A bronze statue commemorating Father Vincent R. Capodanno, the Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who gave his life serving Marines during the Vietnam War, will be unveiled on Sunday, December 14, at 2 p.m. The memorial, created by late artist and philanthropist Gregory Perillo, has been installed at the intersection of Seaview Avenue and Capodanno Boulevard in Ocean Breeze. The outdoor ceremony will proceed rain or shine, with parking available at Lot 6 on Capodanno Boulevard.
Borough President Vito Fossella will serve as a guest speaker at the dedication ceremony. Reverend Jack Soler, pastor of St. Michael-St. Clement R.C. Church, will bestow a blessing upon the statue. The unveiling represents the culmination of an 11-year fundraising effort led by Vietnam veteran Tony Leto, who spearheaded the initiative through tireless community outreach and donations.
Leto's fundraising efforts included handcrafting keychains and jewelry, with all proceeds donated to the statue project. He could be seen every Sunday morning at Great Kills Beach parking lot, outside supermarkets on sunny days, and at car shows throughout the tri-state area seeking donations. Leto will offer opening remarks at the ceremony and acknowledge the numerous individuals, groups, and businesses who contributed to making the project a reality.
Several organizations played crucial roles in the statue's completion. The United States Veterans Organization, Inc. (USIVO), a coalition of 16 veterans organizations on Staten Island that sponsors the annual Memorial Day Parade, hosted dinner and dance fundraisers with profits donated to the cause. Members of the Rolling Thunder and NAM Knights motorcycle clubs also raised significant funds for the project. James Haynes, executive director of USIVO, coordinated much of the organizational support.
The statue was cast at Bedi Makky Art Foundry in Brooklyn, the only foundry in America that uses the French Sand method. This is the same technique and sand used for the iconic Iwo Jima Statues in Washington D.C. in 1954 and the Wall Street Bull in 1989. Bill Maky, working alongside his three sons William, Steven, and Peter, continues the foundry work his late father began. Maky has also worked on other Gregory Perillo statues on Staten Island, including the Lieutenant Nick Lia statue at Wagner College, The Bronco sculpture on Capodanno Boulevard, the 9/11 memorial statue near the Hampton Inn, and the Little Leaguer statue at South Shore Little League.
Construction of the memorial site involved numerous local contractors and volunteers. Brian Hall of Hall Monuments, Kenneth and Christopher Cavendish of Sledgehammer Excavating and Landscaping, Mike Pugliese, Sal Basso, George Brown, and Paul Tout contributed their expertise. Larry Daly of Daly Fence installed the new fencing around the memorial. Members of the Staten Island Board of Realtors also participated in the construction efforts, working on the fence, pavers, flag installation, landscaping, granite base, and final statue placement.
Elected officials being acknowledged at the ceremony include Senator Andrew Lanza, Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton and her staff, with special recognition for Paul Metrecano, and Borough President Vito Fossella. In a touching family moment, Leto's seven grandchildren will lead the Pledge of Allegiance during the ceremony. The memorial site is located on property belonging to the South Beach Psychiatric Center, under the jurisdiction of the New York State Office of Mental Health, with Benjamin Rosen serving as chief of staff.
Father Vincent Robert Capodanno was born on February 13, 1929, the youngest of nine children in an Elm Park family. He was ordained as a priest on June 14, 1958, and later served as a U.S. Navy chaplain during the Vietnam War. Known affectionately as the "grunt padre" by the Marines he served, Father Capodanno participated in seven combat operations before making the ultimate sacrifice at age 38 on September 4, 1967.
The chaplain's heroic final moments occurred during Operation Swift in the Que Son Valley while serving with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment during a search-and-destroy mission. Despite being shot 27 times in the back, neck, and head, Father Capodanno refused to seek cover and continued administering last rites to mortally wounded Marines. Even with his hand nearly severed and his face wounded, he persisted in his mission to console and provide spiritual comfort to dying soldiers. He was found fallen beside a young Marine he had been praying with in an open field.
For his extraordinary courage, fearlessness, and heroism, Father Capodanno was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. His sacrifice is further commemorated through the renaming of Seaside Boulevard to Capodanno Boulevard on July 4, 1974, honoring the Staten Island priest whose family roots traced back to Mariners Harbor and Elm Park.
Currently, an active effort is underway to have Father Capodanno proclaimed a saint by the Catholic Church. He has already been declared a Servant of God, which represents the first step on the path toward canonization. According to a recent Father Vincent Capodanno Guild newsletter, a miracle has been attributed to the chaplain following a year-long investigation that concluded in August 2018.
The reported miracle involves the healing of a woman diagnosed with multiple sclerosis who had battled the disease since the mid-2000s. After developing a strong devotion to Father Capodanno and praying for his intercession throughout her illness, the woman's 2017 MRI showed that brain lesions associated with her condition had completely disappeared. She attributes this miraculous healing to Father Capodanno's intercession. Should the Congregation for the Causes of Saints deem Father Capodanno worthy to continue the canonization process, he will next be beatified before being declared a saint.
The statue project began when the late Gregory Perillo, a respected American Western artist and philanthropist, sought permission from Father Capodanno's brother Jim to create the memorial. Haynes accompanied Perillo to Jim's Eltingville home for a meeting that included Jim's wife, Lydia Capodanno. "They were so sweet and thrilled to have this honor for Jim's brother," Leto recalls of that initial meeting.
The Capodanno family developed a close relationship with the project organizers over the years. "Jim and Lydia adopted us and even lived with us for 17 days after Superstorm Sandy, bringing Father Vincent's chalice and the Medal of Honor with them," said Rosemarie and Tony Leto. The family enjoyed watching motorcycles travel down Capodanno Boulevard as they made their way every Sunday to Mass at the Capodanno Chapel at Fort Wadsworth.
Tony Leto, who rides a Harley and belongs to the Nam Knights Motorcycle Club, organized annual Bike Blessing events from the project's early years through 2024 to raise funds for the statue. These events received substantial support from his friends in Rolling Thunder, while Pete Shiro of PT Auto generously paid for lunch each year. Leto also distributed Vietnam ribbon-colored poppies to donors throughout the fundraising campaign, ensuring that contributors received a meaningful token of appreciation for their support of this important memorial project.
