Amid the chaos of Phu Loc, Vietnam, with shrapnel tearing through his body and gunshot wounds threatening his life, Major James Capers Jr. stood firm. The screams of his wounded men pierced the air, but he refused to back down. Surrounded by a numerically superior North Vietnamese force, Capers risked everything to ensure his Marines survived. This is the essence of heroism — a story of courage and self-sacrifice.
Throughout American history, there have been heroes whose stories challenge ignorance and prejudice. Major James Capers Jr., a Marine Corps legend, is one such hero. His life is a testament to integrity and triumph — not only on distant battlefields but also against individual racists and political ideologues at home.
As one of the first black Marines to serve in the elite Force Reconnaissance Companies, and the only one to receive a battlefield commission — from Staff Sergeant to 2nd Lieutenant — Capers led his team on dozens of near-impossible missions. His extraordinary actions at Phu Loc, where he received 17 shrapnel wounds and was shot twice, were marked by gallantry, intrepidity, and self-sacrifice far above and beyond the call of duty.
Despite being recommended for the Medal of Honor by his Marines and a general officer in Vietnam, the recognition was blocked by his commanding officer, who was not even present at Phu Loc. Instead, he recommended a lesser award, the Bronze Star with Combat “V.” The CO’s motives — whether personal animus, jealousy, or racism — remain unclear. However, his disdain was evident, reportedly saying of the Medal of Honor recommendation: “Not only no, but hell no!”
Decades later, the chance to correct this injustice is overshadowed by a new form of discrimination. Major Capers is being judged not for what he did, but for what he refuses to say. Political influencers offered to help him secure the Medal of Honor, but only if he agreed to use his platform to promote the narrative of systemic racism in modern-day America.
Capers, a fiercely patriotic and principled man, refused. His love for the Marine Corps and belief in America’s greatness stand in stark contrast to the demands of those who insist he cast himself as a victim. Without his compliance, their support was withdrawn, and their absence continues to negatively affect the process to this day.
Even recently, the Naval and Military Academies jointly refused to run a full-page ad honoring Major Capers in the commemorative program for the 125th Army-Navy football game. In an email, the program’s publisher was told the ad was “inappropriate” and “too controversial.” When 23 congressmen questioned the academies’ decision, Vice Admiral Yvette M. Davids and Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland defended it, stating that a corporate sponsor’s ad was chosen instead. They further claimed there wasn’t enough time to accommodate Major Capers at the game or recognize him publicly, despite having had more time than it took for U.S. forces to rout the Iraqis during the first Gulf War.
American Thinker
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