Born: August 2, 1945
Brooklyn, New York
War: Vietnam
Rank: Captain, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Element,
U.S. Military Assistance Command, Republic of Vietnam
Location of action: Kien Phong Province
Date of action: March 9, 1968
Medal Received from: President Richard Nixon, October 9, 1969
Official Citation:
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, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry,
9th Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The
2nd 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 2nd 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.
Bio:
Colonel Jack Jacobs, who entered military service through
Rutgers ROTC, earned the Medal of Honor for exceptional heroism
on the battlefields of Vietnam. He also holds three Bronze
Stars and two Silver Stars.
Jacobs was an adviser to a Vietnamese infantry battalion when
it came under a devastating fire that disabled the commander.
Although bleeding from severe head wounds, then-First Lieutenant
Jacobs took command, withdrew the unit to safety, and returned
again and again under intense fire to rescue the wounded and
perform life-saving first aid. He saved the lives of a U.S.
adviser and 13 allied soldiers.
Jacobs served on the faculty of the U.S. Military Academy
at West Point and the National War College in Washington,
D.C. After retirement, he founded and was chief operating
officer of Auto Finance Group. As a managing director of Bankers
Trust Co., he led Global Investment Management to $2.2 billion
in assets and later co-founded a similar business for Lehman
Brothers. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
and is a director of the Medal of Honor Foundation. He is
also a military analyst for NBC/MSNBC.
Read an except from
Jack Jacobs's interview.
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