charles Winchester by dropping a dummy grenade on the floor, but to Rizzo's surprise, Winchester promptly falls on the grenade to save Rizzo's life, only later to realize the grenade was fake.

The volitional act of giving up one's life to save others also comes up in philosophy or evolutionary psychology
Evolutionary psychology
Evolutionary psychology is an approach in the social and natural sciences that examines psychological traits such as memory, perception, and language from a modern evolutionary perspective. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations, that is, the functional...

 when discussing concepts such as altruism
Altruism
Altruism is a concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures, and a core aspect of various religious traditions, though the concept of 'others' toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions. Altruism is the opposite of...

 and egoism
Egotism
Egotism is "characterized by an exaggerated estimate of one's intellect, ability, importance, appearance, wit, or other valued personal characteristics" – the drive to maintain and enhance favorable views of oneself....

.

"Falling on a grenade" is also used colloquially in non-military contexts to indicate individual acceptance of a personally harmful or sacrificial task in an effort to protect a larger group; during a scandal, corporate leaders or politicians who attempt to draw negative attention away from their company or party by pleading guilt, publicly admitting culpability and drawing condemnation on themselves (at the cost of their freedom or career) are often said to have "fallen on a grenade".

Notable Examples

  • On December 19, 1941 at the Battle of Hong Kong
    Battle of Hong Kong
    The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...

    , Canadian Army Company Sergeant Major
    Company Sergeant Major
    A company sergeant major is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company...

     John Robert Osborn
    John Robert Osborn
    John Robert Osborn, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....

     jumped on a grenade, sacrificing himself to save his men. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
    Victoria Cross
    The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

    .
  • On November 7, 1943 at Bougainville
    Bougainville Island
    Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...

    , Marine
    United States Marine Corps
    The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

     Sergeant
    Sergeant
    Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....

     Herbert J. Thomas, Jr
    Herbert Joseph Thomas
    Herbert Joseph Thomas Jr. was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic actions during World War II....

     deliberately fell on a grenade, sacrificing himself protecting nearby Marines.
  • On September 1, 1950, near Yongsan, Korea
    Korea
    Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

    , U.S. Army Private First Class
    Private First Class
    Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...

     David M. Smith
    David M. Smith
    David Monroe Smith was a soldier in the United States Army during the Korean War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 1, 1950.-Medal of Honor citation:...

     noticed an enemy grenade lobbed into his company's emplacement. Pfc. Smith shouted a warning to his comrades and, fully aware of the odds against him, flung himself upon it. Although mortally wounded in this display of valor, his act saved 5 men from injury or death.
  • On February 11, 1954, IDF
    Israel Defense Forces
    The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...

     private Nathan Elbaz
    Nathan Elbaz
    Nathan Elbaz, – Israel Defense Forces Soldier that sacrificed his life for his friends, receiving for this the Medal of Distinguished Service...

     was disarming grenades when he noticed one of the grenade's safeties had slipped. He grabbed the grenade and ran from the tent but realized he wouldn't be able to throw the grenade away without harming some of his friends, so he smothered the explosion with his body.
  • On September 23, 1971, a M35 2½ ton cargo truck
    Gun truck
    A military gun truck is an improvised fighting vehicle used by units of regular armies or other official government armed forces, based on a conventional cargo truck, that is able to carry a large weight of weapons and armor...

     was ambushed by a squad of NVA
    Vietnam People's Army
    The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...

     soldiers somewhere in An Khê District. At one point, an NVA threw a grenade into the truck's box. 21-year-old Specialist Four
    Specialist (rank)
    Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...

     Larry G. Dahl
    Larry G. Dahl
    Larry Gilbert Dahl was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.-Biography:...

     was the only occupant who heard the grenade land into the truck. Realizing that there was not sufficient time to return it, he immediately threw himself on top of the grenade. Dahl was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
    Medal of Honor
    The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

    .
  • On April 14, 2004, near Husaybah
    Husaybah
    Husaybah is an Iraqi city on the Euphrates river in Al-Anbar province, close to the Syrian border....

    , Iraq
    Iraq
    Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

     Jason Dunham
    Jason Dunham
    Jason Lee Dunham was a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who earned the Medal of Honor while serving with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines during the Iraq War. While on a patrol in Husaybah, his unit was attacked and he deliberately covered an enemy grenade to save nearby Marines...

     used his body and helmet to shield others from a grenade explosion - but died shortly afterward from his injuries.
  • On July 26, 2006, Roi Klein
    Roi Klein
    Roi Klein was a Major in the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces. Klein was killed in the Battle of Bint Jbeil during the 2006 Lebanon War after jumping on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers .Klein was born in Raanana, Israel...

    , during the Battle of Bint Jbeil
    Battle of Bint Jbeil
    The Battle of Bint Jbeil was one of the main battles of the Litani offensive in the 2006 Lebanon War. It consisted of a series of military actions and clashes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, regarded as the "Hezbollah stronghold" in the south. The town is three kilometers from the...

     jumped on a grenade thrown into the house where Klein and his unit were present and stopped the explosion with his body.
  • On September 29, 2006 in Iraq
    Iraq
    Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

    , United States Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor
    Michael A. Monsoor
    Michael Anthony Monsoor was a U.S. Navy SEAL killed during the Iraq War and posthumously received the Medal of Honor. Monsoor enlisted in the United States Navy in 2001 and graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in 2004...

    , died after falling on a grenade.http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15258312/
  • On Dec. 4, 2006 in the Iraqi capital Baghdad
    Baghdad
    Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...

    , 19 year old U.S. Army Spc. Ross A. McGinnis was killed instantly when he used his body to smother a grenade, saving the lives of four nearby soldiers.
  • In 2008 near Sangin
    Sangin
    Sangin is a town in Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14,000 people. It is located on in the valley of the Helmand River at 888 m altitude, 95 km to the north-east of Lashkar Gah. Sangin is notorious as one of the central locations of the opium trade in the...

     in Afghanistan
    Afghanistan
    Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

     Matthew Croucher
    Matthew Croucher
    Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher GC is a member of the Royal Marines Reserve and recipient of the George Cross, the highest British medal for gallantry not in the face of the enemy, for his extreme valour in risking his life to safeguard the lives of his comrades...

     used his body and rucksack
    Backpack
    A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...

    to pin a grenade to the floor.
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