Trailblazing Vietnam veteran Major James Capers Jr honored with Patriot Award at 88

Maj. James Capers Jr. dedicated his life to serving his country. Now, his service is being honored. The 88-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran was recognized at the seventh annual Fox Nation Patriot Awards Thursday, receiving the “Salute to Service Award.”

“It’s the pinnacle of my lifetime,” Capers said Friday on “Fox & Friends,” reflecting on the moment he accepted the award.

Capers served in the Vietnam War, where he saved seven fellow Marines in combat. In 1967, his unit was ambushed in the jungle. Several service members were gravely injured that day, including Capers himself.

Even after suffering a stomach wound, a broken leg and heavy bleeding, he refused to quit. Capers continued leading his men, holding off the enemy until a medevac helicopter could reach them.

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Maj. James Capers Jr. became the face of the U.S. Marines’ “Ask a Marine” recruiting program. (Photos courtesy of Bill Cortese)

Capers said he was honored by the recognition but wished his wife, son and fellow Marines could have been alive to witness it.

“It broke my heart in a way that I was alive to do this,” he said.

“All the accolades you gave to me, and all those men that I fought beside were not here.”

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Capers still suffers from the injuries he sustained in Vietnam, but his actions ensured all his Marines made it out alive that day. He was awarded the Bronze Star, which was later upgraded to a Silver Star.

Maj. James Capers Jr. (second left) accepts the Salute to Service Award from Harris Faulkner on stage during the 2025 Fox Nation Patriot Awards at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, N.Y. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

“I’ll tell you why I wear these boots,” Capers said Friday of his cowboy boots.

“I have 19 holes that I bled from, and my right leg has been broken. Both my legs have been broken, and I wear these boots to cover the skin grafts.”

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There have been growing calls for President Donald Trump to award Capers the Medal of Honor. Capers was the first African American to serve in a Marine reconnaissance battalion during the Vietnam War.

After the war, he continued his Marine Corps career, sharing his experiences and inspiring younger generations of Americans.

Marine Corps veteran Major James Capers Jr. was honored at the Patriot Awards for his heroic Vietnam War service, where he saved fellow Marines while wounded in a 1967 jungle ambush. (Photo courtesy of Bill Cortese)

Now in his later years, Capers acknowledges the challenges the military faces in recruiting today’s youth, but he expressed faith in the next generation.

“It’ll come,” he said of the patriotism he felt in his youth.

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth surprised Capers at Thursday’s ceremony, coming onstage to personally thank him for his service.

Other award categories presented at the Patriot Awards included “Young Patriot,” “Heroism,” the “T2T Stephen Siller Award,” “Most Valuable Patriot,” and the “Charlie Kirk Legacy Award,” each recognizing individuals whose actions embody courage, service and love of country.