James Capers Jr. is a true American hero and Force Recon Marine legend who participated in over 50 classified missions, was wounded 19 times in battle and is one of the most decorated African American servicemen to ever serve that includes receiving a battlefield commission.Missions included a POW rescue ordered by President Johnson, amphibious assaults in the DMZ, recovery of a B-57 rumored to have a nuclear bomb, and search and destroy patrols in Phu Loc.
Major James Capers, Jr. was born on August 25, 1937, in Bishopville, South Carolina to a family of sharecroppers during the Jim Crowe era. Capers’ father had served time on a chain gang for a crime he did not commit and eventually fled to Baltimore with his family.
The city was the backdrop for two life-changing moments, meeting the love of his life and future wife Dottie and enlisting in the Marines out of high school. This would be the start of a legendary career that broke barriers as one of the greatest U.S. Marines in history.
During his service, he would be selected to join the elite Force Recon Marine unit where he excelled, breaking training records, participating in 64 long-range reconnaissance patrols and five major campaigns in Vietnam. He was a natural leader and father figure to Team Broadminded, a specialized group of Force Recon Marines. Capers and Team Broadminded were routinely selected to go on the most dangerous and clandestine missions in Vietnam.In the fall of 1967, still recovering from combat injuries,
Major James Capers was selected to represent the U.S. Marines in a national recruiting campaign. With full integration completed only in 1960, Capers’ image became the Marine Corps most popular recruitment campaign.
Capers currently resides in North Carolina and continues to be part of the special operations community.In 2008, Marine Major James Capers Jr. was recommended for the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam 41 years earlier. His recommendation was downgraded two levels at the Pentagon. No explanation was ever given.
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