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CNN Sunday Morning

Friends Mourn Loss of Chapman

Aired January 06, 2002 - 07:11   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Friends are remembering Sergeant First Class Nathan Chapman as a dynamic, outgoing soldier with a great sense of humor. He was the first U.S. soldier killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan.

CNN's Frank Buckley traveled to Georgetown, Texas where Chapman's parents reflect on their son's life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was a professional soldier, a husband and father of two. He was the son of Will and Lynn Chapman of Georgetown, Texas.

LYNN CHAPMAN, NATHAN CHAPMAN'S MOTHER: We were very proud of him and still are. He was a wonderful man, a wonderful father.

BUCKLEY: Nathan Ross Chapman is also the first U.S. soldier killed by hostile fire in Afghanistan.

WILBUR CHAPMAN, NATHAN CHAPMAN'S FATHER: He felt a certain duty to country and he served. It cost him his life.

BUCKLEY: Nathan Chapman's parents say, however, they have no regrets that their son gave his life serving in Afghanistan. They say he wouldn't have had any regrets either.

W. CHAPMAN: This country was attacked and we had to respond. And that's his job.

BUCKLEY: Nathan's job as a Special Forces soldier, an Army Green Beret, took him all over the world and into war zones. He parachuted into Panama during the U.S. invasion in 1989. He served in the Gulf War. He was deployed in Haiti.

But he was much more than a professional soldier, his parents say. He was a dad to 2-year-old Amanda and 1-year-old Brandon.

W. CHAPMAN: He had a compassion and a tenderness and lovingness (sic) about him that seemed to belie his other work, you know, the kind of job that he had.

BUCKLEY: His wife, Renae, now left to explain to the children what happened. They are in Fort Lewis, Washington where Chapman was stationed, where fellow soldiers now mourn his death, soldiers he mentioned in a final phone call to his family on Christmas Day.

W. CHAPMAN: Toward the end of the conversation, I said to him that I was sorry that he couldn't be with his family at Christmas. And he said, "I understand, Dad." But he said, "I'm with my second family and they're a great bunch of guys."

BUCKLEY (on-camera): The Chapman's were asked what people could do to honor their son's memory. Mrs. Chapman saying simply, "remember him." Mr. Chapman adding, "Support our country and what we are doing and don't give up."

Frank Buckley, CNN, Georgetown, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: Chapman's body was flown to Ramstein Air Base in Germany yesterday. It's expected to be flown back to the U.S. this week.

Let's get the update now from the Pentagon and CNN's Kathleen Koch.

Kathleen, good morning.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Martin. Well, the Pentagon is still investigating just what happened in the incident Friday, which Sergeant Chapman lost his life. He was meeting in an area in eastern Afghanistan with a number of anti-Taliban forces as well as some other special U.S. forces when -- after that meeting concluded, a fire fight broke out and Sergeant Chapman was killed in small arms fire.

Now, yesterday, President Bush spoke out as well as some of Chapman's friends, speaking about his sacrifice and his dedication.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If I can assure the parents and loved ones of Nathan Chapman, that he lost his life for a cause that is just and important and that cause is the security of the American people and that cause is the cause of freedom and a civilized world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. EDWIN D. HOENIG, FRIEND: He knew soldiers very well. Soldiers loved to work with him. He loved to work with soldiers. And when the workday was done, he loved to go home to his family. He loved his wife, Renae, very much and his two children. And we're all going to miss him. He was a great guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Chapman, age 31, is the first U.S. soldier, U.S. military member in Afghanistan to die from hostile fire since the campaign began back in October. Since that time, 10 others have died though, including three Green Berets who were killed in an accidental bombing by U.S. aircraft -Martin.

SAVIDGE: Kathleen, the circumstances around his death seem, at best, unusual. The term, "ambushed," I believe was used sometimes at the Pentagon. Other than what you've told us, is there any more detail we know about what really happened?

KOCH: Martin, we do know that U.S. aircraft had in recent days targeted some of the areas around that city where Sergeant Chapman was killed. Apparently, there is some suspicion that there were some members of the al Qaeda terrorist network holed up in some cave or tunnel networks nearby. So the Pentagon already was keeping a close eye on this region, believing that there might be some resistance that remained and clearly, that was the case.

SAVIDGE: Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

KOCH: You're welcome.

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