It was March 4, 2002. American special operations forces were fighting to establish observation posts high above Afghanistan’s Shah-i-Kot Valley, as conventional troops continued their push through the valley floor below.
One of those men, Air Force Technical Sgt. John Chapman, was alone in the pitch-black, wounded and slowly regaining his consciousness in the thigh-deep snow of a 10,469-foot peak known as Takur Ghar, as scores of Al Qaeda fighters closed in.
For his actions earlier in the battle and for his incredible bravery on that peak, according to sources familiar with the matter, Chapman will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor later this year.
Read the full story here.
Meet Fearless Leader Lieutenant Colonel Charles Whittlesey | Beauty Beneath Shadows
To the casual observer, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Whittlesey seemed destined for a life in academia. He was tall, thin, reserved, and wore thick, “Coke bottle”