News

Billy Ball Explains NC: This NC Marine jumped on two grenades and lived


During World War II, this North Carolina marine jumped on top of two live grenades to save his fellow troops. And, somehow, he lived to receive the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman in 1945.

You can learn about his story, and see the Medal of Honor, at the new Carolina Museum of the Marine in Jacksonville, NC. The museum—which is just down the road from US Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune—is a dream years in the making. You’ll find immersive exhibits on Marine history, their vehicles and planes, their uniforms, and, of course, their incredible stories.

In a new Billy Ball Explains NC, we take a look at the museum’s long road to opening and tell you why this matters so much.

Billy Ball Explains NC is a weekly conversation about North Carolina politics, culture, and news, led by ‪C&P Senior Newsletter Editor Billy Ball. It premieres every Wednesday afternoon. Make sure to like and subscribe to ‪@cardinalandpine‬ on YouTube so you never miss an episode!

Sign up for Cardinal & Pine’s free, award-winning daily newsletter on North Carolina—written by Billy Ball—by tapping here.

Script by Billy Ball

Edited by Kim Lawson

Video footage by Susan Dosier

Video produced by Melanie Duran

Graphics by Kelly Lennon