Final Jeopardy: Military History (6-5-26)
The Final Jeopardy question (6/5/2026) in the category “Military History” was:
At the U.S. Naval Academy, a 19th c. memorial inscribed “Commerce laments their fall” honors heroes of this conflict
4x champ Peter McFerrin, an energy industry professional from Corona, CA, has now won $96,997. If he wins Game 5, he’s bound to go over the $100K and be a lock for the Tournament of Champions. These new challengers stand in the way of that goal: Jackie Goncalves, an art department coordinator from Brooklyn, NY; and Seth McElroy, a registered nurse from Charlottesville, VA.
Round 1 Categories: That’s Egregious! – For A Good Time Call – TV, Recently – The King is Unwell – That Shellfish – Didn’t Agree with Him
Seth found the Jeopardy! round Daily Double in “That’s Egregious” under the $800 with 9 clues left after it. He was in second place with $2,400, $4,000 less than Peter’s lead. Seth made it a true Daily Double and came up with the Stamp Acts. That was WRONG.
Unbearable, like the acts that in part asked for restitution for the Boston Tea Party show
Peter finished in the lead with $7,800. Jackie was in second place with $2,800. Seth was last with $400. All clues were shown.
Round 2 Categories: You in Danger, Literary Girl – Coining Some Words – Is There A Doc-umentary in the House? – “H”odgepodge – World Cities – Back-Formations
Seth got the first Daily Double in “World Cities” under the $1,200 clue on the first pick of the round. He was in last place with $400 now, $7,400 less than Peter’s lead. Seth bet the $2,000 allowance and tried Amman. That was WRONG.
This Middle Eastern city, alphabetically first in national capitals, was once a pearl-fishing port show
Seth got the last Daily Double in “Coining Some Words” under the $2,000 on the 17th pick of the round. In last place with $3,600, he had $14,200 less than Peter’s lead. Seth bet $2,000 and said Pius. That was WRONG.
On a 1995 German coin, this man’s name appears above a big “X” & 2 images of a hand, one showing just the bones show
Peter finished in the lead with $23,000. Jackie was in second place with $9,600. Seth was last with $4,400. All clues were shown.
NONE of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! right.
WHAT ARE THE BARBARY WARS?
The Tripoli Monument at the U.S. Naval Academy was commissioned and sculpted in Livorno, Italy to honor 6 naval officers who perished in the First Barbary War, namely: Richard Somers, James Caldwell, James Decatur, Henry Wadsworth, Joseph Israel, and John Sword Dorsey. Naval officers paid for the project (some $3,000) through subscription, ranging from $20 for Commanders to $5 for Midshipmen.
The clue only contains the last line of this inscription on the Tripoli monument: “The love of glory inspired them; fame has crowned their deeds; history records the event; the children of Columbia admire, and Commerce laments their fall.” The “Commerce” line makes sense if you remember a far more famous quote associated with the Barbary Wars: “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”
Seth had no response. He lost $47 and finished with $4,353.
Jackie wrote down “Literally, idk ken”. She lost $600 and finished with $9,000.
Peter had the War of 1812. He lost $3,799 but won the game with the remaining $19,201. Peter’s 5-day total is $116,198 and he’s on his way to the Tournament of Champions, whether he wins or loses next week.
A triple stumper from each round:
THAT SHELLFISH ($600) Angels on Horseback is a classic recipe featuring these shellfish wrapped in bacon & broiled
COINING SOME WORDS The name of ($800) this institution that issues British paper money was on a 1994 2-pound coin marking its 300th anniversary
2 years ago: TWO of the players got this FJ in “WORLD LEADERS”
During a 1972 presidential visit, Richard Nixon discussed a poem by this leader called “Ode to the Plum Blossom” show
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Not a great week for Final but a great week for Peter who swept this week. Darn those daily doubles to Seth. He became the first player since Marissa to miss all three daily doubles.