Colorado Springs mother to receive late son’s Medal of Honor Award

President Donald Trump is set to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to the family of a fallen U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller for his extraordinary heroism while deployed to Afghanistan.

According to his nomination, Tech. Sergeant John Chapman sacrificed his life to save those of his teammates.

The 302nd Airlift Wing said Chapman was part of a joint special operations reconnaissance team deployed to Afghanistan in 2002.

The team came under enemy fire during a heroic rescue attempt on Takur Ghar mountain, Afghanistan on March 4, 2002, when Chapman made the ultimate sacrifice.

Enemy rocket-propelled grenade fire badly damaged the Chinook helicopter carrying Chapmen and his team. The attack threw Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts into the enemies below.

The team chose to fly back to the enemy-infested mountaintop in an attempt to save Roberts.

During the rescue attempt, Chapman and his teammates once again were hit with heavy enemy fire. Despite the attack, Chapman charged through thigh-deep snow to directly assault an enemy position. According to the 302nd Airlift Wing, Chapman then moved from the bunker’s protective cover to attack a second hostile bunker with an emplaced machine gun firing on the rescue team.

During this, he was hit and again temporarily incapacitated by enemy fire. But that still didn’t stop him.

Chapman continued to fight despite his wounds, but was killed during that heroic effort to save his teammates.

“He will forever be an example of what it means to be one of America’s best and bravest Airmen,” said Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson.

The Medal of Honor is the nation’s most prestigious military award.

It is awarded by the president to military members who have “distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty, while engaged in action with an enemy of the United States.”

According to the 302nd Airlift Wing, Chapman will be the 19th Airman awarded the Medal of Honor since the Department of the Air Force was established in 1947.