'This is the greatest country in the world': Vietnam vet's powerful remarks will leave you speechless



Marine Corps. veteran Major James Capers Jr. recently received the Medal of Honor, leaving audiences in awe of his story of perseverance and tragedy.

Capers accepted the award from President Donald Trump on Thursday, but it was his powerful pro-America message on Friday that garnered a thunderous reaction.

'Lost a lot of good men in battlefields. I fought two wars and suffered 19 bullet holes.'

'I've said enough'

Capers is a combat veteran who participated in 64 long-range reconnaissance patrols and five major campaigns in Vietnam, according to his biography. Missions included POW rescue missions ordered by the president and the recovery of a B-57 that allegedly had a nuclear bomb.

On Friday, Capers was inducted into the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Upon taking the podium, Capers kept his remarks short but powerful.

"I have no words," the 89-year-old began. "But your applause reminds me of some dark days, of some brave men who are not here today. So I'll speak for them."

"This is the greatest country in the world," Capers declared. "I fought for that flag; I believed in it."

"I've said enough," Capers said after just under a minute in front of the room.

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'Lost a lot of good men'

Capers and President Trump shared some proud moments together at the White House on Thursday, with Trump linking arms with the veteran to help him stand during the ceremony. Trump was also seen holding hands with the South Carolina native as they spoke to each other on stage.

However, on "Fox & Friends" on Friday morning, Major Capers made sure there wasn't a single dry eye watching his interview with host Ainsley Earhardt.

When asked what was going through his mind when he received the medal, Capers' remarks did not fall short of remarkable.

"It was difficult time for me because I felt a little guilty, because I didn't really feel like I deserved it with all of the men and women that served, and I get to do something like this."

Capers did say it was "a wonderful day" that he was honored to take part in, but that he couldn't help but think of his fallen friends.

"You always think about that; you never turn that loose. Lost a lot of good men in battlefields. I fought two wars and suffered 19 bullet holes, and along the way, out of the battle zones," Capers recalled. "My son died in my arms of appendicitis, and my wife of 50 years died of cancer. So I had to survive that, on top of losing wonderful special operation Marines in combat."

"So there's no real satisfaction in getting a medal when I've lost so much," he added.

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Honor and gratitude

Earhardt, clearly fighting back emotions, asked how the man got through so much tragedy. Capers responded by saying it was his military duty, and that's what the "unit" is supposed to do.

"When one falls, somebody else has to replace that person who fell," Capers explained. "So I feel honored to have the support that I find today. Honored. And I give gratitude to the ones who made this happen. Can't say I'm happy to be here, because this award belongs to a lot of young men who followed me and died in battlefields around this world for a country that we honor this flag. I appreciate that."

Capers' closing words of encouragement were simply to "honor that flag."

"When one man falls, then another one picks up that rifle and drives toward the enemy, and that enemy must be defeated. That is an old adage that we use, and it has been successful for 250 years."

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Every attendee who was awarded by Trump during the State of the Union



President Donald Trump awarded several honors and medals during his historic State of the Union Tuesday night. Here is every honor Trump awarded during the joint address.

'He was a legend long before this evening.'

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Presidential Medal of Freedom

Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images

As goalie, Connor Hellebuyck played an integral role on the USA men's hockey team that brought home the gold for the first time in 46 years. Trump hosted the team at the White House on Tuesday, just days after their historic victory, later inviting them to attend the State of the Union.

During his joint address, Trump announced that he would bestow Hellebuyck with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor. Trump also noted that he took a vote from the team members in the Oval Office as to whether he should award Hellebuyck the medal, and they unanimously supported the idea.

Trump's address was a beacon of patriotism, and this moment was no exception.

"What special champions you are," Trump said.

2. Andrew Wolfe, Purple Heart

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Andrew Wolfe was one of the two National Guardsmen who were ambushed and shot, allegedly by an Afghan national, just feet from the White House in November. Wolfe was not expected to survive, but he miraculously pulled through and appeared at the State of the Union alongside his mother.

To commend his service, Trump awarded Wolfe the Purple Heart.

"It was a solemn and unforgettable moment, one that ensured their courage and sacrifice were honored not only by West Virginia but also before the entire nation," West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) said in a statement.

