Joseph Frank Simpson On Father Capodanno

Catholic Military Life

In 1966 when U.S. Marine Private First Class Joseph Frank Simpson arrived in Vietnam at the age of 19, there to greet him at a grass-hut makeshift chapel was Father Vincent R. Capodanno, CH, LT, USN. Father Capodanno's words of counsel and encouragement helped PFC Simpson orient himself to his new surroundings, just months before the priest died a heroic death coming to the aid of embattled Marines. In this edition of Catholic Military Life, Mr. Simpson shares his memories of the priest hero who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his bravery and whose Cause for Canonization is under consideration by the Catholic Church.