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Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to the family of Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller, during a ceremony on Aug. 22, 2018 for his extraordinary heroism in March 2002 while deployed to Afghanistan.


Medal of Honor, 2002

By direction of the President of the United States authorized by Title 10, Section 8741, U.S.C., the following individual is awarded THE MEDAL OF HONOR (Posthumously) for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in military operations against an armed enemy of the United States during the period indicated, effective at the termination of period covered:

 

TSGT CHAPMAN, JOHN A.                        4 MAR 02

 

Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism as an Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller, attached to a Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Team conducting reconnaissance operations in Takur Ghar, Afghanistan, on March 4, 2002. During insertion, the team’s helicopter was ambushed causing a teammate to fall into an entrenched group of enemy combatants below. Sergeant Chapman and the team voluntarily reinserted onto the snow-capped mountain, into the heart of a known enemy stronghold to rescue one of their own. Without regard for his own safety, Sergeant Chapman immediately engaged, moving in the direction of the closest enemy position despite coming under heavy fire from multiple directions. He fearlessly charged an enemy bunker, up a steep incline in thigh-deep snow and into hostile fire, directly engaging the enemy. Upon reaching the bunker, Sergeant Chapman assaulted and cleared the position, killing all enemy occupants. With complete disregard for his own life, Sergeant Chapman deliberately moved from cover only 12 meters from the enemy, and exposed himself once again to attack a second bunker, from which an emplaced machine gun was firing on his team. During this assault from an exposed position directly in the line of intense fire, Sergeant Chapman was struck and injured by enemy fire. Despite severe, mortal wounds, he continued to fight relentlessly, sustaining a violent engagement with multiple enemy personnel before making the ultimate sacrifice. By his heroic actions and extraordinary valor, sacrificing his life for the lives of his teammates, Technical Sergeant Chapman upheld the highest traditions of military service and reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

 

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 Air Force Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, Medal of Honor (Graphical Video)

 Biography and Feature Page
 Chapman Biography
 Chapman Medal of Honor feature page
Related Museum Fact Sheets
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