John Chapman Memorial Workout

Credit: Airman 1st Class Sarah Gottschling | Date Taken: 03/05/2024
Yesterday, our teammates at the 26th Special Tactics Squadron honored U.S. Air Force Combat Controller, MSgt John Chapman, with a memorial workout. Chapman displayed unwavering courage during the Battle of Takur Ghar on Mar. 4, 2002. His selflessness and dedication to protecting his teammates was unmatched. Chapman was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2018 for his actions and promoted to Master Sergeant. During the same operation, Operation Anaconda, our very own 16th Special Operations Squadron was overhead and proved to be a crucial asset for our ground forces. With only three aircraft and three crews, they completed 39 crucial combat missions and flew for 322 combat hours over 12 days—eliminating 45 enemy from the battlefield. Our Special Tactics Airmen and our aircrew continue to #holdtheline in today’s conflicts. Their service and loyalty to the mission is unmatched. We will #NeverForget MSgt Chapman’s ultimate sacrifice nor his family’s continued sacrifice.