A Dog's Breakfast*

 

Well, as you may have heard, this monument is now out of date.  Another name needs to be added and adding it will be especially appropriate as the monument is on Lackland AFB,  home of Basic Training for the Air Force. 

The newest recipient was enlisted.   

(OK, quibble if you want, Joint Base Lackland. I think the Navy also does Basic there, as there are a lot of very young kids in Blue BDU's and no visible rank insignia there).

Source

In any case, the President saw fit to present the Medal of Honor to TSgt  John A. Chapman.  The awards ceremony was conducted last Wednesday, August 22nd.  Unfortunately, MSgt Chapman was unable to attend having been called before a higher authority.  His widow received the Medal in his honor.

Source

MSgt Chapman initially received the Air Force Cross for the actions he took on March 4 2002 in an action variously named "The Battle of Robert's Ridge" or "The Battle of Takur Gar".  It's called "Robert's Ridge" after the first casualty of the battle a Navy Seal named Neil C. Roberts.  Takur Gar was the name of the mountain in Afghanistan where it was fought.

Source

I'm going to refer you to this source, as there's too much going on to adequately synopsize other than this operation was indeed a "Dog's Breakfast.  The statement I find especially damning (if true, this is afterall Wikipedia) is:

"The SEALs were not heavily involved in the Operation up to this point but the TF11 commander bluntly ordered their deployment as well as changing the immediate command in an ongoing operation, possibly so that the SEALs could gain combat experience."

Emphasis mine.

How many times in history has changing the chain of command at the last minute caused the ensuing engagement to result in calamity?

In any case, the video of the engagement has been released.  (They had a Predator overhead, the propeller of which is in the Air Force Chief of Staff's office.)

I've said before, the difference in the Air Force Cross and the Medal of Honor is either the writing talent of the award recommendation writer or the political climate.  The latter may very well have been the case at the time. 

Improved analysis of the Predator film MSgt, having been assumed KIA and left behind on the evacuation of the survivors, appears to have regained consciousness and resumed fighting killing an additional two enemy fighters before being struck by an RPG and finally being killed by a machine gun.

 However, the process to fix the situation started in January 2016 with SecDef Ash Carter's directive to review all Air Force Cross, Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Cross recipients from Iraq and Afghanistan for possible upgrade  to the Medal of Honor.

IMHO, MSgt Chapman fully deserves the upgrade. 

Rest in Peace, Warrior!

Source

MSgt Chapman's Citation **:

Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism as an Air Force Special Tactics Combat Controller, attached to a Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Team conducting reconnaissance operations in Takur Ghar, Afghanistan, on March 4, 2002.

During insertion, the team’s helicopter was ambushed causing a teammate to fall into an entrenched group of enemy combatants below. Sergeant Chapman and the team voluntarily reinserted onto the snow-capped mountain, into the heart of a known enemy stronghold to rescue one of their own. Without regard for his own safety, Sergeant Chapman immediately engaged, moving in the direction of the closest enemy position despite coming under heavy fire from multiple directions.

He fearlessly charged an enemy bunker, up a steep incline in thigh-deep snow and into hostile fire, directly engaging the enemy. Upon reaching the bunker, Sergeant Chapman assaulted and cleared the position, killing all enemy occupants.

With complete disregard for his own life, Sergeant Chapman deliberately moved from cover only 12 meters from the enemy, and exposed himself once again to attack a second bunker, from which an emplaced machine gun was firing on his team. During this assault from an exposed position directly in the line of intense fire, Sergeant Chapman was struck and injured by enemy fire.Despite severe, mortal wounds, he continued to fight relentlessly, sustaining a violent engagement with multiple enemy personnel before making the ultimate sacrifice.

By his heroic actions and extraordinary valor, sacrificing his life for the lives of his teammates, Technical Sergeant Chapman upheld the highest traditions of military service and reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

*"Something or someone that looks extremely untidy, or something that is very badly done". source

**Yes, The Congressional Medal of Honor Society has already updated its website to include MSgt Chapman.  The official USAF site has not (a/o 8/26/18).  I wonder if the National Museum of the US Air Force will update their display since they're now behind by two.