Windber quietly buries war hero and adopted son -TSgt John Chapman

Post-Gazette ^ | 3-13-2002 | Tom Gibb

[DWar]

John Chapman among 7 killed in Afghanistan trying to rescue comrade

Wednesday, March 13, 2002 By Tom Gibb, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

WINDBER, Pa. -- He was born in Connecticut; he wasn't a hometown boy. Truth is, most of the 4,600 people around this northern Somerset County town didn't even know Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Chapman.

As Air Force Tech Sgt. John Chapman's casket is lowered into the ground in Windber, Somerset County, one of his team members is consoled; another stands at attention. Chapman was one of seven soldiers who died in the mountains of east Afghanistan when they returned by helicopter to rescue a team member who tumbled from a chopper as it was strafed by enemy fire. More photos from the service. (V.W.H. Campbell, Jr.)

But he married a local girl. He was among the first Americans to die in Afghanistan, killed in what military officials recounted as a vicious firefight. And yesterday, he was buried in a hillside cemetery looking down on this one-time coal town.

If that didn't make John Chapman a Windber boy, local resident Joe Datko figured, it made him the next-best thing.

[DWar]

To remember an American Hero.

[sunshine state]

Bump.

[Mr. Lucky]

Long after this hero is forgotten by all but his family, America will still remember the names of this year's top starlets, athletes and politicians. ( none of whom are qualified to shine Sgt. Chapman's boots, by the way )

[cynicom]

Very sad, very true. Just a number somewhere in a forgotten file. And we have people here on FR that think it wrong for this country to ask everyone to do their duty to this country. "Let someone else do it", is not our motto.

[reflecting]

May God bless the family.

[homeschool mama]

A precious life.