Nathan Chapman (soldier)

Nathan Chapman
Chapman's coffin being carried by military pallbearers in January 2002.
Birth name	Nathan Ross Chapman
Born	(1970-04-23)23 April 1970 Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, U.S.
Died	4 January 2002(2002-01-04) (aged 31) Gardez, Afghanistan †
Buried at	Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, Washington
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Sergeant First Class
Unit	1st Special Forces Group
Awards	Bronze Star Purple Heart

Bronze Star

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

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, but 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.

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 during the invasion of that country. He also served in Operation Desert Storm and later attended the U.S. Army Special Forces School 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.