Father Capodanno Blvd.
South Beach
Staten Island, New York
Named after Father Vincent Robert Capodanno
February 13, 1929 – September 4, 1967

On the north shore of Staten Island there is a long strip of road heading north towards the Verazanno Narrows Bridge was named after Father Vincent Robert Capodanno who was a resident of Staten Island. Nick named the “Grunt Padre”, and was born on February 13, 1929.
Father Capodanno was a Lieutenant for the United States Naval Chaplain Core, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division during the Vietnam War. While in service this Staten Island resident was honored with a medal of honor, bronze star and a purple heart for his merit’s of bravery as a chaplain. He attended Curtis High School and after graduation attended Fordham University for a year before joining the Maryknoll
Missionary in Ossining,, New York and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in June of 1957.
His first assignment as a missionary was with aboriginal Taiwanese in the mountains of
Taiwan
where he served in a parish and later in a school. After seven years, Father Capodanno
returned to the United States for leave and then was assigned to a Maryknoll school
in Hong Kong. As ordered by the arch diasis, Father Vincent was commissioned to Vietnam as a chaplain in the Navy Chaplain Core with the rank of Lieutenant.
Father Capodanno was revered by all members of the Staten Island community for his bravery as not just aMarine but a community leader among the church and residents of Staten Island. The avenue is not the only place where this brave priest is memorialized, the U.S. Navy also named Capodanno for respect of his bravery as a Marine chaplin at The Capodanno Hall on the San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard. On September 4, 1967 in the early morning during a mission named “Operation Swift” IN A DISTRICT named Thang BinH IN THE Que Son Valley a small marine unit were under siege by close to 2,500 Vietnamese soldiers in the village of Dong Son. The Marines were heavily outnumbered and requested for reinforcements during the battle. Sometime around 9:30 AM twenty six of that Marine unit were pronounced dead and more soldiers were called in to assist. Father Capodanno went among the wounded and dying, giving
last rites to Wounded soldiers in the face and hand, he went to help a wounded corpsman only yards from where there was heavy fired
an enemy machine gun sprayed the area where the priest was killed.
Two days after Christmas in 1967, the secretary of the U.S. Navy informed the Capodanno family was contacted and given news that Father Capodanno would be receiving the highest medal to be given which was the medal of honor. This medal was given recognition for his bravery and ultimate sacrifice for his country and there was a ceremony on January 7, 1969 to give the medal to his surviving family.
Formerly named Seaside Boulevard, in 1972 the Boulevard was named after Father Capodanno . Father Capodanno Boulevard is close to me in many ways for the ocean side of Father Capodanno Boulevard there is a boardwalk that stretches the entire Boulevard where I take Gibson on summer days as well as fall days and during the summer is a place that though smaller in size compared to boardwalks in places like Atlantic City, Seaside Heights and Wildwood in New Jersey it still has attractions and game booths.