President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to three veterans on Thursday, recognizing their bravery and selflessness in Vietnam and Afghanistan. The recipients included Marine Corps Maj. James Capers Jr., Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery, and the late Marine Corps Col. John W. Ripley, who received the award posthumously.

Heroic Actions in Vietnam and Afghanistan

Maj. Capers, 88, was honored for his actions in Vietnam in 1967, where he risked his life to ensure the safety of his fellow Marines after they were ambushed. Despite being wounded, Capers called in air support and helped evacuate the wounded before boarding a rescue helicopter himself.

Col. Ripley, who passed away in 2008, was recognized for his heroic efforts to halt the advance of North Vietnamese forces by blowing up a crucial bridge in 1972. Ripley single-handedly placed 500 pounds of explosives on the bridge, exposing himself to enemy fire, and then detonated the explosives, sending the bridge into the water below.

Maj. Dockery’s actions in Afghanistan in 2012 were also recognized, where he rescued wounded soldiers and coordinated a rescue effort despite being outnumbered by an estimated 150 Taliban fighters. Dockery’s selfless actions saved the lives of several American soldiers and earned him the respect and admiration of his peers.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.