CAPE MAY — Last year, the Jacob Jones Memorial Committee sought public feedback for a proposed monument to honor U.S. Navy sailors who gave their lives during the Battle of the Atlantic amid World War II.
Jacob Jones Memorial Committee founder Myles Martel said the organization has a new design and new location to present to the public during via a Zoom meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. April 15.
The Jacob Jones was the first U.S. destroyer deployed in the Atlantic Ocean to patrol for German U-boats. On Feb. 18, 1942, it was attacked off the coast of Cape May just days after it began its mission and less than three months after Germany’s declaration of war against America.
Martel and Cape May resident and lead architect John Boecker first presented a proposal to City Council on April 15, 2025. Following public criticism and pushback, the location was changed before a subsequent presentation July 15, 2025.
Previously proposed locations included Beach Avenue near Howard Street, The Cove, Wilmington Avenue and the east end of the Promenade near Poverty Beach.
During an Aug. 5, 2025, City Council meeting, city residents dominated the public comment portion, raising additional concerns about the proposed monument.
Residents pushed back against the monument being located at Poverty Beach. Several residences located near the proposed spot had signs with “save our beach” displayed.
Resident Sally Snyder presented City Council with a petition featuring more than 400 signatures opposing the construction and placement of the memorial at Poverty Beach.
“Poverty Beach belongs to people and nature,” Snyder said. “Let’s preserve it for future generations.”
Two residents said that other World War II memorials around the United States and in Normandy, France, are not on the beach but feature kiosks, stone monuments and maps.
The committee members now think they have a better plan.
“We’ve made an awful lot of progress since our last public hearing,” Martel said in an interview with the Star and Wave. “We’re quite excited about our totally different site and different design.”
The new site location will be revealed during the Zoom meeting. After the session, the committee has tentatively planned to appear before City Council during the April 21 meeting.
Boecker “promised a page one rewrite, a total redesign, and he is delivering magnificently on this promise,” Martel said. “The design will be nowhere near the location that generated so much interest.”
Martel added that the committee is excited about the new design because it represents a tremendous upgrade over the previously proposed one.
“The architect, John, has a very positive attitude about feedback,” Martel said. “Our team basically made sure to pay close attention to this feedback and do our best to address it and benefit from it. As the leader of this team, I’m confident we’ve done that amply.”
The monument project would be privately funded and require fundraising if approved by City Council.
“We have every expectation it will be supported, and the legitimate issues that were raised last year have all been addressed,” Martel said. “Or negated, because they’re not relevant to the new design and new location.”
Martel reiterated the importance of honoring the first warship sunk, which goes beyond honoring those who were lost at sea. The updated number of souls lost is 138 people, many of whom were never recovered.
“We’re talking about a memorial that has tremendous significance and it is in tribute to the 138 men lost, mostly young men, including three sets of brothers on the same destroyer,” Martel said. “The sinking site is hallowed, and our memorial is aimed to accentuate that tragic reality as we honor those men and all of their naval brethren who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our freedom during the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest engagement during World War II.”
Martel added that the committee has an active descendant research team, which is contacting as many direct descendants of the fallen as possible.
The public is encouraged to participate at
us02web.zoom.us/j/7178778038?omn=82034807876
There will be a Q&A period after the presentation.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
