U.S. Navy Names Ship MV Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman

The Navy plans to rename one of its cargo ships for Air Force Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, who died during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan on March 4, 2002 while attempting to retrieve the body of a Navy SEAL who fell from a helicopter.

Chapman, 37, was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, the second-highest honor given by the Air Force, in January 2003.

The Navy, in a ceremony scheduled for April 8 at Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal at Southport, N.C., will rename for Chapman the 670-foot cargo ship MV Merlin (AK-323), a container/roll-on roll-off ship in the Military Sealift Command.

The Navy has at least three other MSC vessels — all container ships — named for airmen. Along with the Merlin, the MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett (T-AK 4296), the MV Maj. Bernard F. Fisher (6-AK 4396) and the MV A1C William H. Pitsenbarger (T-AK 4638) — all named for Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients — carry Air Force munitions as part of the MSC’s 10-ship Logistics Prepositioning Force, according to MSC’s Web site.

Chapman was a member of 24th Special Tactics Squadron based at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., and working with a special operations team during the war in Afghanistan. During Operation Anaconda in March 2002, his helicopter came under fire and Petty Officer 1st Class Neil Roberts fell out.

Chapman was among a six-member team that flew in to rescue or recover Roberts under heavy enemy fire.

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