‘Extraordinary Sacrifice:’ Trump Awards Medal of Honor to Fallen Airman
Posted at the request of AnotherPat.
President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Tech Sgt. John Chapman at a ceremony at the White House Wednesday, marking the first time a U.S. airman has received the military’s highest award for valor for operations in America’s longest war.
It’s also the first time an airman has received the award in nearly 50 years.
“We’re gathered together this afternoon to pay tribute to a fallen warrior, a great warrior, Technical Sergeant John Chapman, and to award him the nation’s highest and most revered military honor,” Trump said during the ceremony. “Now, John will become the first special tactics airman to receive the congressional Medal of Honor.”
The president presented the award to Valerie Nessel, Chapman’s widow, in front of their two daughters Madison and Brianna, Chapman’s mother Terry and sister Lori. In the audience was Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff Gen David Goldfein, as well as other service leaders and members of Congress. Former Air Force secretary Deborah Lee James, who aided in pushing Chapman’s medal elevation through, was also among airmen.
Special tactics airmen lined the seats of the East Room for their fellow fallen airman. The official Air Force band played “I’ll Be There” as guests arrived before the ceremony.
Sitting among five past Medal of Honor recipients was Britt K. Slabinski, who led the SEAL Team 6 unit up Takur Ghar mountain during the mission on March 4, 2002.
Slabinski, now a retired master chief special warfare operator, was awarded the Medal of Honor in May for his own heroism during the costly battle.
Chapman “was a very brave man, right from the beginning.” Trump said. “Today it is our great honor to share his incredible story with the world.”
Trump summarized the account of how Chapman had led a charge up Takur Ghar to find Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts, a SEAL who was flung out of his helicopter when it crash-landed on the mountain. He fell wounded in his first assault on the enemy, but would regain consciousness and fight on. Air Force officials would determine he fought for more than an hour after his team had presumed him dead.
“Even though he was mortally wounded John regained consciousness and continued to fight on, and he really fought on. We have proof of that fight. He really fought. Good genes,” Trump said. “Through his extraordinary sacrifice, John helped save more than 20 American service members, some of whom are here today.”
Army Sergeant Major Raymond DePouli and special tactics Air Force Maj. Gabriel Brown were also acknowledged in the audience.
“I know that if John were here, he would attest that all the men on the mountaintop that day were heroes,” Nessel said on Tuesday.
Nessel and Terry Chapman spoke to reporters outside Washington, D.C., a day ahead of her late husband’s ceremony at the White House. They were accompanied by Chapman’s former squadron commander, retired Col. Kenneth Rodriguez.
“It’s team before self,” Nessel said.
Read the article in it’s entirety here:
Category: The Warrior Code
CBS just ran the story on this. They showed a CGI video made up from the original video footage from the gun ships. We had talked about SGT Chapman earlier, this CGI showed he surely did the whole warrior to the end, bringing every weapon he had to bear and died giving covering fire for the Rangers coming in. Very surprised that CBS ran that kind of detail and not once trashed President Trump. BZ and RIP SGT Chapman! “No greater Love”
Probably one of the most well deserved awardings of the MoH. Overdue I would say. Politics played too big a role in many of those early MoH and service cross nominations.
TSgt Chapman embodied the warrior. His will to bring the fight to the enemy and never stop is truly an inspiration.
Also, I recently discovered the Medal of Honor Book videos on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/user/MedalOfHonorBook
They’re all several years old, but they are fairly short stories from the men who earned the MoH. Told in their own words. If there’s a single overarching theme, they are all very humble. Many of these men are no longer with us, so it’s incredible if you’re a history or military buff to have these stories available.
Thanks, Mason, those short clips are definitely keepers, which is what I plan to do with them. Humility is the common thread. I have long enjoyed reading of the heroic exploits of our servicemen. It seems each time I read an award, I’m convinced there can be no greater example of heroism … until I read the next one. There is the one, however, to which my thoughts return, and that is of Desmond Doss, the conscientious objector. I just find it almost impossible that a man could be physically capable of what he did that day on Okinawa. But he did, and it has to be among the greatest examples of a man exceeding what many would consider his physical limitations.
Thanks, Mason, for the link. I watched several of the stories from the men who earned the award, especially one – Robert Nett. I had the distinct honor of having known Col. Nett; he was the industrial arts teacher in my high school when I was a JROTC cadet. A very humble and wonderful man.
Thank You, AW1Ed, for posting this story.
“Through his extraordinary sacrifice, John helped save more than 20 American service members, some of whom are here today.”
Technical Sergeant John Chapman:
“Non Sibi Sed Patriae-Not for Self, but for Country”.
His widow, Valerie Nessel, comment speaks volume: “It’s team before self”.
My pleasure, AP. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
“It’s team before self,”
That says it all…
TSgt John Chapman = warrior
HooYah Chappy!
16 years… why so long?
Promoted to MSgt (E-7).