Father Vincent Robert Capodanno, born on February 13, 1929, in Staten Island, New York, was the youngest of ten children in a devout Italian-American Catholic family. Inspired by his faith and a calling to missionary work, he entered the Maryknoll Missionary Seminary in 1949 and was ordained a priest in 1958. His first assignment took him to Taiwan, where he ministered to the Hakka people in remote mountain villages. After several years abroad, he returned to the United States and, moved by the escalating conflict in Vietnam, volunteered to serve as a Navy chaplain with the U.S. Marine Corps.‍

Commissioned as a lieutenant in the Navy Chaplain Corps in December 1965, Father Capodanno was assigned to the 1st Marine Division in South Vietnam. Known affectionately as "The Grunt Padre" for his habit of accompanying Marines into combat zones, he was deeply respected for his unwavering presence alongside the troops. On September 4, 1967, during Operation Swift in Quang Tin Province, he was mortally wounded while administering last rites and aiding wounded Marines under heavy enemy fire. His selfless actions that day earned him the Medal of Honor posthumously.‍

Father Capodanno's legacy endures through numerous memorials, including the USS Capodanno (FF-1093), Father Capodanno Boulevard in Staten Island, and various chapels and schools bearing his name. In 2002, the Catholic Church officially opened his cause for canonization, recognizing him as a Servant of God.