The tarmac at JFK International Airport, one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world, came to a standstill on Nov. 12 as people paused to pay tribute to a man none of them had ever met — a U.S. Navy pilot who was killed in the Vietnam War more than half a century ago.
Deacon Liam O’Shea-Creal remembers attending memorial services with military honors growing up, looking down the pews, and never seeing a dry eye. He was taught to shake a hand firmly, to show respect, and to let someone in a veteran’s hat pass him in line.
As a chaplain, Father Capodanno traded the cassock and collar for olive green jungle fatigues and a steel helmet. He became known as the “Grunt Padre” and was famous for going with Marines into the fiercest firefights. Often, they saw him darting among the wounded, either pulling them to safety or giving last rites.
The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend was an emotional one for Father Mark Bristol as he was sworn in as the U.S. Navy’s newest chaplain.
