FR Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Fr. Vincent Capodanno ~ 29 June 2020

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Fr. Vincent Capodanno

Info from this website.

           

Servant of God Vincent Robert Capodanno (February 13, 1929–September 4, 1967) was a United States Navy chaplain and a recipient of America's highest military decoration - the Medal of Honor - for actions during the Vietnam War.

Vincent Capodanno was born in Staten Island, New York, on February 13, 1929. He graduated from Curtis High School in Staten Island, New York and then attended Fordham University for a year before entering the Maryknoll Missionary seminary in New York. He was ordained a Catholic priest in June 1957.

Father Capodanno's first assignment as a missionary was with aboriginal Taiwanese in the mountains of Taiwan where he served in a parish and later in a school. After seven years, Father Capodanno returned to the United States for leave and then was assigned to a Maryknoll school in Hong Kong. Father Vincent Capodanno's relatives now reside in Delaware & Florida, the youngest known is his great nephew who is a successful banker in Florida Ross Capodanno.

In December 1965, Father Capodanno received his commission as a lieutenant in the Navy Chaplain Corps. He was assigned to the First Marine Division in Vietnam in April 1966.

At 4:30 am, September 4, 1967, during Operation Swift in the Thang Binh District of the Que-Son Valley, elements of the 1st Battalion 5th Marines encountered a large North Vietnamese unit of approximately 2500 men near the village of Dong Son. The outnumbered and disorganized Company D was in need of reinforcements. By 9:14 am, twenty-six Marines were confirmed dead and another company of Marines was committed to the battle. At 9:25 am, the commander of 1st Battalion 5th Marine requested further reinforcements.

Father Capodanno went among the wounded and dying, giving last rites and taking care of his Marines. Wounded once in the face and having his hand almost severed, he went to help a wounded corpsman only yards from an enemy machinegun and was killed. His body was recovered and interred in his family's plot in Saint Peters Cemetery, West New Brighton, Staten Island, New York.

On December 27, 1968, then Secretary of the Navy Paul Ignatius notified the Capodanno family that Lieutenant Capodanno would posthumously be awarded the Medal of Honor in recognition of his selfless sacrifice. The official ceremony was held January 7, 1969.

Father Capodanno's official Medal of Honor citation is as follows:

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Chaplain of the 3d Battalion, in connection with operations against enemy forces. In response to reports that the 2d Platoon of M Company was in danger of being overrun by a massed enemy assaulting force, Lt. Capodanno left the relative safety of the company command post and ran through an open area raked with fire, directly to the beleaguered platoon. Disregarding the intense enemy small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire, he moved about the battlefield administering last rites to the dying and giving medical aid to the wounded. When an exploding mortar round inflicted painful multiple wounds to his arms and legs, and severed a portion of his right hand, he steadfastly refused all medical aid. Instead, he directed the corpsmen to help their wounded comrades and, with calm vigor, continued to move about the battlefield as he provided encouragement by voice and example to the valiant Marines. Upon encountering a wounded corpsman in the direct line of fire of an enemy machine gunner positioned approximately 15 yards away, Lt. Capodanno rushed a daring attempt to aid and assist the mortally wounded corpsman. At that instant, only inches from his goal, he was struck down by a burst of machine gun fire. By his heroic conduct on the battlefield, and his inspiring example, Lt. Capodanno upheld the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom.

On May 19, 2002, Capodanno's Cause for Canonization was officially opened, and so he is now referred to as a Servant of God.

In May 2004 the Initial Documentation was submitted to The Congregation for the Causes of Saints with CatholicMil acting as Petitioner and Father Daniel Mode named Postulator.

On May 21, 2006 a Public Decree of Servant of God was issued by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. The statement was made by Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien in Washington D.C.

---

Memorials

USS Capodanno

USS Capodanno (FF-1093) was named in honor of Lieutenant Capodanno. The Capodanno was commissioned September 17, 1973 and was decommissioned July 30, 1993 and sold to Turkey. It became the first ship in U.S fleet to receive a Papal Blessing when it was blessed by Pope John Paul II in Naples, Italy, July 4, 1981.

 New York City

In March 1971, the Knights of Columbus, Madonna Council in Staten Island sought to have a permanent public memorial honoring Father Capodanno. In October 1974, a bill was proposed to change the name of a three-mile (5 km) section of Seaside Boulevard to Father Capodanno Boulevard; a year later, the bill was passed by the Mayor of New York.

The city of New York declared July 3, 1976 "Father Capodanno Day" and held a Mass, followed by a parade that included the United States Marine Corps Color Guard, bands from the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, and Boy and Girl Scouts.

A monument was erected at the corner of Sand Lane and Father Capodanno Blvd on Staten Island. It is made of light gray Barre granite, stands 8' high and 4' wide and has a bronze plaque.

Saint Vincent Chapel, Taiwan

Saint Vincent's Chapel was the Capodanno family's first choice as a memorial. Within four months after his death, almost $4,000 had been raised by organizations such as The American Legion, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Knights of Columbus and the Marine Corps League. The Chapel, however, was not completed until 1993. It was built in the small mountain town of Thiankou with the help of Father Dan Dolan, another Maryknoller and Father Capodanno's former pastor when he was a missionary in Taiwan.

