USS MOUNT WHITNEY HOLDS MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR CHAPLAIN LT. VINCENT CAPODANNO IN GAETA, ITALY

GAETA, ITALY

09.04.2019

Courtesy Story

USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20)

By: Chaplain LTJG Keith Connor, USS Mount Whitney
GAETA, Italy -- The U.S. 6th Fleet flagship, USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) together with the Office of the Mayor of Gaeta, held a memorial ceremony, in honor of U.S. Navy Chaplain Lt. Vincent Capodanno, in Piazza di Capodanno, Gaeta, Italy on Sept. 4, 2019.
The ceremony was conducted on the 52nd anniversary of the death of Lt. Vincent Capodanno, which occurred on Sept. 4, 1967 in Vietnam while serving as chaplain for 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
While under fire, Lt. Vincent Capodanno attended to the wounded and dying, administering the sacrament of last rights and encouraging other Marines during the battle. Severely injured by a mortar round and while attempting to rescue a wounded corpsman, Lt. Capodanno was killed and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
“His sacrifice is not forgotten, neither by the Department of the Navy nor by his family. We commemorate his exemplary actions today, which bring together, Gaeta, the city in which he had family ties, and the U.S. Navy,” said Capt. Cassidy Norman, commanding officer of the Mount Whitney. “Along with many other Italian-Americans, his courage and his service have reinforced the strong bonds between the United States and Italy.”
The Mayor of Gaeta, Cosmo Mitrano, delivered remarks honoring Lt. Capodanno and his ties to the local community, “Vincent Capodanno led an amazing life, which began with his service to the Catholic Church and continued with his service to his country. He is a true Italian-American hero and an honorary Gaetano, and we are so proud to be celebrating this day with the Mount Whitney.” The mayor spoke about how Lt. Capodanno’s father lived in Gaeta prior to emigrating to the U.S.
The Archbishop of Gaeta, Monsignor Luigi Vari, who earlier in the day celebrated a catholic mass in conjunction with Navy chaplains and local priests in memory of Lt. Capodanno aboard the Mount Whitney in the ship’s Capodanno chapel, offered the opening prayer and spoke of his intention in the future to name one of the chapels in town after Lt. Capodanno.
Chaplains from the region, members of the Capodanno family in Italy, local Italian veterans associations, and other community groups were also in attendance. Cmdr. Michael Hall, the chaplain for the U.S. Naval Hospital Naples spoke of his tour with the U.S. Coast Guard, where he served as the pastor of the Capodanno Chapel at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. Members of the Capodanno family were active members of there and in catholic community in Staten Island where Lt. Capodanno grew up and is buried.
“It is an honor to attend the memorial ceremony for Chaplain Vincent Capodanno, and as marines we strive for excellence on an off the battlefield and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to remember someone who gave his all to help his marines,” said GySgt. Allen Hancock, who attended the ceremony with Marines stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Rome.
Mount Whitney, forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy operates with a combined crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

• Date Taken: 09.04.2019
• Date Posted: 09.05.2019 08:34
• Story ID: 338480
• Location: GAETA, IT