Jack H. Jacobs

Jack H. Jacobs, who entered military service through Rutgers ROTC, earned the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1969 for exceptional heroism on the battlefields of Vietnam. He also holds three Bronze Stars and two Silver Stars. While a first lieutenant, he was an adviser to a Vietnamese infantry battalion when it came under devastating fire that disabled the commander. Although bleeding from severe head wounds, Jacobs took command, withdrew the unit to safety, and returned again and again under intense fire to rescue the wounded and perform lifesaving first aid. He saved the lives of a U.S. adviser and 13 allied soldiers. Jacobs also served on the faculties of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the National War College in Washington, D.C. After military retirement, he founded Auto Finance Group. Later, as a managing director of Bankers Trust Co., he led Global Investment Management to $2.2 billion in assets and cofounded a similar business for Lehman Brothers. The Council on Foreign Relations and the Medal of Honor Foundation are among the organizations that have benefited from his leadership. He has also served as a military analyst for MSNBC.