Jacobsen Gets Hero’s Homecoming : Crowds Greet Former Hostage With Outpouring of Love

Former hostage David P. Jacobsen went public Friday, appearing at Huntington Beach City Hall to receive the key to the city, then traveling to Westminster for an outpouring of traditional, hometown patriotism and religion.

“Anything I would say today would be an understatement of my feelings and of my emotions,” Jacobsen told his audience at Westminster Civic Center. “I’ve had tremendous joy upon my release, and this is probably the second or third time I’ve felt like crying.”

In contrast to a sometimes tense news conference the previous day, his first since returning to Southern California, Jacobsen’s appearances Friday were full of applause and jokes and praise of America and of faith in God.

“I really want to avoid political questions this morning,” he told reporters in Huntington Beach. “I’m still on a glorious high of being reunited with my family.”

But at the close of the ceremonies in Westminster, Jacobsen spoke out on the controversy about President Reagan’s secret shipments of arms to Iran that resulted in the release of American hostages. Reagan acknowledged the efforts during a Thursday night speech but denied that the arms constituted ransom for the hostages.

Agrees With President

In a prepared statement, Jacobsen said he agreed with Reagan’s position. He said that the issues are very complicated “and to suggest that I or any other hostage gained our release only as a result of an arms trade with Iran is simplistic, unrealistic, misinformed and possibly detrimental to the safety of the remaining hostages in Lebanon and to the effort to improve the possibility of peace in the Middle East.”

“The question has been asked if I think we should negotiate for hostages,” Jacobsen added. “We negotiate constantly for material things in our personal lives. Are not the lives of our fellow citizens worth negotiating for? In the United States of America, it is standard operating procedure in police departments to negotiate for hostages. It is a proven, effective way to save lives.”

Jacobsen’s day started out with a lighter touch, however, when he appeared in the City Council chambers at Huntington Beach City Hall at 10 a.m. to receive the key to the city.

Yellow ribbons, which have become a symbol of American hostages in the Middle East, were tied to railings, benches and trees, and inside the chambers yellow balloons and welcoming posters were attached to the walls.

Mayor Robert P. Mandic Jr. presented Jacobsen with the key, saying it made him “an honorary citizen of Huntington Beach,” even though Huntington Beach already is Jacobsen’s hometown. “The best city in the world,” Jacobsen said.

The presentation included an invitation to Jacobsen to be grand marshal of the city’s Fourth of July parade next year.

When Jacobsen offered to answer a few questions from the news media, he launched into a commentary on presidential politics and the hostage issue but quickly lapsed into joking about his alma mater, UCLA.

“It seemed that when I’m out of the country they go to the Rose Bowl and they win. When I’m back in the country, they have disaster,” Jacobsen said. “I have a vow that I’m going to do my best to recruit the tallest, best center in basketball and the finest football players available . . .”

Later, he suggested that the Nobel Peace Prize be awarded to Anglican Church special envoy Terry Waite, “a man of God, truly a great humanitarian who has risked his life for me.”

The news media outnumbered the participants and audience in the Huntington Beach council chambers. But at Westminster, the public had been invited for outdoor ceremonies in the Civic Center, and a crowd of about 300--including elementary school students, high school bands, clowns, city workers and senior citizens from a nearby center--had assembled by the time Jacobsen and members of his family arrived at 1:30 p.m.

Westminster Mayor Joy Neugebauer set the tone for the program with her opening statement: “Welcome to Westminster, and isn’t it a beautiful day to celebrate and welcome home David Jacobsen?”

‘Hallelujah!’

“Hallelujah!” shouted someone from the audience.

“Amen,” said the mayor.

“There is truly no sight more beautiful than our American flag,” the mayor said.

She told of how, at the urging of a residents of Hy-Lond Convalescent Hospital in Westminster, rose bushes were planted and a plaque dedicated at the Civic Center to the seven Americans then being held hostage in Lebanon.

Beside the lectern were seven elderly women, residents of the hospital, who each last year “adopted” one of the hostages, promising to pray for his release.

When Jacobsen headed for the lectern, he hugged and kissed each of them but spent a little extra time with 74-year-old Alice Mount, formerly of Point Pleasant, N.J., who had “adopted” him.

“Your prayers did work,” he told her.

He asked everyone to continue their prayers for the release of hostages still held in Lebanon.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn presented Jacobsen with a board resolution, remarking that “I know I’m in a strange county.”

“Not ‘strange,’ ” Neugebauer protested.

“I’m sure the mayor understands that I’m here (by) invitation. I didn’t come into your county without being invited,” Hahn said.

Jacobsen, who as a Los Angeles County employee at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center became acquainted with Hahn, kidding Hahn by saying “it’s a little embarrassing being in a neighboring county with all the conservatives.”

“I’m a Democrat, too,” Hahn said.

“I know it,” Jacobsen said. “I’m a Republican. . . . I’m going to do everything I can to see that you get a safe conduct pass out of the County of Orange.”

Son Praised

During the ceremonies, praise was not limited to Jacobsen. The emcee, Dan Avey of radio station KFI, praised Jacobsen’s son, Eric.

He said that like Jacobsen himself, Jacobsen’s family in Huntington Beach had been drawn unwillingly into “an international struggle.”

“It’s been interesting to watch . . . Eric as this whole thing has progressed,” Avey said. “I’ve watched Eric grow in dedication, grow in resolve, and really grow in stature. And all I can say is, God forbid that should ever happen to me.”

Jacobsen asked the audience to always protect and love the United States, “the most wonderful country in the world.”

And he explained his criticism of the news media, which he voiced this week in a copyrighted interview with the Daily Pilot of Costa Mesa.

“It’s because everything that’s shown on television is viewed throughout the world within 24 hours,” Jacobsen told his audience Friday. “And I want America to look good, because this is a wonderful country. And truly the people of the universe love America. They look up to it.”

Jacobsen’s next scheduled public appearance will be Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, after which he is scheduled to fly to London to confer with Waite on how remaining hostages might be freed.