The Grunt Padre

Being a practicing Catholic, I often look for notable Catholic military figures as a source of inspiration. There are actually quite a few, including Dan Daly and Peter Pace. But, there's one who passed away on this day in 1967 during Operation Swift in Thang Binh, Vietnam, who I consider a very personal hero and who's story is an amazing example of love.

Fr. Vincent Robert Capodanno was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church in 1957, and was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Navy Chaplain Corps in 1966 assigned to 1st Marine Division in Vietnam. He was known by those Marines and sailors he served, as the Grunt Padre, for his willingness to endure the same conditions in the unforgiving climate and terrain they fought in.

On the 4th of September, 1967, approximately 500 Marines of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines were engaged by over 2500 VC. After a little over four hours of fighting, where the volume of fire was described by one Marine as a roar, 26 Marines had made the ultimate sacrifice and many more were severely wounded. Fr. Capodanno asked to go with another company that was committed to the battle shortly after reinforcements were called for.

Minutes after he entered the area of operations, he was shot through his right hand and was patched up by a corpsman right away, but refused to be evacuated. He said that he had work to do.  He moved around those wounded and fallen, administering aid or giving Last Rites and absolution, comforting those mortally wounded. A few hours later a mortar impacted near him and, according to Lt. Joe E. Pilon, it "left his right arm in shreds hanging from his side. Once again, he was patched up and once again he refused evacuation. There he was, moving slowly from wounded to dead to wounded using his left arm to support his right as he gave absolution or Last Rites".

In Vietnam, there was apparently a written policy stating that if you get 3 Purple Hearts, you'd be sent home within 48 hours.

Fr. Capodanno then spotted a corpsman who was shot in the leg multiple times.
"Fr. C. ran out to him and positioned himself between the injured boy and the automatic weapon. Suddenly, the weapon opened up again and this time riddled Father C. from the back of his head to the base of his spine- and with his third Purple Heart of the day- Father C. went home."

The Grunt Padre was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1969, and his cause for canonization is proceeding forward.

May you rest in God's eternal peace, Father.