#144: Medal of Honor recipient John Chapman, as told by his Gold Star sister

This episode of PICK UP THE SIX Podcast is brought to you by our friends at the First There Foundation. On March 4, 2002 John Chapman made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation. During an operation to retrieve fallen Navy SEAL Neil Roberts, Chapman, an Air Force Combat Controller, and a team of Navy SEALs came under fire. Chapman would get isolated from the group and have to fight until the very end. His sister Lori joins us to share his story, and quite frankly her story. A gold star sister, Lori has carried what happened to her brother for over 20 years. To be candid, there are parts of the story that are tough to hear, especially Lori’s view on the other special operators that were with her brother John on that day. Simply, she has some strong feelings, that you’ll hear. I know guys who are relatively close to the special operations team she talks about, and I respect the hell out of those guys. But, it is her story, and I think she deserves the platform to tell it. Personally, I’ve consulted with guys in the community that I know and trust, and I feel comfortable with a lot of the details that Lori will share with you. At the same time, I encourage you to read or learn more about the warriors of Operation Anaconda and Roberts Ridge and John Chapman, who at the time was the first airman to be awarded a Medal of Honor since Vietnam. John’s final acts were captured on drone footage, which in-and-of itself is pretty incredible. I can’t speak to what happens in war. I don’t know, I’ve never been. My hope is that this interview provided Lori a place to share her brother’s story, which includes a lot about who he was a a man, and his final acts of heroism. We start this episode in the memory and honor of fallen Navy SEAL Neil Roberts and Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman.