A decorated Vietnam War veteran may soon receive long-overdue recognition for his extraordinary bravery more than half a century ago.

A new bill introduced in Congress seeks to upgrade retired Marine Maj. Jim Capers’ Silver Star Medal to the Medal of Honor for his heroism during a perilous mission in South Vietnam in 1967.

House Resolution 3377, sponsored by Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., was filed on May 13 and is currently under review by the House Armed Services Committee.

The bill is supported by a bipartisan letter to then-President Donald Trump signed by six U.S. senators and 41 members of Congress.

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The letter urges a formal review of Capers’ case for an upgrade to the nation’s highest military award.

Capers, a trailblazing Marine officer and leader of the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, led a reconnaissance mission in late March 1967 into the dense jungles near Phú Lộc, South Vietnam.

The mission’s goal was to monitor a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regiment and protect the flank of Company M, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines.

The nine-man recon team, along with their faithful military dog “King,” endured several days of navigating enemy-controlled territory.

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On the final day of their four-day patrol, their presence triggered a devastating ambush when enemy claymore mines exploded, followed by relentless enemy fire.

Capers, who had just been promoted via battlefield commission to second lieutenant, was seriously wounded in the attack.

He sustained two broken legs and severe bleeding from both the explosions and ensuing enemy gunfire. Despite his injuries, Capers continued to lead his men through the harrowing encounter.

“While struggling to maintain consciousness and still under attack, Major Capers demanded continuous situation and status reports from his Marines and ensured the entire team was evacuated before himself,” his Silver Star citation reads.

“Barely able to stand, Major Capers finally boarded the helicopter and was evacuated.”

But the evacuation did not come easily. Capers twice stepped off the medevac helicopter so that his more seriously wounded comrades could be evacuated first.

When he finally boarded, the helicopter was shot down, causing additional casualties — one Marine lost a leg and another lost a kidney.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. David “Bull” Gurfein, now CEO of United American Patriots, has been an outspoken advocate for Capers receiving the Medal of Honor.

Gurfein draws comparisons to another 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company Marine, 2nd Lt. Terrence Graves, who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for a strikingly similar operation less than a year later.

Graves led a deep-jungle patrol in Quang Tri Province and, after making contact with a large NVA force, exposed himself repeatedly to enemy fire while leading assaults, tending to wounded comrades, and organizing their defense — all despite a gunshot wound to the thigh.

After initially boarding a medevac helicopter, Graves and another Marine disembarked to search for a missing comrade.

When a second helicopter arrived to retrieve them, it too was shot down. Graves died in the crash, and his courage earned him the Medal of Honor.

Gurfein and others believe Capers’ actions — similarly marked by selflessness, tactical leadership, and life-threatening sacrifice — merit equal recognition.

Initially, Capers received the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in 1967. In 2010, that was upgraded to a Silver Star. Still, his supporters insist the full extent of his heroism demands the Medal of Honor.

Maj. Jim Capers’ story stands out not only because of the extreme conditions he endured and overcame but also because of his leadership, loyalty to his team, and refusal to prioritize his own survival over that of his fellow Marines.

His journey represents the highest ideals of the Marine Corps and the U.S. military.

As lawmakers and military advocates continue pushing for this long-awaited upgrade, Capers remains a living symbol of courage under fire — a warrior whose battlefield valor deserves to be honored at the highest level.

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