What Happened to Major James Capers Jr.?

Born on August 25, 1937, in Bishopville, South Carolina, during the Jim Crow era, James Capers Jr. overcame humble beginnings to become one of the most respected figures in U.S. military history. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1956, embarking on a distinguished 22-year career. Capers shattered racial barriers, becoming the first African American to command a Marine Recon company and the first enlisted African American Marine to receive a battlefield commission.

During the Vietnam War, Capers led the elite 'Team Broadminded' on 64 long-range reconnaissance patrols and participated in five major campaigns. His most legendary act of heroism occurred from March 31 to April 3, 1967, near Phu Loc. During a four-day reconnaissance patrol, his team was ambushed by a numerically superior enemy force. Capers sustained 17 to 19 severe wounds, including bullet and shrapnel injuries and a broken leg, but refused evacuation. Despite extreme blood loss and being administered morphine, he continued to direct his team, coordinate supporting fire, and ensure every member, including their military working dog, was safely evacuated before he allowed himself to be extracted.

In the immediate aftermath, Major General Bruno Hochmuth, commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division, intended to recommend Capers for the Medal of Honor. However, Hochmuth's death in a helicopter crash later that year led to the paperwork stalling. Capers was initially awarded the Bronze Star with 'V' for valor, which was later upgraded to the Silver Star in 2010 after renewed advocacy. In 1967, while still recovering from his injuries, Capers became the face of the Marine Corps' national 'Ask a Marine' recruiting campaign, symbolizing the Corps' progress in integration.

After Vietnam, Capers continued his service in classified Cold War covert operations as a field agent in Eastern Europe and Africa, details of which remain classified. He retired as a Major in 1978. In 2010, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the U.S. Special Operations Command's Commando Hall of Honor, recognizing his pioneering contributions to recon training tactics still used today. Capers also faced personal tragedy, losing his wife Dottie and son Gary in 2003.

The campaign to award Capers the Medal of Honor gained significant bipartisan momentum in recent years. In 2025, a bipartisan congressional contingent renewed calls for the award. On February 3, 2026, the House passed H.R. 3377, legislation introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman, to waive the statutory time limit for the Medal of Honor. The Senate approved the measure, and President Donald Trump signed the legislation into law on March 26, 2026, authorizing the award. Finally, on June 18, 2026, President Trump awarded Major James Capers Jr. the Medal of Honor in a ceremony, nearly 60 years after his heroic actions. Capers, now 88, resides in North Carolina and continues to engage with the special operations community, meeting annually with the surviving members of Team Broadminded.