Time Period: Vietnam War.
Jack Howard Jacobs was born on August 2, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York, into a Jewish family. During his early childhood, the family moved from Queens to Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, where he completed high school. Jacobs pursued higher education at Rutgers University, earning both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. As part of Rutgers’ ROTC program, he received military training, preparing him for national defense. In 1966, he began his military career as a second lieutenant.
Throughout his military career, Jacobs held several significant positions, including platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division, battalion executive officer in the 7th Infantry Division, and battalion commander with the 10th Infantry Regiment in Panama. He completed two tours of duty in Vietnam, serving both times as an advisor to infantry units in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).
During his first deployment to Vietnam, Jacobs served as a first lieutenant with the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, in Kien Phong Province, located in the Mekong Delta. By March 9, 1968, he was the assistant battalion advisor for the ARVN’s 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. On that day, the 2nd Battalion encountered fierce resistance from a well-entrenched Viet Cong force. While Jacobs was calling in air support from his position with the leading company, the company commander was incapacitated, and the unit became disorganized due to heavy casualties.
Despite being injured by mortar fragments in the head and arms, Jacobs assumed command of the company. He ordered a strategic withdrawal and the establishment of a defensive line at a safer location. Although his vision was impaired due to his injuries, he repeatedly crossed exposed rice paddies under intense fire to rescue the wounded. He personally saved a fellow advisor, the injured company commander, and 12 other allied soldiers. On three separate occasions during these rescues, he encountered and single-handedly dispersed Viet Cong squads.
Jacobs was subsequently promoted to captain and awarded the Medal of Honor, formally presented by President Richard Nixon.
The citation reads as follows:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Jacobs (then 1st Lt.), Infantry, distinguished himself while serving as assistant battalion adviser, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The 2d Battalion was advancing to contact when it came under intense heavy machine-gun and mortar fire from a Viet Cong battalion positioned in well-fortified bunkers. As the 2d Battalion deployed into attack formation, its advance was halted by devastating fire. Capt. Jacobs, with the command element of the lead company, called for and directed air strikes on the enemy positions to facilitate a renewed attack. Due to the intensity of the enemy fire and heavy casualties to the command group, including the company commander, the attack stopped and the friendly troops became disorganized. Although wounded by mortar fragments, Capt. Jacobs assumed command of the allied company, ordered a withdrawal from the exposed position, and established a defensive perimeter. Despite profuse bleeding from head wounds which impaired his vision, Capt. Jacobs, with complete disregard for his safety, returned under intense fire to evacuate a seriously wounded adviser to the safety of a wooded area where he administered lifesaving first aid. He then returned through heavy automatic-weapons fire to evacuate the wounded company commander. Capt. Jacobs made repeated trips across the fire-swept, open rice paddies, evacuating wounded and their weapons. On three separate occasions, Capt. Jacobs contacted and drove off Viet Cong squads who were searching for allied wounded and weapons, single-handedly killing three and wounding several others. His gallant actions and extraordinary heroism saved the lives of one U.S. adviser and 13 allied soldiers. Through his effort the allied company was restored to an effective fighting unit and prevented defeat of the friendly forces by a strong and determined enemy. Capt. Jacobs, by his gallantry and bravery in action in the highest traditions of the military service, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
In addition to receiving the Medal of Honor, Jacobs was awarded two Silver Stars, three Bronze Star Medals, and two Purple Hearts during his service in Vietnam. He later served on the faculty at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the National War College in Washington, D.C. Following his retirement from the military, he founded and served as chief operating officer of Auto Finance Group. As a managing director at Bankers Trust Co., he grew the Global Investment Management division to $2.2 billion in assets and later co-founded a similar business at Lehman Brothers. Jacobs is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a director of the Medal of Honor Foundation. He also works as a military analyst for NBC/MSNBC.
Jacobs is married to Sue Jacobs, with whom he has a grown daughter and two sons. They reside in Far Hills, New Jersey,
*This information was sourced from the Pritzker Military Museum & Library.
Originally published in the Shavous/Three Weeks 2024 issue of The Jewish American Warrior.
