Nearly six decades after leading Marines through a harsh ambush in Vietnam, retired Marine Corps Major James Capers Jr. received the Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump. At 88, Capers is known as the “father of Marine Corps Special Operations.” He dedicated his prestigious award to the young men who sacrificed their lives for the United States.

I can’t say I’m happy to be here, because this award belongs to a lot of young men who followed me and died in battlefields around this world for a country that we honor this flag, Capers said.

President Trump presented the highest military decoration in a White House ceremony. The event honored three veterans, including two from the Vietnam War and one from the Afghanistan War. Alongside Capers, retired Army Maj. Nicholas Dockery received the award, and Marine Col. John W. Ripley was honored posthumously.

In the Vietnam War, Capers heroically saved fellow Marines during combat. In 1967, ambushed in the jungle, Capers’ unit faced severe injuries. Despite being gravely wounded himself, Capers led his men, holding enemy forces back until evacuation arrived. What drove him through was concern for his comrades.

Capers also made history as the first African American to lead a Marine recon company and receive a battlefield commission. Inducted into the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes, he expressed survivor’s guilt about his achievements.

It was a difficult time for me because I felt a little guilty because I didn’t really like I deserved it. But all of the men and women that served, and I get to do something like this, it’s a wonderful day, and I’m honored, he said.

His service imposed a heavy toll. Tragically, Capers lost many comrades, wounded with 19 bullet injuries, survived the death of his son and wife, and continued to live with those losses.

Despite the personal hardship, the military community stood by him. Capers noted how the military acts as one unit, replacing a fallen person with another who steps up to support.

During the ceremony, Trump expressed his gratitude to the veterans, stating,We will never, ever forget you.

Capers’ story of heroism is detailed in “The Iron Major: James Capers Jr.,” streaming on Fox Nation. Last November, Capers was honored at the seventh annual Fox Nation Patriot Awards with the “Salute to Service Award.”