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American Morning

Sergeant Nathan Ross Chapman Being Remembered Today as a Devoted Family Man

Aired January 07, 2002 - 07:25   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Turning now to the story of the first American killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan. Sergeant Nathan Ross Chapman is being remembered today as a devoted family man, devoted to his family and his country. He was a member of the U.S. special forces. He died Friday as the result of an ambush in eastern Afghanistan and while the nation mourns, his death really hits home, as you might expect, in his hometown of Centerville, Ohio, where the Army Green Beret attended high school and first set his sights on a military career.

Rich Miller was Chapman's wrestling coach at Centerville High School. He remembers him well. He joins us now from Centerville.

Rich, nice to have you with us. Thanks for joining us.

RICH MILLER, CENTERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING COACH: Good morning. You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: How do you remember this young man? Tell me a little about him.

MILLER: I remember Nathan as a, he was a clean cut, all American boy and he was a wrestler for us and exhibited those characteristics that we find in all our wrestlers. I think he had the discipline and determination that it takes to be a wrestler.

CAFFERTY: Anything else jump out in your memory about him? Anything that, you know, would set him apart in any way from the rest of the kids you coached there?

MILLER: He was just the regular guy in school. And my most vivid memory was after he had graduated and he came back into my classroom to see me. And he had just finished, recently finished Ranger school and he was very proud to be an Army Ranger. And I was equally proud of him.

CAFFERTY: What did you talk about in that meeting, do you remember?

MILLER: We talked about his continuing training in Fort Lewis. He was on his way to Fort Lewis, Washington. We kidded about the cold and damp weather in Washington and he was looking forward to, he was telling me they were going to teach him to jump out of a helicopter and he was excited, and I thought a pretty frightening thing and he seemed to eat it up. And it was the kind of kid he was and it was just great to see him again and looking very sharp in his uniform.

And it's always great to see students come back. And he was particularly memorable on that occasion.

CAFFERTY: Are there plans there at the high school to do something to perpetuate his memory?

MILLER: I'm not sure of any definite plans. You know, this morning, of course, we'll have an announcement to the students and I'm sure that things are in the planning stage and there will be a convening of a group of people that will, from the community and from the school, that'll take care of that, I'm sure.

CAFFERTY: All right, Mr. Miller, I appreciate you joining us this morning. Thank you very much for your time and your reminiscence.

Nathan Ross Chapman, killed by enemy fire, apparently he was hit in the lower extremities, cut, the bullet cut a big artery. He bled to death before they could get him out of that rough countryside and get him to the proper medical attention.

ZAHN: All right, thanks, Jack.

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