President Trump Physically Supports Marine Maj. James Capers, 88, Before Awarding the Unkillable Vietnam Vet the Congressional Medal of Honor
Retired Marine Maj. James Capers Jr. stands with President Donald Trump before he is presented the Medal of Honor Thursday at the White House in Washington, D.C. Capers, an 88-year-old Vietnam veteran, saved multiple lives of Marines under his command during a 1967 battle at Phu Loc, all while suffering from several gunshot wounds. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
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People with conservative dispositions are often slow to acknowledge progress, hesitant to admit that conditions have genuinely improved over time. But this moment is different—and it clearly marks an improvement.
Vietnam War veterans, many of whom came home to indifference or hostility, particularly from liberal circles, have at last been recognized with the respect they long deserved.
At a White House ceremony on Thursday, President Donald Trump offered both symbolic and physical support to 88-year-old retired Marine Maj. James Capers, awarding him the Congressional Medal of Honor—decades after his heroic actions warranted it. Dressed in his Marine uniform and adorned with medals, the resilient and composed Capers stood with the president’s arm linked to his for stability.
Trump then placed the prestigious medal around his neck. After what appeared to be a quiet “Thank you, Sir,” the two men shared a supportive embrace. With help from Trump and others, Capers carefully stepped down from the raised platform and returned to his seat.
Readers may watch the scene in the following video posted to the social media platform X:
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump personally supports retired US Marine James Capers Jr., 88, and awards him the MEDAL OF HONOR
Incredible moment ❤️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/epajKLzK6w
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 18, 2026
The moment can be viewed in a video posted to the social media platform X.
In an Instagram post, the Medal of Honor Museum summarized the events that called forth Capers’ heroism:
In April 1967, as a second lieutenant leading a nine-man Force Reconnaissance patrol near Phu Loc, Capers repeatedly faced larger enemy units deep in hostile territory.
On the final day of the mission, his unit was ambushed. He sustained severe gunshot and shrapnel wounds but continued to direct fire support, coordinate troop movements, and oversee evacuations. Despite grave injuries and massive blood loss, he refused to leave until every member of his team had been safely evacuated by helicopter.
Even descriptions like “significant blood loss and extensive injuries” fail to capture the full extent of his ordeal. A 2010 Marine Corps news release, announcing Capers’ receipt of the Silver Star—the nation’s third-highest valor award—detailed how, between March 31 and April 3, 1967, his team, codenamed “Broadminded,” engaged a superior enemy force seven times near Phu Lac.
During the final ambush, all nine men were wounded, many critically. Capers, struck by more than a dozen shrapnel fragments in his legs and abdomen, still managed to organize a rapid defense and care for his injured comrades.
His actions were nothing short of extraordinary.
Eight years after receiving the Silver Star, in 2018, the Marine Corps honored Capers during National African American History Month. Born in 1937 to a family of sharecroppers, he joined the Marines in 1956 and soon deployed to Lebanon. He later became the first African American to serve in the Marine Corps’ Special Operations community as a sergeant in the First Force Reconnaissance Company.
During Vietnam, Capers led “Broadminded” on high-risk operations, including a POW rescue mission ordered by President Lyndon B. Johnson, amphibious assaults in the
DMZ, recovery of a B-57 bomber suspected of carrying a nuclear device, and dangerous search-and-destroy missions in Phu Loc.
As reported by The New York Times, Congress approved the Medal of Honor for Capers and two other veterans earlier this year.
Capers has not forgotten the cold reception many Vietnam veterans faced upon returning home. “When we came back, there were no yellow ribbons,” he said in 2010. “No music, no parades. Most of us arrived on medical evacuation flights, badly hurt… suffering from PTSD, a condition nobody understood back then.”
My father, a U.S. Navy veteran of the same era, also encountered apathy or even disdain from some civilians. Today, though, younger people often notice his “U.S.S. Coral Sea” cap and express gratitude. In that regard, attitudes have undeniably shifted—for the better.
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Original Article: Watch: Trump Physically Supports Marine Maj. James Capers, 88, Before Awarding the Unkillable Vietnam Vet the Congressional Medal of Honor
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