Catholic Military Life

Sept. 4 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Vietnam War hero and U.S. Navy Chaplain Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, Servant of God. Ever faithful to his vocation, Father Capodanno, a Maryknoll priest from Staten Island, N.Y., died in 1967 at the age of 38 while rushing to administer the sacraments to Marines under enemy ambush in Vietnam’s Quế Sơn Valley. Father Capodanno received the Medal of Honor posthumously on January 7, 1969. Since his death, there have been numerous reports of favors following intercessory prayers to the hero chaplain, and the Catholic Church is now considering his Cause for Sainthood. In this edition of Catholic Military Life, three prominent figures involved with support of Father Capodanno's Cause talk about his great sacrifice for the Marines under his pastoral care. They are Mr. George Phillips, a retired U.S. Marine who served with Father Capodanno and now chairs the Father Capodanno Guild; Father Commander Daniel Mode, a U.S. Navy Chaplain and author of "The Grunt Padre,