Veterans' Memorial Project

John Bruce Capel

Glen Ellyn, IL

Vietnam War

College: Applied Life Studies

Graduation Year: 1965

Service Branch: Marines

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Date of Birth: 03/18/1943

Date of Death: 05/12/1966

Affiliations: Alpha Tau Omega; Varsity Football

Lt. Capel died in combat in Vietnam when he was leading a 14-man patrol which was ambushed southwest of Da Nang (in Quang Nam), South Vietnam by a large force of Viet Cong. Only two members of the patrol survived, by feigning death, and were rescued by Marine reinforcements. Mr. Capel continues to be honored by the University’s football team by its awarding of the Bruce Capel Award for Courage and Dedication to members of the football team at their Annual Football Banquet on the Urbana Campus. Pictures below show Mr. Capel in his Varsity Football gear and with #50 Dick Butkus.

-submitted by Laura (Capel) Claassen, niece; and information taken from Alumni Association archives

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