Jon Christopher Jacobson was born on October 19, 1947 in Bayonne, N.J. In 1965, he enrolled in Saint Peter’s College and joined the ROTC. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English on June 15, 1969 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserves. He was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he received his initial training and then was relocated to Fort Lewis in Seattle, Washington.

On August 2, 1970. Lt. Jacobson was assigned a tour of duty in Kien Hoa, South Vietnam as an infantry unit commander. His unit was the Military Assistance Team (MAT) No. 5, Advisory Team No. 88, Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV). On October 7 of that year. Lt. Jacobson was "Killed in Action" when a booby trap explosive device detonated. He was 22 years of old and was the 25th Bayonne serviceman to die in the Vietnam War.

According to his nine brothers and sisters, Lt. Jacobson believed in the United States military involvement in Vietnam and in his own role as a soldier. He had written to them with plans to take a pre-law examination in Vietnam as preparation for the career in law he hoped to pursue when he left the service.

Lt. Jacobson was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman 1st Award, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation and a Bronze Star Medal (General Order 5689 dated October 20, 1970, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam).