Maine Maritime Academy

I write for classmate Paul H. Jacobs, Captain USN (Ret), MMA Class of 1958. Paul’s health condition precludes him from writing. Paul is one of the true heros in all of MMA’s history. During the Fall of Saigon he was CO of USS KIRK (FF 1087). His ship, off the cost of Vietnam, without warning, was called upon to immediately transform itself from a ship; taunt; trained; loaded, and ready for battle, into one of rescue and humanitarian assistance of almost biblical proportions. He, his crew, and his ship were instrumental in the organizing and rescuing of some 33,000 South Vietnamese who were escaping from the Communist forces from the North. The US Navy was so impressed by these actions, that it produced a DVD “The Lucky Few”, telling this story.

A copy of this DVD, “The Lucky Few”, is in the possession of the members of the NROTC at MMA, and portions of this story are also on YouTube.

When asked, “How did you do that?”

Paul’s typical answer was, “Not me, it was my crew.”

That gives you the measure of the man.

To learn more about Paul, please enjoy the October 2017 issue of the Maine Maritime Academy’s Shipmate Alumni Newsletter – “Paul Jacobs, ’58, and USS Kirk (FF-1087) Crew Recognized“.