Nathan Ross Chapman. A 31- year-old Texan based at Fort Lewis, a son, a husband, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor and a father to two young children — the first American killed by hostile fire in Afghanistan. Appropriately, our nation mourns his loss.
His death led the evening news as we listened to his grief-stricken parents and co-workers share their insights into his character and his deep love for this country. Stories of the ambush that ended his life captured the front page of nearly every newspaper in our nation.
After all, patriotism is back in favor. Just ask the countless celebrities who’ve lent their time and talent to remembering those fighting on the other side of the planet. Star-studded USO tours and daily greetings to the troupes dominated the media landscape throughout the holiday season. Because of the horrific way that American’s were provoked into this fight, we all take it very personally — including the death of Special Forces soldier Nathan Ross Chapman.
Although technically 10 other American’s lives have been lost in Afghanistan and surrounding areas since the conflict began over three months ago, Chapman’s is the first death to come under hostile fire.
Ten casualties in three months. Only one at the hands of enemy aggression. We’ve certainly been fortunate and well led in waging this war.
In sharp contrast, 50,000 American servicemen went to fight in Vietnam and didn’t return. These men were also sons, husbands and fathers — as well as neighbors, friends and co-workers. Other than listings in the obituary category of their hometown newspaper, their individual deaths rarely made headlines. Decades later, the grief and magnitude of our collective loss deserves more than a moment of reflection. Fifty thousand lives lost during a difficult chapter in American history should not so easily be forgotten.
As we lay Nathan Ross Chapman to rest with appropriate honors as a hero, let’s remember to grieve as well for the nameless, faceless thousands of others who also gave their lives in service to our country.
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