# Nathan Chapman (soldier)

Nathan Ross Chapman (April 23, 1970 – January 4, 2002) was a United States Army Sergeant First Class with the 1st Special Forces Group. He was the first American soldier to be killed by enemy action in the War in Afghanistan.

## Early life and education

The son of Wilbur and Lynn Chapman, Chapman was born at Andrews Air Force Base, where his father was stationed at the time. Chapman grew up in a variety of towns across the United States, and graduated from Centerville High School, near Dayton, Ohio. He listed his hometown as San Antonio, Texas when he joined the military at the age of 18. He had never lived in San Antonio, but that is where his grandparents lived.

## Career

Chapman's military career spanned 13 years and included combat service in Haiti, Panama, and the Persian Gulf War. In 1989, he parachuted into Panama as part of the invasion during Operation Just Cause. He also served in Operation Desert Storm and later completed selection for the Army Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group following the 11 September attacks, Chapman was directing troop movements from the back of a flatbed truck when he was shot. He did not die instantly from the attack, which also saw a CIA Paramilitary Operations Officer from Special Activities Division wounded. Although originally dubbed an "ambush", the military backed away from using the term.
He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. Forward Operating Base Chapman was named after SFC Chapman.
On May 18, 2015, the CIA acknowledged Chapman had been detailed to a six-man CIA unit known as "Team Hotel" and unveiled a star on their memorial wall in his honor.

## Awards and decorations

SFC Chapman was awarded the following during his military career:
| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) | Combat Infantryman Badge with star (denoting second award) |
| 1st row | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device | Bronze Star with "V" device |
| 2nd row | Purple Heart | Purple Heart | Purple Heart | Purple Heart | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) |
| 3rd row | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters (4 awards) | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters (4 awards) | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters (4 awards) | Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak leaf clusters (4 awards) | Army Good Conduct Medal with 3 Good conduct loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with 3 Good conduct loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with 3 Good conduct loops | Army Good Conduct Medal with 3 Good conduct loops | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star |
| 4th row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Campaign star | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal | Afghanistan Campaign Medal |
| 5th row | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Humanitarian Service Medal | Humanitarian Service Medal | Humanitarian Service Medal | Humanitarian Service Medal | Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Award numeral 3 | Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Award numeral 3 | Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Award numeral 3 | Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Award numeral 3 |
| 6th row | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | Army Overseas Ribbon | United Nations Medal | United Nations Medal | United Nations Medal | United Nations Medal |
| 7th row | NATO Medal for ex-Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for ex-Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for ex-Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for ex-Yugoslavia | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
| Badges | Master Parachutist Badge with 1 bronze combat jump star | Master Parachutist Badge with 1 bronze combat jump star | Master Parachutist Badge with 1 bronze combat jump star | Master Parachutist Badge with 1 bronze combat jump star | Special Operations Diver Badge | Special Operations Diver Badge | Special Operations Diver Badge | Special Operations Diver Badge | Expert Marksmanship badge with rifle component bar | Expert Marksmanship badge with rifle component bar | Expert Marksmanship badge with rifle component bar | Expert Marksmanship badge with rifle component bar |
| Tabs | Special Forces Tab | Special Forces Tab | Special Forces Tab | Special Forces Tab | Special Forces Tab | Special Forces Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab | Ranger Tab |
Other accoutrements :
* Expert Infantryman Badge
* 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Combat Service Identification Badge
* United States Army Special Forces Distinctive unit insignia
* Royal Thai Parachutist Badge

## Personal life

Chapman, his wife Renae and two children lived in Puyallup, Washington. He was buried at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington.
There is a Nathan Chapman Memorial Trail in Pierce County, Washington.
On September 11, 2006, a casting commemorating Chapman was displayed "in Georgetown, Texas".