3. Sarah Beckstrom, Purple Heart

Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Sarah Beckstrom was the second National Guardsman recognized at the State of the Union and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. Beckstrom was serving alongside Wolfe when she was ambushed and fatally shot in November at just 20 years old.

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Beckstrom's parents accepted the award on behalf of their late daughter Tuesday night, marking a solemn moment.

“West Virginia will never forget their service, their bravery, or their sacrifice," Morrisey said.

4. Scott Ruskan, Legion of Merit

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

Scott Ruskan, an aviation survival technician and rescue swimmer for the United States Coast Guard, was recognized for saving nearly 170 people during the floods that devastated central Texas back in July. Those rescued included children attending Camp Mystic.

Trump awarded Ruskan the Legion of Merit for his "extraordinary heroism."

Ruskan accepted the award alongside 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond, one of the girls he rescued from Camp Mystic.

"As the waters threatened to sweep her away, 11-year-old Milly Cate McClymond closed her eyes and prayed to God," Trump said. "She thought she was going to die. Those prayers were answered when Coast Guard rescue swimmer Scott Ruskan descended from a helicopter above ... and he lifted not just Milly Cate but 164 others to safety."

5. Eric Slover, Medal of Honor

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Chief Warrant Officer Eric Slover was recognized for his role in capturing Venezuelan ex-dictator Nicolas Maduro in January, successfully piloting the Chinook mission despite being shot several times and sustaining severe injuries to his legs.

Despite being severely wounded, Slover stood up in a walker to accept the highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.

"Chief Warrant Officer Slover is still recovering from his serious wounds," Trump said, "but I'm thrilled to say that he is here tonight with his wife, Amy."

"The success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric's ability to take the searing pain. It was unbelievable, what's happened to his legs," he continued.

6. Royce Williams, Medal of Honor

Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images

Retired Navy Captain Royce Williams was also awarded the Medal of Honor Tuesday night, commending the 100-year-old veteran's service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. First lady Melania Trump, who sat beside Williams, bestowed the award on the war hero during the address.

In 1952, Williams found himself in a 35-minute dogfight against the Soviets, where he downed four enemy aircraft, survived a 37mm cannon, and still returned to the deck of the USS Oriskany just off the coast of North Korea. His fellow servicemen later counted 263 holes in the frame of his F9F-5 Panther.

"Tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He was a legend long before this evening," Trump said.

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White House Cuts Video As Biden Awkwardly Wanders Out Of Medal Of Honor Ceremony

'Biden appeared to wander off the stage'

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'He wanted to minimize his impact on folks'

Biden ditches Medal of Honor ceremony early, leaving heroic Vietnam War veteran alone during benediction



Army Captain Larry L. Taylor from Chattanooga, Tennessee, enlisted June 1966 and served with the 1st Squadron, 4th Calvary Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in the Vietnam War. He flew over 2,000 combat missions in UH-1 and Cobra helicopters, was engaged by enemy fire 340 times, and was forced down five times, according to the Army.

Taylor, 81, has received at least 50 combat decorations, including 43 Air Medals, a Bronze Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Silver Star.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden presented Taylor with the Medal of Honor.

Unlike other events helmed by Biden where he has slipped into the background unnoticed, Biden's premature exit from Taylor's Medal of Honor ceremony has sparked significant outrage.

Prior to Biden bailing out early, Lt. Col. Ann Hughes detailed Taylor's brave deeds near the village of Ap Go Cong, Vietnam, on the fateful evening of June 18, 1968.

'Feat never before accomplished'

A four-man long-range patrol team that had found itself surrounded and vastly outnumbered by a Viet Cong force called for fire support.

One of the four on the ground, then-Sgt. David Hill, told the Army Times, "We were in a Custer-like situation."

Then-1st Lt. Taylor heard the call and came powering over at the command of a light fire team comprising two Cobra helicopter gunships.

Upon arrival, Taylor "immediately requested illumination rounds and supporting artillery to assist with identifying the enemy positions," even though the fulfillment of that order would make his aircraft similarly easier to see and target.

