COLUMN
Medal of Honor recipient made an impact in Queens
In conjunction with the
Greater Astoria Historical
Society, the TimesLedger
newspaper presents noteworthy
events in the
borough’s history.
Born on August 2, 1945 in
Brooklyn, Jack Jacobs is best
known as a Congressional
Medal of Honor recipient for his
heroism during the Vietnam
War. The career soldier, who
spent his early years in Queens
near LaGuardia airport, also
earned two Silver Stars, three
Bronze Stars and two Purple
Hearts for his service in the
U.S. Army during the conflict.
After retiring as a Colonel in
1987, Jacobs became a finance
industry executive, writer and
news commentator. He is one
of only two Jewish servicemen
to receive the Medal of Honor
in the Vietnam War. Colonel
Jacobs currently lives in New
Jersey with his wife, Sue.
After moving to New
Jersey in the mid-1950s, the
former Queens resident went
on to earn bachelor’s and
master’s degrees from Rutgers
University. During his time
in college, the future soldier
joined the Reserve Officers
Training Corps and was
commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant in the Army in
1966. In a military career
spanning 21 years, Jacobs rose
to the rank of Colonel, first
serving as a platoon leader in
the 82nd Airborne Division
in Vietnam, then a battalion
executive officer in the 7th
Infantry Division, and later
a battalion commander with
the 10th Infantry Regiment
stationed in Panama.
His military career is best
remembered for his valor and
sacrifice on March 9, 1968
while serving as an advisor
to the Army of the Republic of
South Vietnam. After coming
under intense fire from a
Vietcong force, Lieutenant
Jacobs called in an air strike.
Although he was badly
wounded by mortar rounds,
he repeatedly ran across
open rice paddies to save 14
wounded American and South
Vietnamese soldiers, and
single-handedly engaged and
dispersed several squads of
Vietcong guerillas.
Realizing everyone would
die if he didn’t act quickly,
Jacobs recalled feeling
inspired to action by the words
of the great Jewish leader
Hillel, who said “If I am only
for myself, what am I? And if
not now, when?”
For his bravery and
selflessness, President Nixon
awarded Captain Jacobs the
Medal of Honor the following
year. He later returned to
service in Vietnam and
was wounded again. After
the war, the New York City
native decided to make a
career of the military. Before
retiring in 1987, Colonel
Jacobs also served as an
instructor at West Point and
at the National War College in
Washington, D.C.
After retiring from the
Army, Jacobs embarked on a
career in finance. He founded
AutoFinance Group, which
was a pioneer in the industry
practice of securitizing
debt instruments, and was
later a managing director of
Bankers Trust and Lehman
Brothers. He is currently a
senior executive with The
Fitzroy Group, an investment
and real estate development
company headquartered
in London.
In addition to a successful
career in the financial
industry, the former soldier
is also a military analyst
on NBC/MSNBC and is
involved in several military
organizations. He has
served as vice chairman
of the Medal of Honor
Foundation and on the board
of trustees for the National
World War II Museum.
In 2008, the Medal of
Honor recipient and finance
executive published his
memoir, titled If Not Now,
When?: Duty and Sacrifice In
America’s Time of Need. His
work won the Colby Award,
which recognizes a “first
work of fiction or nonfiction
that has made a significant
contribution to the public’s
understanding of intelligence
operations, military history,
or international affairs.”
Compiled by Dan
McDonald for the Greater
Astoria Historical Society. For
further information, contact
the Society at 718-278-0700 or
visit astorialic.org.
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