To the Editor:
I am writing to express my distress that some Cape May residents are resisting a proposed monument in Cape May honoring the USS Jacob Jones and her crew.
I strongly support the creation of a monument in Cape May to honor the brave crew of the Jacob Jones, who lost their lives when their ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat during World War II. It was the first U.S. warship to be sunk by a U-boat following Germany’s declaration of war against the U.S.
The significance of Cape May as the site for this monument cannot be overstated. It was off these very shores that the Jacob Jones made her final stand, and it is there that the memory of her valor and sacrifice should be eternally enshrined.
Erecting a monument in Cape May is not simply about marking a spot on a map; it is about recognizing the sacred duty we all share to remember those who gave their lives in defense of our nation.
The men who served aboard the Jacob Jones, and the hundreds of other sailors lost in the Battle of the Atlantic, fought with courage and selflessness, facing unimaginable peril so that our freedom and security might prevail.
Their story is part of our national heritage, and it deserves a permanent place in our collective memory – especially in the very community closest to their ultimate sacrifice.
It is disheartening that there is opposition to such a monument from Cape May residents.
Honoring the fallen is not only a matter of respect for the past, but a vital lesson for future generations about the cost of liberty and the meaning of duty. The sailors of the Jacob Jones exemplified the best of our country, and to fail to recognize them would be an injustice to their memory and a disservice to all Americans.
Let us unite around this effort to build a monument in Cape May. By doing so, we fulfill our obligation to those who perished defending our country, and ensure their sacrifice is never forgotten.
Lee Prickett
Commander, VFW Post 386
Cape May
