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CNN Sunday Morning

Chapman's Parents Are Proud of Their Son

Aired January 06, 2002 - 09:18   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: Back in the U.S., it is a homecoming nobody wanted. Nathan Ross Chapman went to war in Afghanistan as a Special Forces soldier. He'll return as the first G.I. to die there from enemy fire.

Our national correspondent Frank Buckley is in Georgetown, Texas where Chapman's parents live.

Hello, Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Marty.

A painful weekend here for Nathan Chapman's parents. But as I mentioned to you about an hour ago, the folks here have been very gracious with reporters and other journalists who have been coming into their home. They've been inviting them into their home to speak with them, they say because they want people to remember their son.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(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: 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: 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 and 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 two-year-old Amanda, and one-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."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: I asked Mr. and Mrs. Chapman what people can do to honor their son's memory and Mrs. Chapman said simply, remember him; Mr. Chapman adding, quote, "please support our country in what we are doing and don't give up" -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Frank, I'm wondering do they know when his body will be returned? Where he may be buried, or a memorial service? Anything like that?

BUCKLEY: They're expecting the remains to come to the Fort Lewis, Washington area where he was stationed sometime probably mid- week. They are themselves planning to travel up there today and they expect, although the final arrangements haven't been made, but they expect his body to be buried at a national cemetery in Washington State.

SAVIDGE: Frank Buckley joining us from Georgetown, Texas, thank you very much.

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