AIR FORCE CROSS AWARDED POSHUMOUSLY TO SGT JOHN CHAPMAN

Fox News | 1-10-03 | Fox News

[DWar]

Fox news just reported the posthumous awarding of the Air Force Cross to Sgt John Chapman.

Medals were given to his widow with his two daughters, to his mother and to his father.

While fighting in Afghanastan, Sgt Chapman was credited with saving the lives of the SEAL team with which he worked by heroic action. While under fire he attacked and secured an enemy machine gun position and immediately began attacking another. He began to take fire from three directions whie enjoying only minimal cover and succumed to his wounds. His SEAL team leader credited Sgt Chapmen with saving the lives of the entire team.

The Air Force Cross is the highest award issued by the United States Air Force.

May God bless this American hero and bless and comfort his greiving family.

[SandfleaCSC]

Hackworth's stuff reads like an Iraqi romance novel.

[Squantos]

FOX News just reported this as the Air force cross the third since Vietnam for Airmen........Serious possible error here Dwar .....

[Young Werther]

I attended Squadron Officer School in the Fall of '68. One of my classmates was a Thud driver with two Air Force Crosses!

What really knocked our socks off was one particular Dining Out, (where wives are invited!). There, in the receiving line, was an officer who was wearing his lettuce but what stood out was that little blue ribbon with the stars.

Ain't many people wearin' that thing and walkin' about. Hand Salute!

[Squantos]

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Template=military&Story=5392734

[CombatEngineer]

This young man deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor and I hope that is what he received.

There is only one award called the medal of honor in the U.S. military. Take my word for it folks I am on active duty as a senior officer. It is the Congressional Medal of Honor. There is poosibly a version for each service, but the congress of the US must award it, and th President is the one who presents it.

[Admin Moderator]

I fixed it.

[Gunrunner2]

>>Take my word for it folks I am on active duty as a senior officer.<<

Why am I not convinced. (See below)

>>It is the Congressional Medal of Honor.<<

You mean the Medal of Honor.

>>There is poosibly a version for each service,<<

Ding, Ding, Ding! "Possibly"??!! ANY officer, especially a "senior officer" knows each service had their own medal design. No "possibly" about it.

Cheers.

[Happy2BMe]

"While under fire he attacked and secured an enemy machine gun position and immediately began attacking another."

Thank God for such men as Sgt. John Chapman.

"No greater love hath any man, than he should lay down his life for another."

Was John Chapman killed in the battle where John Walker (Taliban Johnnie) was captured?

[fnord]

Semper Fi bump

[Steve Van Doorn]

My step father Aubry Johnson earned the flying cross in Vietnam for giving ground cover for a fellow downed pilot and the rescue team even after he was hit. He was one of the few to earn this medel and live to tell it.

[commish]

My utmost respect to TSgt Chapman. He gave the ultimate so others may live.

Commish - USAF 1981-present

[91B]

Whatever-Hack didn't write this. It is the sworn statement of a USAF forward air controller and his actions in battle last march. Sounds like he is deserving of the MOH to me.

[DWar]

" FOX News just reported this as the Air force cross the third since Vietnam for Airmen........Serious possible error here Dwar ..... "

Look...If you want to flame the messenger, that's your perogative. If you had read my earlier replies you would know I reported what Fox News said at the live ceremony honoring TSgt Chapman that I saw at about 7:50 PST. They even had it posted in the scrawl at the bottom of the screen as the Air Force Medal of Honor. They must have discovered their error and corrected their mistake. If I posted inaccurate information it was because the original report was inaccurate. After 12 years of post secondary education I am able to know the difference between the written words 'medal of honor' and 'cross'. If there is a serious possible error here it is Fox News' error. In addition I find it quite interesting that many on this thread choose to focus on the award and possible/probable error when my intention was to honor the hero. Sad.

[TEXASPROUD]

Air Force Cross "Ping".

[centurion316]

The error was clearly Fox News and they deserve to be dinged for this. Too much sloppy reporting on military matters - they have a staff that is just grossly ignorant about such things, and doesn't seem to be making any effort to get educated. Unfortunately, the Services and DoD Public Affairs types aren't much better. They get things wrong also, and they often neglect occasions such as this.

The reason that this is important is that valor awards at this level are extremely rare. The United States has awarded just two Medals of Honor since Vietnam, both postumously to two Army Special Forces sergeants killed in action during the Modgadishu fight (Blackhawk Down). The Air Force has awarded four or five Air Force Crosses: one or two during the Gulf War (to Officers), one to an AF enlisted man for the Mogadishu fight, and two in Afghanistan. Senior Airman Jason Cunningham recently received the award postumously for the same fight for which Chapman was cited. The Navy have awarded two Navy Crosses, both to Marines during the Gulf War. The Army has only awarded one Distinguished Service Cross. It was awarded for actions in Afghanistan, but has not been publicized, perhaps because the recepient is an "operator", i.e. in a classified job in Special Operations. There may be one or two others, but since the Defense Department does such a poor job recognizing these men, I'm not sure.

Bottom line is that all of these men deserve our respect, and the press should do a better job of letting the American public know about it. Thanks for your post.

[DWar]

' Bottom line is that all of these men deserve our respect, and the press should do a better job of letting the American public know about it. '

Amen.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

irregardless (sic)

Bad engrish bump. Try regardless.

[Steelerfan]

Regardless of the grammar, a story that is definitely worth a bump :)

[Vic3O3]

ping!

[desertcry]

SGT Chapman paid the ultimate price for our Freedom, and our right to life and our pursuite of happiness willingly.
My prayers for the repose of his soul, and for his wife, and his 2 beauiful little girls. A true unselfish hero indeed.