FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Fr. Vincent Capodanno ~ January 26, 2009

Serving The Best Troops And Veterans In The World | StarCMC and Elroy

[Kathy in Alaska]

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

~ 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!

[SandRat]

http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/05/09/9071-joint-service-chaplain-school-ground-broken-completion-set-for-fall-2009/

Joint-service chaplain school ground broken; completion set for fall 2009

The U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School has had numerous homes before coming to Fort Jackson in 1996. And apparently it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon as the DoD prepares to relocate Navy and Air Force chaplain schools right next to it.

Religious and military leaders from all branches converged on Fort Jackson Tuesday to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center.

“New construction will blend in to the existing school and form a campus with a cluster courtyard,” said Chaplain (Col.) Eric Wester, special projects officer. “Each school will maintain its own command, but will seek opportunities for shared training.”

The move to combine all Armed Forces chaplain schools is the result of the Base Realignment and Closure initiative. It mandates Navy and Air Force chaplain schools at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., and Naval Station Newport, R.I., relocate to Fort Jackson beside the USACHCS to form the combined school. Training for Navy religious program specialists will also be moving from Naval Air Station Meridian.

“Each of the service schools will retain its unique training for its particular needs, and each will have its own school,” said Chaplain (Col.) Clarke McGriff, commandant, USACHCS. “But there will also be an economy of effort and expense where, whenever possible, key training that is shared by all of the services will be conducted in an interservice environment.”

The $11.6 million project includes construction of a 45,800 square-foot building and features a 300-seat auditorium. The entire center will receive stained glass windows depicting each service. Construction is expected to be completed by September 2009.

The Army Chaplain School, the first of the Armed Forces chaplain schools, was created in 1917 out of a need to adequately train chaplains to staff the large military machine needed to fight the war in Europe. The first session of the school was March 3, 1918, at Fort Monroe, Va. For the second session, the school moved to Camp Zachery Taylor, Ky.

By 1928 there were only 125 chaplains on active duty. The activities of the school were suspended and remained so until another war would demand build up of military might requiring chaplains to minister to forces.

The school was reactivated for Word War II on Feb. 2, 1942, at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind. More than 8,000 chaplains graduated from the school between 1942 and 1945. Its locations have been diverse, ranging from a two-year stint at Harvard University to Fort Slocum, N.Y. Other locations include Camp Henry Knox, Ky.; Fort Wayne, Mich.; Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; Carlisle Barracks, Pa.; Forts Hamilton and Wadsworth, N.Y.; and Fort Monmouth, N.J.

On July 1, 1953, when the Air Force was given responsibility of training its own chaplains, the Air Force Chaplains’ Course was established at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and placed under the Officer Basic Military Course. The USAF Chaplain School was established in May 1966 at Maxwell Air Force Base.

The Naval Chaplains School came into existence in February 1942 when large numbers of civilian clergy entered the Navy during World War II. First located at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., the school moved shortly thereafter to the campus of The College of William and Mary, Va.

Decommissioned in 1945, it was reactivated in 1951 during the conflict in Korea and reestablished at Newport, R.I.
Chris.Rasmussen@us.army.mil

[Kathy in Alaska]

Aloha, Hawaii...souls for sure...can’t make it without them.

[The Mayor]

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

January 26, 2009

Cod Liver Oil Coercion

ODB RADIO: Listen Now |  Download
READ: John 16:8-11

When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. —John 15:26

A woman bought a bottle of cod liver oil to give to her dog so he could have a healthier and shinier coat. Every morning, she pried the dog’s jaws open and forced the liquid down his throat. He struggled, but she persisted. He doesn’t know what’s good for him! she thought. Faithfully, each day she repeated the process.

One day, however, the bottle tipped over and she released her grip on the dog for just a moment to wipe up the mess. The dog sniffed at the fishy liquid and began lapping up what she had spilled. He actually loved the stuff. He had simply objected to being coerced!

Sometimes we use a similar method in telling others about Christ. Called buttonholing, it’s an intense, in-your-face kind of confrontation. While earnestly desiring to share the gospel, we may end up repelling people instead. In our sincere but overly enthusiastic attempt, we create resistance.

We are called to share the good news, but we are not responsible for someone’s acceptance or rejection of Christ. It’s not our job to try to convict someone of sin. That’s the Holy Spirit’s responsibility (John 16:8).

As you tell others of Christ’s sacrifice, be sensitive. Know when to slow down and let God and His Word do the convicting and drawing to Himself.

The Spirit’s role is to convict
The world of all their sin
So they will seek forgiveness and
Be cleansed and changed within. —Sper

The Spirit convicts so that Christ might cleanse.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 14-15; Matthew 17

[Kathy in Alaska]

ANNOUNCEMENT (a little late)....for anyone that gets the National Geographic Channel!

Almost over, but repeating in 2 hours, "On Board Air Force One", and just ready to start, and repeating 3 hours later, "On Board Marine One".

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

I heard it was a “love fest” about Obama..

[Kathy in Alaska]

Father Capodanno Monument - Staten Island

[Kathy in Alaska]

I missed the first half hour, but up until the very end of the second half hour, it was President Bush and they showed the trip into Baghdad for Thanksgiving in 2003. The end I muted. d:o)

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Families, for your service to our country.

Thanks, unique, for the perfect woohoo.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Well..
That doesn’t sound too bad!
I am watching The Last Templar..
Pretty good so far!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And Sand is in first....grabbing the gold!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Enjoy your show. I’m finishing up some homework as I watch “On Board Marine One”. I’m really enjoying it.

[SandRat]

If you watch tonight’s episode of Extreme Home Makeover have plenty of tissues with you; dang the tissue box is empty again.

[luvie]

I was going to try to watch it and my hubby said that the O was
featured on it, too, and I just try to avoid him at all costs!

I am sure most of it was good.

[luvie]

Thanks to the two of you (and Elroy :D) for yet another great thread about one of our Military Heroes.

God bless ALL our troops....around the world!

[AZamericonnie]

Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen
at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.

~Tribute to Our Troops~

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in 2nd....MamaB snags the silver!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top 3....Hawaii bags the bronze!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh, oh....it’s coming up in 40 minutes. Getting a kleenex box ready. Thanks for the heads up.