Retired Marine Major James Capers Jr. Honored with Medal of Honor

Retired Marine Corps Major James Capers Jr. received the Medal of Honor nearly six decades after leading his Marines through a harrowing ambush in Vietnam. President Donald Trump awarded the medal to the 88-year-old, who is considered the “father of Marine Corps Special Operations.” Capers dedicated this honor to young men who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States.

“I can’t say I’m happy to be here because this award belongs to those young men who followed me and died in battlefields around this world for a country that we honor,” Capers said on “Fox & Friends.”

President Trump presented the nation’s highest military decoration to Capers during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on June 18, 2026. He also honored retired Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery and awarded the medal posthumously to Marine Col. John W. Ripley, who passed away in 2008.

“When your men are in peril, and you have an opportunity to save your men, then that’s what I chose to do,” Capers expressed.

In 1967, Capers served in the Vietnam War, where he heroically saved his fellow Marines in combat. Despite suffering a stomach wound, a broken leg, and heavy bleeding, he refused to give up. He continued leading his men and held off the enemy until a medevac helicopter arrived. Capers explained that his fellow Marines motivated him during these challenging times.

Capers was notable for being the first African American to lead a Marine recon company and receive a battlefield commission. He has recently been inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes, yet expressed a sense of survivor’s guilt over the accolades.

“It was difficult because I felt a little guilty because I didn’t feel like I deserved it,” Capers said. “But all of the men and women who served, and I get to do something like this, it’s a wonderful day, and I’m honored.”

He detailed the toll his service took on his life, sharing the loss of colleagues, his son, and his wife. Despite his sacrifices, he credited the military community for its unwavering support.

“Well, that’s what the military does. We’re one unit, and when one falls, somebody else has to replace that person who fell. So I feel honored to have the support that I find today,” Capers stated. “I’m honored and grateful to the ones who made this happen.”

During the White House ceremony, Trump thanked these veterans for their unparalleled service and pledged, “We will never, ever forget you.” Capers’s story of heroism is shared in the documentary “The Iron Major: James Capers Jr.,” available on Fox Nation.

Capers received the “Salute to Service Award” at the seventh annual Fox Nation Patriot Awards in November 2025, recognizing his outstanding contributions.