Mount Soledad memorial honors Medal of Honor recipient John ‘Chappy' Chapman
On Wednesday, th Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial honored the legacy of U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John A. “Chappy” Chapman, who posthumously earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan in 2002.
A black granite plaque was dedicated to Chapman, who died during his actions during the Battle of Takur Ghar on March 4, 2002.
Chapman was a Special Tactics Combat Controller attached to a Navy SEAL Team during the battle.
“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,” the Medal of Honor citation read.
The helicopter then made it seven kilometers away before Chapman contacted an AC-130 gunship to ensure the area was secure while providing air support coverage before directing 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,” the citation continued. “Without regard for his own life Sergeant Chapman volunteered to rescue his missing team member from an enemy stronghold. 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.”
The SEAL team leader in charge that day said Chapman’s actions saved the entire team.
“Master Sergeant Chapman’s actions saved the lives of over 20 fellow Americans,” said Neil O’Connell, executive director of the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association. “His legacy represents the pinnacle of the American warrior spirit. We are honored to provide a permanent home for his story on these walls.”
The ceremony featured guest speaker Dan Schilling, co-author of “Alone at Dawn.” Schilling, a retired combat controller, was instrumental in the research that led to Chapman’s Air Force Cross being upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2018.
Chapman was born July 14, 1965, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He served in the Air Force from 1985 until his death. He was survived by his wife and two children.
