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Trump Awards Medal of Honor to Three Military Veterans for Exceptional Valor

President Trump will award the Medal of Honor on June 18, 2026, to three military veterans: Major James Capers, Jr. for leadership during a 1967 Vietnam reconnaissance mission; Colonel John W. Ripley (posthumously) for destroying a strategic bridge in 1972; and Major Nicholas Dockery for protecting wounded soldiers during a 2012 Taliban ambush in Afghanistan. The medals recognize extraordinary acts of valor and sacrifice across multiple combat operations.





Quick Facts
Who
President Donald J. Trump
What
Medal of Honor presentations
When
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Where
Republic of Vietnam
- Medal of Honor presentations
- Four-day reconnaissance patrol with enemy contact
- Direction of fire onto enemy base camp
- Movement of 500 pounds of explosives to destroy bridge
- Bridge detonation at Dong Ha
President Donald J. Trump will present the Medal of Honor on Thursday, June 18, 2026, to three military service members for their extraordinary acts of gallantry and intrepidity during combat operations spanning multiple decades.
Major James Capers, Jr. (U.S. Marine Corps, Retired) will receive the award for his heroic leadership during a four-day reconnaissance patrol in Vietnam from March 31 to April 3, 1967. Then-Second Lieutenant Capers served as Team Leader with 3d Force Reconnaissance Company, tasked with locating a North Vietnamese regimental base camp. Despite encountering a numerically superior enemy force on three separate occasions, he directed fire onto an enemy base camp, thwarting an impending attack on a nearby Marine battalion. When his patrol was ambushed by a claymore mine on the final day, Capers sustained multiple severe wounds but continued to lead his team, coordinate supporting fire, and direct movement to an extraction site. He refused evacuation until all his men were safe, ensuring the entire team was extracted before boarding the helicopter.
Colonel John W. Ripley (U.S. Marine Corps, Posthumous) will receive the Medal of Honor for actions on April 2, 1972, while serving as Senior Marine Advisor to the Third Vietnamese Marine Corps Infantry Battalion. Facing a major North Vietnamese mechanized assault aimed at capturing a strategic bridge in Dong Ha, Captain Ripley single-handedly moved 500 pounds of explosives into position. For three hours, he repeatedly exposed himself to intense enemy fire, climbing beneath the bridge along its steel beams to emplace explosive charges at critical structural points. After successfully setting the charges, he detonated them, completely destroying the bridge and halting the enemy's advance.
Major Nicholas Dockery (U.S. Army, Retired) will be honored for his valor on October 2, 2012, while serving as Platoon Leader, 2d Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan. When a large and well-armed Taliban force ambushed his platoon, Second Lieutenant Dockery fought to maintain contact with the enemy over four hours in restricted urban terrain, personally risking his life on numerous occasions to protect and evacuate three wounded platoon members. After reorganization, he directed rotary wing aircraft in defense against subsequent enemy counter-attacks from an exposed rooftop while his unit evacuated the wounded soldiers.
The Medal of Honor recognizes members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States or in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force.
Why This Matters
The Medal of Honor represents the nation's highest recognition of military valor, honoring acts of extraordinary courage that transcend decades of combat service. These awards underscore the enduring legacy of battlefield sacrifice and leadership across Vietnam, Cold War operations, and contemporary counterinsurgency campaigns. For military families, veterans, and policymakers, the ceremony reinforces institutional commitment to recognizing selfless service and sets a standard for moral courage in the field.
Timeline & Sources
Apr 2, 1972
WireJohn W. Ripley moves explosives and destroys bridge at Dong Ha to halt North Vietnamese mechanized assault
Oct 2, 2012
WireNicholas Dockery leads platoon under Taliban ambush in Afghanistan, protects and evacuates three wounded soldiers
Jun 18, 2026
WirePresident Trump awards Medal of Honor to Capers, Ripley (posthumously), and Dockery at White House ceremony