Capodanno Hall, San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard

The San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard dedicated Capodanno Hall on November 3, 1969. The hall serves as a Bachelor Officers' Quarters. Phillip Capodanno unveiled the plaque which describes Father Capodanno's heroic deed:

    "Lieutenant Capodanno made the ultimate sacrifice ministering to the wounded and dying during savage fighting in Vietnam. He has become the third chaplain in our country's history to receive the Medal of Honor and the second Navy chaplain to be so honored".

Other memorials

    * Capodanno Memorial Chapel, Lakeside TQ, IRAQ
    * Capodanno Chapel, Que Son Valley, VietNam
    * Capodanno Memorial Chapel Naval Base, Newport, RI
    * Capodanno Chapel,Naval Hospital, Oakland, CA
    * Capodanno Street, Naval Base, Newport, RI
    * Capodanno Chapel, Camp Pendelton, CA
    * Modern sculpture, Piazza Capodanno, Gaeta, Italy
    * Capodanno Chapel, Ft. Wadsworth, Staten Island
    * Capodanno Building, Millington, TN
    * Capodanno Chapel, Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan
    * Catholic Chaplains Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington,
               VA
    * Fort Wadsworth statue, Fort Wadsworth Army Chapel School.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

June 29

Simply Ask

Bible in a Year:

• Job 14–16
• Acts 9:22–43

Before they call I will answer.

Isaiah 65:24

Her doctor said her detached retinas couldn’t be repaired. But after living without sight for fifteen years—learning Braille, and using a cane and service dog—a Montana woman’s life changed when her husband asked another eye doctor a simple question: could she be helped? The answer was yes. As the doctor discovered, the woman had a common eye condition, cataracts, which the doctor removed from her right eye. When the eye patch came off the next day, her vision was 20/20. A second surgery for her left eye met with equal success.

A simple question also changed the life of Naaman, a powerful military man with leprosy. But Naaman raged arrogantly at the prophet Elisha’s instructions to “wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored” (2 Kings 5:10). Naaman’s servants, however, asked the military leader a simple question: “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?” (v. 13). Persuaded, Naaman washed “and his flesh was restored and became clean” (v. 14).

In our lives, sometimes we struggle with a problem because we won’t ask God. Will You help? Should I go? Will You lead? He doesn’t require complicated questions from us to help. “Before they call I will answer,” God promised His people (Isaiah 65:24). So today, simply ask Him.

By:  Patricia Raybon Reflect & Pray

How complex are your prayer requests? What life problem can you offer to God in a simple prayer?

Dear heavenly Father, when life feels complicated and difficult, thank You for Your promise to hear even my simple prayers.

[lightman]

God bless those ready to “lay down their lives for their friends!”

Tomorrow the universal Church honors the great Apostles Peter and Paul who jointly walked the path of suffering and received the crown of Martyrdom in Rome on the same day in the first century.

[SkyDancer]

~ Good Evening ~

~ ~ Just Hanging ~

~ Good Evening ~

~ Welcome To My World ~

I’m Down There Somewhere

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Ready to take on the new week?

[The Mayor]

Thank you Kathy! yes, relaxed today.
Week starts first thing tomorrow : )

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, lightman...Bless them, indeed.

Will you have a good turnout? Folks able to come?

[Hieronymus]

This is a good story which is near and dear to me. My mother has kept a card for Father’s cause on her fridge for years. Dad’s not Catholic, but was Navy in “nam.

There are giants in whose footsteps we may walk.

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Hall of Heroes: Fr. Vincent Capodanno ~

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[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Janey...((HUGS))...enjoy your last couple days before heading out in the skies.

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

[luvie]

Vincent Robert Capodanno
February 13, 1929–September 4, 1967
Naval Medal of Honor Recpient
RIP, Hero!

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

I saw a few rain showers on the airport cam today. Did any of them run across your house?

[radu]

Howdy, Mayor.

I enjoyed your radio show. Thanks for the link to it.

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

I hope you didn’t swelter too much today.

It was pretty toasty here and after a heavy rain storm this afternoon, it was a sauna outside. I stepped out to check the rain gauge and that was all it took to convince me that inside was the place to be. LOL

[luvie]

Well, it got up to 98 so I guess you could call that toasty! 🔥 The humidity was only 16%, though, so that helped a tiny bit. Glad you get the rain, but sorry that the humidity made everything feel nasty and sticky. Ugh. Doesn't have to be that hot to feel uncomfortable with that kind of dampness. I remember when we lived in GA, we had to have little electric heaters for the closets to keep our clothes and shoes from mildewing. Ick.

[Kathy in Alaska]

[ExTexasRedhead]

This is so emotionally touching; enjoy!

75 years later, D-Day veteran meets long-lost French love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjpGzuLJCS0

[radu]

Yep, I’d say 98 was plenty toasty. Ugh! I feel for ya. And for the poor kittehs. It felt close to that here with the heat index. Tomorrow’s high is supposed to be around 94 with pretty good rain chances so the humidity will be up there again.

The heavy shower did a nice job of washing dust off of everything this afternoon. There’s just a tiny bit of dust still in the air but it’s not enough to bother us as far as breathing is concerned. Glad it didn’t stick around long.

[radu]

That was so sweet! Even after 75 years, their love for each other is still there. It’s a shame they didn’t get to spend a little more time together but at least they got to see and touch each other again.