If Not Now, When?: Duty and Sacrifice in America’s Time of Need

Army First Lieutenant Jack Jacobs was serving as an advisor to the South Vietnamese when he and his men came under devastating attack. Severely wounded, Jacobs took command and withdrew the unit, returning again and again to the site of the attack to rescue more men, saving the lives of a US advisor and thirteen Allied soldiers. Colonel Jacobs received the nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor.

Here, with candor, humor, and quiet modesty, Jack Jacobs tells his stirring story of heroism, honor, and the personal code by which he has lived his life. He expounds with blunt honesty and insight his views on our contemporary world and the nature and necessity of sacrifice.