[August 29, 2018] I noted this before but it is worth saying again; I don’t highlight the deeds of heroes as much as I should. When we compare ourselves to their lives, we often come out lacking in some way. Today, I’ll be drawing attention to U.S. Airman Tech Sergeant John Chapman whose deeds in Afghanistan posthumously won him the Medal of Honor.
Tech Sgt John Chapman is a name you probably don’t remember but what happened to him and his team is known if you followed anything happening in the war in Afghanistan. He was part of a night infiltration to set up a reconnaissance position in the Shah-i-Kot Valley.1 After the operation began, Navy SEAL Neil Roberts fell out of the helicopter which then crash-landed.
Chapman began calling in airstrikes from AC-130 gunships circling overhead. With the missing man, Chapman’s team’s new objective as to rescue Roberts on the mountainside. Chapman ran ahead of his teammates and took fire from a hornet’s nest of enemy fighters. His teammates thought he’d been killed but unknown to everyone, Chapman continued to engage the al-Qaida forces. He later died after two fatal wounds and various others wounds.
There was an investigation into this fight that took many months to sort through. What happened on that mountain range is no longer unclear. The U.S. military is good at analyzing battles for lessons learned and to determine what they could do better in similar situations. That helps make our fighters better.
Ultimately, Chapman was among seven Americans who died in that brutal fight and Tech Sergeant Chapman fought on alone for more than an hour after the Navy SEALs had retreated. A week ago, on August 22nd, U.S. President Trump presented Valerie Nessel, the widow of Air Force Tech Sgt John Chapman, with his Medal of Honor.2
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I looked back on your “hero” series after reading several remarks made here in the comment section on them. Great work, by the way. I see you have a good representation of heroes throughout history, mostly in the last 150 years or so. I understand why it would be difficult to go back that much further although there are heroes in the ancient past like Asenith (in modern times sometimes transliterated as Osnat). She is a figure in the Book of Genesis (41:45.50; 46,20), an Egyptian woman whom Pharoh gave to Joseph, son of Jacob to be his wife.
Good comment. Thanks.
Gen Satterfield, please provide more heroes for us to read about. Perhaps you can create another tab on your website that is dedicated just to them. Or, any other subject of great interest like your “characteristics” analysis of those things that make for great leaders.
I agree with your recommendation. Me? I could read about them everyday of the week and then some. Good recommendation.
Good one! Thanks.
Well done, once again General Satterfield. This is a great post today because it covers a topic that is overlooked and underrated in our today’s “me too” society. These are great people and we should be comparing and judging ourselves against their deeds and actions. Well done! I’m a fan of this website as everyone should be.
Heroes are those who inspire us with their great deeds. I see that many of Gen. Satterfield’s posts involve heroes who show physical courage. I just want to re-emphasize that moral courage also counts. Thanks everyone for being on this leadership website and also commenting. I like to read the comments because they do add to the understanding.
You are welcome! Thanks Willie.
I only wish we could know more about what motivates these heroes to do what they do and what they ‘think’ when they do what they do. This would be most valuable. I know that it is likely unknowable. To actually speak with one of them would be my dream.
It is hard to argue that we should have fewer heroes. Today most heroes are Hollywood entertainers. We should all remember that they “play” great people and they are not those great people in reality. Something a few of us tend to forget. For that reason alone, we should not listen to what they have to say.
Great! I love your series on heroes.
Yes, me too. It wouldn’t hurt me to read more about these heroes.
Good comment, Janna. I too like to read about these hereos.
Me too! 😉
The incident in Afghanistan is another example of the brave troops that defend our nation against the evil of religious and secular extremism. I hear this all the time from the snowflakes that attend our colleges and from their professors. Something will explode inside the USA if this keeps up.
Your series on Heroes is great. Their lives are inspiring. While no one is perfect, these men and women are doing the jobs none of us would want and they are doing it fabulously. Thanks, Gen Satterfield for bringing us to their world.
Another great hero fighting evil in the world. Thanks for highlighting his service.
Thanks Army Captain, my sentiment exactly.
🙂 🙂
Yes, well said. I too like this site for it’s focus on what makes us a better person … not just a better leader. If you follow what is being written here and actually internalize it, you will be a happier and more contented person; not the hatred-spewing college children we read so much about today.
Yep! I agree with you.