Technical Sergeant John Chapman – Air Foce Cross
On March 4, 2002, Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman voluntarily joined a rescue team going into an al-Qaeda terrorist stronghold on Takur Ghar Mountain. Upon landing, the rescue team soon ran into enemy personnel, and Chapman killed two of them. While advancing on a machine gun nest, the team came under fire from three sides. At close range and with little cover, he exchanged fire with the enemy until dying from multiple wounds. Afterward, the rescue team leader unequivocally credited Chapman with having saved the lives of the entire rescue team.
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to John Chapman, Technical Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operation against an armed enemy of the United States as a 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Combat Controller in the vicinity of Gardez, in the eastern highlands of Afghanistan, on 4 March 2002.
On this date, during his helicopter insertion for a reconnaissance and time sensitive targeting close air support mission, Sergeant Chapman’s aircraft came under heavy machine gun fire and received a direct hit from a rocket propelled grenade which caused a United States Navy sea-air-land team member to fall from the aircraft. Though heavily damaged, the aircraft egressed the area and made an emergency landing seven kilometers away.
Once on the ground Sergeant Chapman established communication with an AC-130 gunship to insure the area was secure while providing close air support coverage for the entire team. He then directed the gunship to begin the search for the missing team member. He requested, coordinated, and controlled the helicopter that extracted the stranded team and aircrew members. These actions limited the exposure of the aircrew and team to hostile fire.
Without regard for his own life Sergeant Chapman volunteered to rescue his missing team member from an enemy strong hold. Shortly after insertion, the team made contact with the enemy. Sergeant Chapman engaged and killed two enemy personnel. He continued to advance reaching the enemy position then engaged a second enemy position, a dug-in machine gun nest.
At this time the rescue team came under effective enemy fire from three directions. From close range he exchanged fire with the enemy from minimum personal cover until he succumbed to multiple wounds. His engagement and destruction of the first enemy position and advancement on the second position enabled his team to move to cover and break enemy contact.
In his own words, his Navy sea-air-land team leader credits Sergeant Chapman unequivocally with saving the lives of the entire rescue team. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, and the dedication to the service of his country, Sergeant Chapman reflects the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Born: July 14, 1965 at Springfield, Massachusetts
Home Town: Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Personal Awards: Air Force Cross (War on Terrorism), Purple Heart
Home of Heroes
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Senior Air Force leaders awarded the Air Force Cross to Tech. Sgt. John Chapman here Jan. 10, 2003.
Chapman, a combat controller killed in Afghanistan while saving the lives of his entire team, was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, which is second only to the Medal of Honor as an award for valor.
Secretary of the Air Force James G. Roche said Chapman was “an American’s American” and a hero.
“We gather today to pay tribute to the heroic efforts of Technical Sergeant John Chapman,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper. “Today we know that John is here with us.”
Jumper presented the Air Force Cross to Chapman’s widow, Valerie. Chapman’s parents, Terry Giaccone and Gene Chapman, each received one of the medals from the chief of staff.
The Air Force Cross has been awarded to 23 enlisted airmen, only three of those since the Vietnam conflict.
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray said, “Such is the high degree of heroism for the merit of this medal’s award.”
Chapman and his team were inserted by helicopter into an area of Afghanistan on March 4 for a mission. During insertion, the helicopter came under heavy machine-gun fire and was directly hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. The grenade caused a Navy SEAL team member to fall from the aircraft.
The helicopter was severely damaged and made an emergency landing seven kilometers away from where the SEAL fell.
After landing, Chapman called in an AC-130 gunship to provide close-air support and cover the stranded team before directing the gunship to search for the missing team member.
Chapman called for, coordinated and controlled an evacuation helicopter for the team, limiting their exposure to enemy fire.
According to the award citation, Chapman volunteered to rescue the missing team member without regard for his own life. He engaged and killed two enemy personnel then continued advancing until engaging a dug-in machine gun nest.
“At this time, the rescue team came under effective enemy fire from three directions,” read the citation. Chapman exchanged fire at close range with the enemy until succumbing to multiple wounds. “His engagement and destruction of the first enemy position and advancement on the second enemy position enabled his team to move to cover and break enemy contact.”
The team leader credited Chapman’s aggressive and selfless actions with saving the lives of the entire team.
After the award ceremony, Gene Chapman spoke of how his son always called him “ole man,” rather than old man. He then told of his last conversation with his son.
“It was March 1, four days before he died. He called, and I heard that, ‘Hey ole man,’” Gene Chapman said as his eyes began filling with tears. “I told him ‘what are you calling me for? I told you to talk to Val and the kids if you could call.’ He said, ‘I took care of that. I only have a minute and a half, and I just wanted to hear your voice.’ That was the last time I talked with him.”
Air Force
by Airman 1st Class Jason A. Neal
43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
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