I don't think I understand why there is a question about a Medal of Honor. If the Air Force Secretary can see the devotion to his unit then there is no question. Certainly there is no doubt when another man walks away from his unit not once, but, several time into the clutches of the Taliban only to have his own television program. Give me a break. Sergeant Chapman is an American to it's highest regard. He saved the lives of others and served his country by doing so.
August 27, 2016
By Sean D. Naylor and Christopher Drew
...Now, (click here) more than 14 years after that brutal fight, in which seven Americans ultimately died, the Air Force says that Chief Slabinski was wrong — and that Sergeant Chapman not only was alive, but also fought on alone for more than an hour after the SEALs had retreated. The Air Force secretary is pushing for a Medal of Honor, the military’s highest award, after new technology used in an examination of videos from aircraft flying overhead helped officials conclude that the sergeant had killed two fighters with Al Qaeda — one in hand-to-hand combat — before dying in an attempt to protect arriving reinforcements....
He died on a foreign mountain top without a second thought as to his responsibility. That is a devotion to his country no one can deny was uniquely heroic.
The Air Force and "Six" can say what they want about Chief Slabinski, but, I have a few things to say, too. The expedition was impossible for Americans not trained at high altitude. The al Qaeda fighters had an advantage, their genes prepared them for high altitude.
...Chief Slabinski’s team was ordered to establish an observation post on top of the mountain, Takur Ghar, during Operation Anaconda, an effort to encircle and destroy Qaeda forces in the Shah-i-Kot Valley in easternAfghanistan, about 25 miles from Pakistan. The battle occurred less than three months after bin Laden had escaped at Tora Bora, and American commanders still hoped to capture or kill senior Qaeda leaders....
The oxygen content at sea level is 21 percent or close to it. (click here) We know from such events as the Mexico City Olympics that people born and raised at higher altitude have an athletic advantage.
A mile up in altitude is 5280 feet. Mexico City is 7,382 feet above sea level. Takur Ghar is 10,469 feet. That is nine feet over 2 miles high in altitude.
Oxygen at high altitude (click here).
"Six" was struggling not only with cold, but, also with an effective oxygen content of 14.3 percent. By all rights that alone would eventually cause the death of those not genetically predisposed to prolonged oxygen deprivation. Now considering the temperature the air would be slightly more concentrated as cold air condenses somewhat. But, "Six" was operating at approximately 68.4 percent of normal oxygen content. That is extreme and it is a high category exposure to oxygen content.
Chief Slabinski may tell a tale today that he can remember, but, his judgement was impaired at the time he made it. There is no way Chief Slabinski can be correctly judged by the USA higher command or his peers. He is faultless in leaving Sergeant Chapman behind in saving the lives within his unit. It is far easier to pass judgement on Chief Slabinski at sea level than would occur at more than 10,000 feet elevation.
It was a very dangerous mission and one that compromised "Six" metabolically as well. The only reason I can fathom for a decision to have taken this long to recognize a Metal of Honor for the sergeant is the fact they didn't capture or kill bin Laden.
(Tora Bora is a very controversial incident. But, if I remember correctly there were men that heard bin Laden over a radio and asked for back up. The failure in this mission does not belong to the soldiers or their hierarchy, it belongs Donald Rumsfeld. If one unit was compromised to carry out a mission, then every other mission would be similarly compromised under the leadership at that time. Daisy cutters. We are lucky the soldiers came back and not killed in friendly fire.)
Sergeant Chapman is most deserving of the Metal of Honor. He never declined a dangerous mission and was determined to see it though to the end. There is nothing more that can be asked of an airman. He is an extraordinary hero by every measure as is his unit.
August 27, 2016
By Sean D. Naylor and Christopher Drew
...Now, (click here) more than 14 years after that brutal fight, in which seven Americans ultimately died, the Air Force says that Chief Slabinski was wrong — and that Sergeant Chapman not only was alive, but also fought on alone for more than an hour after the SEALs had retreated. The Air Force secretary is pushing for a Medal of Honor, the military’s highest award, after new technology used in an examination of videos from aircraft flying overhead helped officials conclude that the sergeant had killed two fighters with Al Qaeda — one in hand-to-hand combat — before dying in an attempt to protect arriving reinforcements....
He died on a foreign mountain top without a second thought as to his responsibility. That is a devotion to his country no one can deny was uniquely heroic.
The Air Force and "Six" can say what they want about Chief Slabinski, but, I have a few things to say, too. The expedition was impossible for Americans not trained at high altitude. The al Qaeda fighters had an advantage, their genes prepared them for high altitude.
...Chief Slabinski’s team was ordered to establish an observation post on top of the mountain, Takur Ghar, during Operation Anaconda, an effort to encircle and destroy Qaeda forces in the Shah-i-Kot Valley in easternAfghanistan, about 25 miles from Pakistan. The battle occurred less than three months after bin Laden had escaped at Tora Bora, and American commanders still hoped to capture or kill senior Qaeda leaders....
The oxygen content at sea level is 21 percent or close to it. (click here) We know from such events as the Mexico City Olympics that people born and raised at higher altitude have an athletic advantage.
A mile up in altitude is 5280 feet. Mexico City is 7,382 feet above sea level. Takur Ghar is 10,469 feet. That is nine feet over 2 miles high in altitude.
Oxygen at high altitude (click here).
"Six" was struggling not only with cold, but, also with an effective oxygen content of 14.3 percent. By all rights that alone would eventually cause the death of those not genetically predisposed to prolonged oxygen deprivation. Now considering the temperature the air would be slightly more concentrated as cold air condenses somewhat. But, "Six" was operating at approximately 68.4 percent of normal oxygen content. That is extreme and it is a high category exposure to oxygen content.
Chief Slabinski may tell a tale today that he can remember, but, his judgement was impaired at the time he made it. There is no way Chief Slabinski can be correctly judged by the USA higher command or his peers. He is faultless in leaving Sergeant Chapman behind in saving the lives within his unit. It is far easier to pass judgement on Chief Slabinski at sea level than would occur at more than 10,000 feet elevation.
It was a very dangerous mission and one that compromised "Six" metabolically as well. The only reason I can fathom for a decision to have taken this long to recognize a Metal of Honor for the sergeant is the fact they didn't capture or kill bin Laden.
(Tora Bora is a very controversial incident. But, if I remember correctly there were men that heard bin Laden over a radio and asked for back up. The failure in this mission does not belong to the soldiers or their hierarchy, it belongs Donald Rumsfeld. If one unit was compromised to carry out a mission, then every other mission would be similarly compromised under the leadership at that time. Daisy cutters. We are lucky the soldiers came back and not killed in friendly fire.)
Sergeant Chapman is most deserving of the Metal of Honor. He never declined a dangerous mission and was determined to see it though to the end. There is nothing more that can be asked of an airman. He is an extraordinary hero by every measure as is his unit.
