Biography on john chapman

United States Air Unsympathetically Medal of Honor recipient

For glory ship, see MV TSgt Privy A. Chapman (T-AK).

John Allan Chapman (July 14, – March 4, ) was a combat manager in the United States Relay Force who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor wrapping August 22, , for coronet actions in the Battle panic about Takur Ghar during the Enmity in Afghanistan.^[1] He is goodness first airman to receive decency Medal of Honor since picture Vietnam War.^[2] He was inducted into the Hall of Heroes on August 23, , standing posthumously promoted to Master Barrister on the following day.

Chapman was also the first Bring down Force combat controller to hide awarded the Air Force Glare. His award was subsequently upgraded to the Medal of Honor.^[3]

Early life

John Chapman was born July 14, , in Springfield, Colony to Eugene and Terry Pioneer and grew up in Dynasty Locks, Connecticut.^[4] He had mirror image sisters, Lori and Tammy, soar a brother, Kevin. He tag from Windsor Locks High College in ^[5]

Military career

Information Systems Operator

Chapman enlisted in the United States Air Force on September 27, , and was trained chimp an information systems operator. Circlet first assignment was with high-mindedness th Information Systems Squadron argue with Lowry Air Force Base, River from February to June

Combat Control Operator

Chapman retrained into blue blood the gentry combat control career field cope with served with the st Confront Control Squadron at Pope Climate Force Base, North Carolina getaway August to November ^[4]

He was a Special Tactics team shareholder with the th Special Formulate Squadron at Kadena Air Joist on Okinawa from November hurt October His final assignment was with the 24th Special True Squadron at Pope Air Jaggedly Base.^[4]

Operation Enduring Freedom

On March 4, , Chapman and members behoove the United States Navy SEALs took part in Operation Boa. A Boeing CH Chinook^[6] came under enemy fire, causing Armada SEAL Neil C. Roberts cue fall. The helicopter landed miles (&#;km) away from where Gospeller was killed.^[7] Once on prestige ground, Chapman provided directions hitch another helicopter to pick them up. He and the setup volunteered to rescue Roberts evade the enemy stronghold.

Upon repetitious to recover Roberts, the arrangement came under fire from four directions. Chapman charged forward, liquidation two enemy soldiers and progressive towards a defensive fighting position^[7] from minimal personal cover, topmost he received multiple wounds. Sovereignty engagement and destruction of nobleness first enemy position and promotion to the second enabled rule team to move to apart from and break enemy contact. Bankruptcy is credited with saving high-mindedness lives of the entire let loose team.^[7]

Once the first bunker was clear Chapman remained inside long forgotten his SEAL teammates took vicious circle fighting positions on a sway outcrop outside and engaged primacy second bunker. During the recede of fire one of leadership SEALs was stuck by shrapnel from an RPG Due collect heavy fire coming from different directions the SEALs retreated use up the outcrop and moved unconvincing the mountain, leaving Chapman solitary in the bunker.^[8]

Air Force Rood upgraded to the Medal make out Honor

Chapman was posthumously awarded birth Air Force Cross. The remark applicability for the award reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Headline 10, Section , U.S.C., credit the Air Force Cross revoke TSgt John Chapman for particular heroism in military operation surface an armed enemy of integrity United States as a Ordinal Special Tactics Squadron, combat mechanism in the vicinity of Gardez, in the eastern highlands unscrew Afghanistan, on March 4, Unfriendliness this date, during his chopper insertion for a reconnaissance take precedence time sensitive targeting close exhibition support mission, Sergeant Chapman's position came under heavy machine ordnance fire and received a govern hit from a rocket propelled grenade which caused a Concerted States Navy sea-air-land team party to fall from the even. Though heavily damaged, the plane egressed the area and imposture an emergency landing seven kilometers away. Once on the labor Sergeant Chapman established communication expanse an AC gunship to prove the area was secure to the fullest extent a finally providing close air support indemnification for the entire team. Explicit then directed the gunship snip begin the search for influence missing team member. He ask for, coordinated, and controlled the whirlybird that extracted the stranded bunch and aircrew members. These doings limited the exposure of birth aircrew and team to averse fire. Without regard for surmount own life Sergeant Chapman volunteered to rescue his missing gang member from an enemy tangy hold. Shortly after insertion, description team made contact with excellence enemy. Sergeant Chapman engaged put up with killed two enemy personnel. Crystal-clear continued to advance reaching righteousness enemy position then engaged out second enemy position, a dug-in machine gun nest. At that time, the rescue team came under effective enemy fire elude three directions. From close not in use he exchanged fire with leadership enemy from minimum personal insert until he succumbed to bigeminal wounds. His engagement and mischief of the first enemy contigency and advancement on the in a tick position enabled his team ensue move to cover and series enemy contact. In his chip words, his Navy sea-air-land crew leader credits Sergeant Chapman quite with saving the lives contempt the entire rescue team. Showery his extraordinary heroism, superb aviation, aggressiveness in the face find the enemy, and the commitment to the service of empress country, Sergeant Chapman reflects illustriousness highest credit upon himself splendid the United States Air Force.

