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CNN Live Today

Texas Community Honors Fallen Soldier in War on Terror

Aired May 27, 2002 - 11:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: There are more memorials, of course, on this Memorial Day. A Texas community is honoring Sergeant First Class Nathan Ross Chapman, a Green Beret killed in Afghanistan in early January.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Georgetown, Texas today for that service -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kris.

Well, across the country today you might suspect that there are similar gatherings like this taking place. But we're here today, as you mentioned, because the guest of honor here in about an hour and a half will be the parents of Nathan Chapman. And right now they're just kind of getting ready, putting the final touches on the ceremony that's supposed to take place here.

If you don't remember who Nathan Chapman is, this is as good a day as any to remember exactly who he is. Kris, as you mentioned, a Sergeant First Class Green Beret in the Army Special Forces. He was killed in action, the first American killed by enemy fire in the war on terror, killed in eastern Afghanistan on January 4th.

And for his family, his wife and two kids and his parents who live here in Texas, the last four and a half months have been a serious time of reflection and trying to come to terms with everything that's happened. A few days ago they allowed us into their house as we talked about Nathan and what life means now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL CHAPMAN, FATHER: He died for a cause that he believed in, doing something believed in and was good at. And that helps a lot when you know that if you have to lose someone that you lose them doing something that they wanted to do.

LAVANDERA (on camera): Can you compare when this war first started and your feelings about it, how that has changed, if it has at all?

LYNN CHAPMAN, MOTHER: I don't think my feelings about the war have changed. I think it's worth doing. Clearly, someone needs to take care of terrorists. And I think it was important to do that and it's still important. And there are other men that are going to help get it done since Nathan is not here to do it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: Both Chapmans are fully supportive of this war and they want the America people to remember what this is all about. And they also worry -- Mr. Chapman does worry, he expressed his reservation -- that the farther away we get away from September 11th, he worries that Americans will forget why the U.S. forces are involved in this war around the world. Mrs. Chapman, however, says she's fully confident the American people will stay with us this.

Now since January 4th, they have received more than 600 letters from friends, people they don't know, other colleagues who worked with Nathan Chapman in the service. They've received over 600 letters in the last four and a half months describing their son to them. They cherish every single one of those letters.

One letter in particular that Mrs. Chapman cherishes dearly is a letter that her son wrote to her 12 years ago after he had parachuted into Panama. We got a chance to see that letter, but she doesn't want us to share that with you. She's going to share that letter with the crowd that gathers here today, friends and neighbors who live in this community just about a half-hour north of Austin, Texas. She is going to share that letter with the group that gathers here a little bit later on. And we're planning to bring that to you live as well -- Kris, back to you.

OSBORN: Ed, those are very powerful remarks you heard from the Chapmans. I suspect we will hear a lot about the heroism of Nathan Ross Chapman, that, in fact, he died while trying to protect other troops and moving into the line of fire to save his fellow soldiers.

LAVANDERA: And that's the one thing that his father in particular points out, that one of the things that has helped them cope with their loss is the fact that Nathan died in the line of battle defending his country and fighting for freedom. And for the Chapman family, they say that is the one thing that has really helped them deal with the loss of their son, 31 years old, at a very early age.

OSBORN: Thank you very much, Ed Lavandera, live in Texas on a memorial that many will be watching.

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