Age, Biography and Wiki
- Full Name: John Allan Chapman
- Date of Birth: July 14, 1965
- Date of Death: March 4, 2002
- Age at Death: 36 years old
- Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
Biography:
John A. Chapman was a combat controller in the United States Air Force and is the only Airman to be awarded the Medal of Honor in the 21st century. He was part of the 24th Special Tactics Squadron and was instrumental in Operation Anaconda during the early days of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Chapman’s actions on Takur Ghar Mountain demonstrated conspicuous gallantry and self-sacrifice, leading to his posthumous recognition as a national hero.
| Occupation | Activist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 14 July 1965 |
| Age | 59 Years |
| Birth Place | Springfield, Massachusetts, United States |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | Afghanistan |
| Date of death | 4 March, 2002 |
| Died Place | Takur Ghar, Paktia, Afghanistan |
Height, Weight & Measurements
There are no verified official records regarding John A. Chapman’s height, weight, or physical measurements. As a Special Tactics Airmen, he would have undergone rigorous physical training and was likely in excellent physical condition.
"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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Dating & Relationship Status
John A. Chapman was married at the time of his death. His widow is recognized as the primary recipient of his Medal of Honor, though there was significant advocacy for his mother to also be honored due to her role in “birthing a hero”. Details about his romantic life or additional relationships are not publicly documented.
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| Husband | Valerie Nessel (m. 1992) |
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Net Worth and Salary
- Net Worth (2025): As a U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant (posthumously), John A. Chapman did not accumulate personal wealth through his military service. His net worth at the time of his death is not publicly available and would have consisted primarily of military salary, benefits, and possible life insurance.
- Salary: As a Tech Sergeant (E-6) in 2002, his base pay would have been approximately $2,500–$3,000 per month, with possible hazard and deployment bonuses. Any net worth claims for 2025 are irrelevant, as he passed away in 2002.
Career, Business and Investments
- Military Career: Chapman specialized as a Combat Controller, responsible for air traffic control and special reconnaissance in austere environments. He was attached to a SEAL Team 6 element during Operation Anaconda.
- Heroic Actions: On March 4, 2002, Chapman and his team were ambushed on Takur Ghar Mountain. Despite being left behind and presumed dead, footage later revealed he regained consciousness and fought off enemy combatants, ultimately sacrificing his life to protect his team.
- Awards: Originally awarded the Air Force Cross, Chapman’s Medal of Honor was upgraded after years of review and advocacy by both the Air Force and his family.
- Legacy: His heroism is commemorated by the annual Chapman Competition, honoring fallen service members and testing current Airmen’s combat readiness.
- Business & Investments: Chapman did not have any known business ventures or investments.
Chapman retrained into the combat control career field and served with the 1721st Combat Control Squadron at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina from August 1990 to November 1992.
Upon returning to recover Roberts, the team came under fire from three directions. Chapman charged forward, killing two enemy soldiers and advancing towards a defensive fighting position from minimal personal cover, and he received multiple wounds. His engagement and destruction of the first enemy position and advancement to the second enabled his team to move to cover and break enemy contact. He is credited with saving the lives of the entire rescue team.
Chapman was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross. The citation for the award reads: "The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, U.S.C., awards the Air Force Cross to TSgt John Chapman 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 March 4, 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 ensure 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 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. 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."
Social Network
John A. Chapman does not have personal social media accounts due to the era in which he served and his status as a fallen hero. However, his legacy continues on official U.S. Air Force channels and veteran-focused platforms.
Dan Schilling and Chapman's sister, Lori Chapman Longfritz, wrote a book based on his Medal of Honor action titled Alone at Dawn: Medal of Honor Recipient John Chapman and the Untold Story of the World's Deadliest Special Operations Force. It has also been optioned for a feature adaptation by Thruline Entertainment. In 2021, it was revealed the film would be called Combat Control, directed by Sam Hargrave and starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Chapman. As of May 2024 the film had not yet entered production.
According to retired green beret Nate Cornacchia in a post on YouTube, the upcoming Medal of Honor museum in Arlington, Texas was going to have an exhibit dedicated to John Chapman but has since been canceled and replaced with Britt Slabinski, who is on the museum board.
Education
Details about Chapman’s formal education are not widely publicized. As a U.S. Air Force Combat Controller, he would have completed extensive training in both military and technical disciplines, including Air Force Special Warfare and advanced battlefield communication.
John Allan Chapman (July 14, 1965 – March 4, 2002) was a combat controller in the United States Air Force who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on August 22, 2018, for his actions in the Battle of Takur Ghar during the War in Afghanistan. He is the first airman to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. He was inducted into the Hall of Heroes on August 23, 2018, and posthumously promoted to Master Sergeant on the following day.
The ceremony took place Wednesday, August 22, 2018. At an August 23 ceremony at the Pentagon attended by family and teammates, Chapman was inducted into the Hall of Heroes, a room dedicated to honor Medal of Honor recipients. The next day, he was posthumously promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant and his name was added to the Medal of Honor wall at the Air Force Memorial.
On April 22, 2023, the United States Air Force Academy graduating class of 2026 selected MSgt John A. Chapman as their class exemplar, honored with the nickname "sarge."
