Two Marine Corps Legends Awarded Medal of Honor, Inducted into Hall of Heroes

On June 18, President Donald J. Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Maj. James Capers Jr., U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), and posthumously to Col. John W. Ripley, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired), during a White House ceremony. On June 19, both Marines will be inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, in recognition of their extraordinary heroism and distinguished service during the Vietnam War.

"Maj. James Capers Jr. and Col. John Ripley are Marine Corps legends whose heroic actions in Vietnam represent the very best of our Corps," said Gen. Eric Smith, Commandant of the Marine Corps. "Their valor, unwavering resolve, and fighting spirit continue to inspire Marines today, and Marines will carry their legacy forward for generations to come."

Capers was originally awarded the Silver Star for his heroic actions during a four-day reconnaissance patrol. He and his team were tasked with locating a North Vietnamese regimental base camp. Despite making contact with a numerically superior enemy force on three separate occasions, he tenaciously continued the mission. He successfully directed fire onto an enemy base camp, thwarting an impending attack on a nearby Marine battalion. On the final day, his patrol was ambushed by a claymore mine and came under a dense barrage of enemy fire, where he sustained multiple severe wounds. Ignoring his injuries and extreme blood loss, he continued to lead his team, coordinate supporting fire, and direct their movement to an extraction site. Refusing to be evacuated before all his men were safe, he ensured the entire team was extracted before finally boarding the helicopter.

"Receiving the Medal of Honor for what we did at Phu Loc is a profound and humbling milestone, but this medal does not belong to me," said Capers. "It belongs to the exceptional men who fought with me, whose absolute trust, preparation, and shared sacrifice made survival possible in the darkest of circumstances. All but one member of our team survived the fight at Phu Loc. I made it out alive because our War Dog King shielded me from the full impact of a claymore mine. King died, but I was able to push on despite being significantly wounded, and together we made it out."

Renee White, Capers' niece, shared her family's sentiment: "Our family is overwhelmed with pride as my Uncle Jay receives the Medal of Honor for his actions at Phu Loc and takes his rightful place in the Hall of Heroes. From his humble beginnings in South Carolina to breaking barriers as a Marine Force Recon pioneer, he has always been an unwavering example of strength, courage, and grace. While my heart aches that his beloved wife, my Aunt Dottie, and their son, my cousin Gary, are not here to share in this historic day, I know they, along with his parents and siblings, are looking down with immense love and pride. It is a privilege to witness my Uncle Jay receive this long-overdue recognition for his extraordinary service and sacrifice to our nation."

A native of Bishopville, South Carolina, Capers enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1956 and served 10 years as an enlisted Marine, rising to the rank of sergeant, before earning a battlefield commission in 1966. Throughout his career, he charted a rare path from enlisted infantryman to commanding an elite reconnaissance company. He served for 22 years before retiring at the rank of major in 1978.

Ripley was originally awarded the Navy Cross, the U.S. Navy's second-highest award for valor, for his pivotal role in halting a major North Vietnamese mechanized assault on April 2, 1972. The enemy's rapid advance depended on the capture of a bridge in the village of Dong Ha. To destroy the bridge, Ripley single-handedly moved 500 pounds of explosives into position. For three hours, he repeatedly exposed himself to intense enemy fire as he climbed beneath the bridge along its steel beams to emplace the explosive charges at key structural points. After successfully setting the explosives, he detonated the charges, destroying the bridge and stopping the enemy's advance.

"Our family is humbled to accept the Medal of Honor and his induction into the Hall of Heroes on behalf of our father, Col. John W. Ripley," said his son, Tom Ripley. "Our father loved the Marine Corps and viewed his actions at Dong Ha Bridge not as heroism, but as simply doing his duty. He was a Marine doing what he was trained to do. We accept these honors not just as a tribute to his individual actions, but as an enduring testament to the courage, sacrifice, and brotherhood of all the men who fought by his side."

Ripley enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1957. After serving one year as an enlisted Marine, he received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy from then-Secretary of the Navy Thomas S. Gates Jr., graduating in 1962. He continued serving in the Marine Corps before retiring in 1992, with a combined total of 35 years of service. Ripley died at his home in Annapolis, Maryland, on Oct. 28, 2008, at the age of 69.

The Hall of Heroes induction ceremony, hosted by the Office of the Secretary of War, will cement the enduring legacies of these two distinguished Marines in American military history.

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