Two Marine Corps legends receive Medal of Honor, set for Hall of Heroes induction

President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday 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, recognizing acts of valor in Vietnam that were previously honored with the Silver Star and the Navy Cross, respectively. A Pentagon ceremony on Wednesday will induct both Marines into the Hall of Heroes.

“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 earned the upgrade for a four-day reconnaissance mission near Phu Loc in which his team repeatedly engaged a larger North Vietnamese force while searching for a regimental base camp. He called in fires that disrupted an imminent attack on a nearby Marine battalion, and on the final day, after a claymore ambush and heavy enemy fire left him severely wounded, he continued directing support and guiding his team to extraction. He refused evacuation until every member of his patrol was aboard a 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.”

“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,” said Capers’ niece, Renee White.

A Bishopville, South Carolina, native, Capers enlisted in 1956, served a decade as an enlisted Marine and rose to sergeant before receiving a battlefield commission in 1966. He went on to command an elite reconnaissance company and retired as a major in 1978 after 22 years of service.

Ripley’s medal recognizes his solo effort on April 2, 1972, to destroy the Dong Ha Bridge and block a major North Vietnamese mechanized advance. Under intense fire for three hours, he hauled roughly 500 pounds of explosives across the span and along its steel beams to place charges at key points before detonating them, stopping the enemy’s push.

“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 1957, received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy from then-Secretary of the Navy Thomas S. Gates Jr., and graduated in 1962. He served a combined 35 years before retiring in 1992. Ripley died in 2008 at his home in Annapolis, Maryland, at age 69.

The Hall of Heroes ceremony at the Pentagon on Wednesday will formally enshrine their names alongside other Medal of Honor recipients, honoring two Marines whose battlefield actions and long service helped define a generation.