Jake Jacobson

SGM Harold “Jake” Jacobson, US Army Special Forces (Ret.) checked out of the net on Thursday, June 19, 2025, at the age of 95. 

Jake was born to Gustave A. Jacobson, of Sweden and Ruth Hedenschou Jacobson, of Norway, on November 17, 1929, in the Bronx, New York City. They moved to Providence, Rhode Island where Jake attended school. After graduating from High School in 1947, Jake enlisted in the US Army Airborne hoping to qualify for the WW II GI Bill. Jake served in Korea during the War and decided to make the Army his career, volunteering for Special Forces. His assignments took him on multiple tours of duty in (back to) Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam during the War, Republic of China and the Philippines. He retired as Sergeant Major from the Army with 30 years’ service. He then went to Saudi Arabia on a government contract for five years. Returning to California, he was employed in Silicon Valley for ten years before calling it quits, again. 

Jake and his wife Vera, moved to Florida. He was asked to run in the upcoming election for President of the Special Forces Association (SFA).  He had previously been asked while residing in California. He accepted the nomination and was elected, and became the first President of SFA that resided outside North Carolina, where Hqs SFA is located in Fayetteville. He served a subsequent term of service for a total of four years, maximum allowed. He then was appointed (hired) to fill a newly created position, Executive Director, in the Special Operations Association. He served in this position for six years before resigning for medical reasons. Memorial events in Jakes Service to his country was as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division meeting the newly created Secretary of Defense position, Secretary James Forrestal in 1949. Awarded the Soldier’s Medal for Heroism in Thailand in 1967 and recently being inducted as a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment (DMOR) 2020. 

Jake was a very kind person and loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a longtime member of Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church. Jake was extremely patriotic, he was humble about his distinguished service to our great country. He retired after a long, heroic and honorable career in service to our country, he was highly decorated and well respected. He deeply enjoyed the comradery with his colleagues in the service, they stayed connected all through the years. He and Vera loved to travel the world, traveling to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Hawaii and many other places. Jake loved their home in Pensacola and took pride in maintaining his yard. He loved his family dearly and was so proud of his grandchildren, Jenny and Max. He also loved his three dogs, Fred and the late Susie and Nicky.

Jake is preceded in death by his father Gustave Amandus Jacobson and his mother Ruth Hedenschou Jacobson; his first wife, Kyoko Iwata; two brothers, Gustave and Robert. 

He is survived by his wife, Vera, of the home; his son, Thomas T. (Andrea); granddaughter, Jennifer Meagan and grandson, Max Austin, all of Cary, North Carolina; and by his daughter, Olivia R. Jacobson, of Long Beach, California. 

Graveside service will be held at 9:30 A.M. on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Barrancas National Cemetery, Shelter B, NAS Pensacola, with Rev. Dr. Timothy Sowers and Rev. Tommy Lampella serving as officiants. Military honors will be accorded by the US Army and US Special Forces. Those wishing to attend are asked to meet at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel at 8:30 A.M. on Thursday to line up for procession to the cemetery. 

A memorial service will begin at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church, 12851 N. Perdido Street, Lillian, AL 36549, with Rev. Dr. Timothy Sowers and Rev. Tommy Lampella serving as officiants. A reception will follow at the church. 

 For those who prefer to make a donation in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to: First in Asia Association, P.O. Box 33944, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 98433-0944, in Jakes’ Honor.

~ Here is an article that was written to honor Jake’s service, Special Operations, and the tribute bestowed on Jake as an outstanding member of the SOA.

Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment

Harold "Jake" Jacobson

SGM US Special Forces (Ret)

SGM Jacobson served in the US Army from July 1947 to May 1977. He served in the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team (Rakkasans) in Korea and Japan from 1951 to 1955 and in the Special Forces (SF) Regiment from January 1958 to May 1977.

His SF experience included:

1958-1960: Weapons NCO on an A Detachment, 77th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (SFGA), to include airborne operations with Special Atomic Demolition Munitions. Attended Radio Operator School and became C Team Communications Chief.

1961-1965: Three TDY tours to Vietnam with 1st SFGA. Intelligence NCO on the first of two A Detachments from 1st SFGA to be sent to South Vietnam in November 1961. Trained graduates of the Thu Duc Military academy that were assigned to the Vietnamese Special Forces (LLDB) in airborne operations. Also trained handpicked individuals from the "Public Safety Office" (the Vietnamese equivalent of the CIA) in Airborne and Ranger Training. They formed an Airborne Ranger Company. On second tour (new detachment), was Demolitions Sergeant, provided special instruction on explosives and demolitions to select individuals of the Combat Police. Third tour (new detachment) split between two Rhade villages northwest of Ban Me Thuot, Buon Wing and Buon Ying. These camps were later closed. Other TDY deployments to Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.

1965-1966: 6th SFGA Group Training NCO/Officer

1966-1967: Company D, 1st SFGA was formed for assignment to Thailand. Assigned to the first B Detachment as Senior Engineer Sergeant, and also as the Operations Sergeant. This Company became the 46th Special Forces Company in Thailand. Trained Thai soldiers in counterinsurgency.

