President Trump honors decorated Marine veteran nearly six decades after acts of heroism during the Vietnam War
By Madison Colombo | HotScopeNews
Published June 19, 2026
Nearly 60 years after leading his fellow Marines through a deadly ambush in Vietnam, retired Marine Corps Major James Capers Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump during a White House ceremony on Thursday.
The 88-year-old veteran, widely recognized as the father of Marine Corps Special Operations, said the honor carries mixed emotions as he reflects on the sacrifices made by those who served alongside him.
“I can’t say I’m happy to be here, because this award belongs to a lot of young men who followed me and died in battlefields around this world for a country that we honor with this flag,” Capers said during an interview following the ceremony.
The Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, was presented to three veterans during the White House event. Alongside Capers, retired Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery received the award, while Marine Col. John W. Ripley was honored posthumously. Ripley passed away in 2008.
Capers earned the distinction for extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War. In 1967, while leading a Marine reconnaissance unit deep in enemy territory, his team was ambushed in the jungle.
Several members of the unit suffered severe injuries, including Capers himself. Despite sustaining a serious stomach wound, a broken leg, and significant blood loss, he continued directing his Marines and defending their position until medical evacuation helicopters could arrive.
Reflecting on the battle, Capers said his motivation came from a commitment to the men under his command.
“When your men are in peril, and you have an opportunity to save your men, then that’s what I chose to do,” he said. “To get off the helicopter, to lighten the load so that my men can survive.”
Capers also made history as the first African American to lead a Marine reconnaissance company and receive a battlefield commission. Following the ceremony, he was formally inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes.
Despite the recognition, Capers acknowledged struggling with feelings of survivor’s guilt.
“It was a difficult time for me because I felt a little guilty because I didn’t really feel like I deserved it,” he said. “But all of the men and women that served, and I get to do something like this, it’s a wonderful day, and I’m honored.”
The decorated Marine also spoke about the personal hardships he endured throughout his life, both during and after his military service.
“I lost a lot of good men in battlefields, and I fought two wars and suffered 19 bullet holes,” Capers said.
He also shared the pain of losing family members, including the death of his son and the passing of his wife of 50 years after a battle with cancer.
“My son died in my arms of appendicitis and my wife of 50 years died of cancer,” he said. “So I had to survive that on top of losing wonderful Marines, Special Operations Marines, in combat.”
For Capers, the recognition serves as a reminder of those sacrifices rather than a personal achievement.
“There’s no real satisfaction in getting a medal when I’ve lost so much,” he said.
Even so, Capers credited the military community and fellow service members for helping him endure some of life’s most difficult moments, offering support throughout both his military career and personal struggles.
Thursday’s ceremony marked the culmination of decades of recognition efforts for Capers’ actions in Vietnam, cementing his legacy as one of the Marine Corps’ most respected and decorated veterans.
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