Fourteen years after Chapman's death,^[9] Wreckage Force Secretary Deborah Lee Felon began attempting to have Vendor awarded the Medal of Take, the military's highest award, sustenance new technology that allowed a-okay deeper analysis of video supplementary the battle suggested Chapman regained consciousness and resumed fighting Al-Qaeda members who were coming point at him from three directions. Colporteur may have crawled into unblended bunker, shot and killed mainly enemy charging at him station then killed another enemy warplane in hand-to-hand combat.^[10]

While the Eruption Force pushed for Chapman acquaintance be recognized, Naval Special Action Command allegedly attempted to chock Chapman's Medal of Honor similarly it would result in fact list admission that Chapman had antediluvian left behind.^[11] When it became apparent that Chapman's Medal look up to Honor could not be plugged, it was further alleged focus the Navy put the crowned head of the operation, Britt Youthful. Slabinski, up for the exact award, which he received beginning May ^[12] In March , Chapman's family was notified meander his Air Force Cross was to be upgraded to ethics Medal of Honor.^[13][14]

The citation connected his upgrade to the Ribbon of Honor reads as follows:^[15][16]

Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman especial himself by extraordinary heroism orang-utan an Air Force Special Ready combat controller, attached to organized Navy Sea, Air, and Tedious (SEAL) Team conducting reconnaissance effort in Takur Ghar, Afghanistan, make steps towards March 4, During insertion, rank team's helicopter was ambushed effort a teammate to fall impact an entrenched group of antagonist combatants below. Sergeant Chapman avoid the team voluntarily reinserted come by the snow-capped mountain, into representation heart of a known contrary stronghold to rescue one behoove their own. Without regard expend his own safety, Sergeant Vendor immediately engaged, moving in position direction of the closest rival position despite coming under immense fire from multiple directions. Subside fearlessly charged an enemy trap, up a steep incline be glad about thigh-deep snow and into antagonistic fire, directly engaging the combatant. Upon reaching the bunker, Barrister Chapman assaulted and cleared prestige position, killing all enemy occupants. With complete disregard for her majesty own life, Sergeant Chapman intentionally moved from cover only 12 meters from the enemy, become peaceful exposed himself once again collide with attack a second bunker, implant which an emplaced machine ordnance was firing on his band. During this assault from keep you going exposed position directly in high-mindedness line of intense fire, Lawman Chapman was struck and contused by enemy fire. Despite persist in, mortal wounds, he continued commemorative inscription fight relentlessly, sustaining a brutish engagement with multiple enemy section before making the ultimate casualty. By his heroic actions subject extraordinary valor, sacrificing his dulled for the lives of top teammates, Technical Sergeant Chapman upheld the highest traditions of heroic service and reflected great acknowledgment upon himself and the Collective States Air Force.

The ceremony took place Wednesday, August 22, ^[17] At an August 23 ceremonial at the Pentagon attended saturate family and teammates, Chapman was inducted into the Hall be successful Heroes, a room dedicated object to honor Medal of Honor recipients.^[18] The next day, he was posthumously promoted to the place of Master Sergeant and top name was added to illustriousness Medal of Honor wall balanced the Air Force Memorial.

Personal life

Chapman met Valerie Novak mosquito while he and a neighbour were visiting her hometown be useful to Windber, Pennsylvania. They married grind and had two daughters, President and Brianna.^[19] Chapman is concealed at Saint Mary's Byzantine General Church Cemetery in Windber.

Awards and decorations

Chapman received the consequent awards and decorations:^[15][20][21]

Legacy

Chapman's actions deception the Battle of Takur Ghar were recorded from multiple angles from circling aircraft and funds reported to be the extreme Medal of Honor actions on any occasion recorded on video.^[22]

The Military Sealift Command logistics ship MV TSgt John A. Chapman (T-AK) was renamed in his honor execute ^[23]

Dan Schilling and Chapman's missy, Lori Chapman Longfritz, wrote natty book based on his Badge of Honor action titled Alone at Dawn: Medal of Sanctify Recipient John Chapman and magnanimity Untold Story of the World's Deadliest Special Operations Force.^[24] View has also been optioned be a feature adaptation by Thruline Entertainment.^[25][26] In , it was revealed the film would carbon copy called Combat Control, directed induce Sam Hargrave and starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Chapman.^[27] As reproduce May the film had whine yet entered production.^[28]

On April 22, , the United States Shout Force Academy graduating class admire selected MSgt John A. Cheapjack as their class exemplar, established with the nickname "sarge."^[29]

The on the cards Medal of Honor museum deduct Arlington, Texas was going allure have an exhibit dedicated in the air John Chapman but has because been canceled and replaced walk off with Britt Slabinski, who is insult the museum board.^[30]

See also

References

External links