Hazarding "intense enemy groundfire" and flying "at a perilously low altitude," Taylor fed the enemy encircling the patrol team a constant stream of hot lead and rockets, and he did so for 45 minutes.

As all good things come to an end, Taylor's team began running low on ammunition. However, the Americans below were not yet out of harm's way. The Tennessean appealed to light to stop the encroaching darkness in its tracks.

Hughes indicated that using his chopper's searchlight, Taylor began performing fake strafing runs on the enemy, thereby distracting them from the patrol team.

Still, the patrol team was not out of the woods, and now Taylor was running low on fuel, the Rubicon ostensibly behind him.

Taylor and his wingman cleared some additional space for the patrol, expending their remaining minigun rounds, then "directed the patrol team to move 100 yards towards the extraction point, where First Lieutenant Taylor, still under enemy fire, landed his helicopter and instructed the patrol team to climb aboard anywhere they could."

Hughes stressed that an extraction by way of Cobra gunship was a "feat never before accomplished." After all, the aircraft is a two-seater gunship designed for leaving bodies, not carrying them.

Nevertheless, Taylor made it work. The patrol team managed to both perch on the rocket pods and skids and hold on long enough for Taylor to fly them to safety.

Biden indicated that when he told Taylor he would be receiving recognition for his acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty that night, the Army captain responded, "I thought you had to do something to receive the Medal of Honor."

An unceremonious exit

Immediately after setting the Medal of Honor around Taylor's neck and giving the tearful veteran a handshake, Biden abruptly bolted out of the East Room as if to beat the traffic.

One reporter can be seen in the video of the ceremony impressed with a look of confusion at the sight of Biden hurrying out, and for good reason: the event was far from over.

Now alone, Taylor remained at his post, waiting for the closing benediction.

— (@)

The Daily Mail indicated that some have suggested Biden was attempting to give Taylor the spotlight; however, many have slammed the 80-year-old Democrat for what they figure was a gross lack of respect.

Former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan wrote on X, "Pardon my French... But what a f***ing idiot. The continuous lack of respect Biden has for anyone is appalling. Hawaii, Service members, active shooter victims, the list goes on."

Ryan's allusion to Hawaii may be in reference to the president's controversial speech to survivors of the Maui wildfires last month, in which he compared the blazes that claimed the lives of hundreds and razed a historic town to a kitchen fire that nearly put his beloved '67 Corvette at risk.

Ret. Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Patterson suggested, "Democrat disconnect with the American military continues. He doesn't give a s*** and can't wait to nap."

Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), an Army veteran who also flew choppers, wrote, "At least he didn't check his watch this time."

Hunt appears to be referencing the 2021 incident where Biden repeatedly looked at his watch during a solemn ceremony for the 13 U.S. troops killed amid his botched Afghanistan withdrawal.

Conservative radio host Jason Rantz slammed Biden's early exit, calling it "absolutely disgusting."

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Jean-Pierre said Biden would mask indoors when near other people — but then the president awarded the Medal of Honor while maskless



First lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday that President Joe Biden had tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday night and again on Tuesday. She also said that the president is not feeling any symptoms and will wear a face mask while indoors near other people, but will take the mask off when adequately distanced from other individuals.

"This evening, the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19," Jill Biden's communications director, Elizabeth Alexander, noted in a statement on Monday. "She is currently experiencing only mild symptoms. She will remain at their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware."

The first lady previously had a bout with COVID-19 last year. In August 2022, Alexander had issued a statement noting that the "double-vaccinated, twice boosted" first lady had tested positive.

Jill Biden later tested negative before testing positive again. "This represents a 'rebound' positivity," the first lady's deputy communications director, Kelsey Donohue, said in an August 2022 statement. "The First Lady has experienced no reemergence of symptoms," Donohue noted.

President Biden did not wear a mask on Tuesday while awarding the Medal of Honor to Captain Larry L. Taylor of the U.S. Army. While the president could be seen wearing a face mask at the start of the event, he removed it during the prayer and then proceeded to deliver remarks at the podium before placing the Medal of Honor around Taylor's neck.

President Biden Awards the Medal of Honor to Captain Larry L. Taylor, for Conspicuous Gallantry www.youtube.com


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