Received Soldiers Medal for rescuing trainees drowning in a river near Lomsak, Thailand. Also involved in a classified mission to Burma.

1967-1972: After returning to 1st SFGA, taught Escape and Evasion and Fingerprint Identification System to the Philippine Army Special Forces. Upon return to Okinawa, assigned as Operations Sergeant of Detachment A-323 (SCUBA). The Detachment was involved in annual training exercises infiltrating from US Navy submarines into Korea and the Republic of China. The Detachment completed three projects to improve harbors on islands surrounding Okinawa by removing coral obstacles to navigation using underwater explosives. "Jake" requested and gained approval for three actions for the SCUBA Detachment: attendance at the US Navy BUDS/SEAL School in Coronado, California, for Advanced Diving, award of additional MOS of Diver OOB, and award of the US Military SCUBA Badge, The award of the SCUBA badge was the first for Army Special Forces.

 During the removal of chemical weapons from Okinawa, led an underwater security inspection of the ship transporting the chemical weapons from Okinawa. During this assignment, the SCUBA Detachment was involved in a very serious accident covering a water jump. The Detachment was split, half in pickup boats, and half aboard a Marine CH-46 Helicopter to jump on the first pass. The helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff. Three personnel were killed to include the Team Leader of A-323, Captain Walter Huczko. MSG Jacobson survived the crash and, as soon as the fire was extinguished, dove back in the wreckage and retrieved the bodies of 1st Sergeant Sparkman and his Commander, CPT Huezko. The third casualty was a US Marine who was pinned under the helicopter.

During this tour of duty, joined the Special Forces Decade Club, later renamed the Special Forces Association (SFA). Played major role in forming Chapter II on Okinawa, was the Vice President (VP) and later served as the President. Supported Mark Tocci in creating a Chapter newsletter known as "The Rag". Instituted ways to honor 1st SFGA personnel that were Killed in Action and to assist their families.

1972: Assigned as Sergeant Major/Chief Operations Sergeant of Test 2, Office of Sec Def, Fort Stewart, GA. The "Williamson study" was a three state (GA, NC and SC) evaluation of their Combat Readiness.

1973-1977: Advisor to the 12th Special Forces Group (USAR). Advised an SF Company in San Pedro, an SF Company in San Diego, and several Detachments in Arizona. Trained three A Detachments in the use of SCUBA, one in San Pedro, one in San Diego, and one from San Francisco. Gained PADI certification for the trainees.

Formed Chapter XII of the SFA during this assignment; served as the Secretary and later the President. Retired at Fort Ord in 1977.

1978-1983: Defense contractor training the Saudi Arabian National Guard along with numerous other retired Special Forces personnel, all of whom worked for Vinnell Corporation.

1983-1996: Active in many SFA events while living in California and then moving to Florida.

In 1987, took the lead in creating the first reunion of former 1st SFGA personnel in Tacoma, WA. This event has continued every other year since 1987 with continued involvement and guidance from Jake.

1996-2000: President of the Special Forces Association. Highlights were responding to Army Chief of Staff General Reimer who wanted to deactivate two active Special Forces Groups and to change the A Team TO&E reducing the Team Sergeant's grade from E8 to E7. Wrote letters with strong endorsements from members of the SFA Advisory Council against both proposals. The SFA provided legal and financial assistance to the participants in Operation Tailwind in their lawsuit against CNN for televising a false version of Operation Tailwind. SFA also provided legal assistance to individuals from the 20th SFGA (National Guard) who were falsely identified as co-conspirators in a book about the assassination of Martin Luther King, "Orders to Kill" by William Pepper. Invited to the JFK Library in Boston to attend the dedication of the "Green Beret" that CSM Francis Ruddy placed on President Kennedy's grave.

Worked diligently to assist the USA Special Operations Command in helping the SF Regiment, honoring SFQC graduates, and gaining more active duty members for SFA. Coordinated with Senator Jesse Helms (NC) on Montagnard Issues.

2001-Present: Served as Executive Director of the Special Operations Association (SOA) from 2001-2006 and was instrumental in establishing good relations between SOA and SFA. Remained active in SPA to include being VP of Chapter 43, continuing to assist in the biennial 1st SFGA Reunion, raising funds for the "First In Asia" Foundation, the OASIS Group that provides assistance to SP personnel with Veterans Administration claims and appeals, assistance to the USASOC Historian's Office on several Veritas articles, and financial support to SFA, SOA, Save The Montagnard People, relocation of Yu-B, Jon Cavaiani, the Green Beret Foundation and the Special Forces Charitable Trust.

The Special Operations Association is pleased to announce that four more members have been selected for induction as Distinguished Members of the Special Forces Regiment. Please offer your congratulations to LTC (Ret) Mike Taylor, and MAJ (Ret) John "Doc" Padgett, and SGM (Ret) Harold "Jake" Jacobson. COL Pezzelle passed away 2 April 2001. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.