The New York Times bestselling true account of John Chapman, Medal
of Honor recipient and Special Ops Combat Controller, and his heroic
one-man stand during the Afghan War, as he sacrificed his life to save
the lives of twenty-three comrades-in-arms.
In the predawn hours of March 4, 2002, just below the 10,469-foot peak
of a mountain in eastern Afghanistan, a fierce battle raged. Outnumbered
by Al Qaeda fighters, Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman and a
handful of Navy SEALs struggled to take the summit in a desperate bid to
find a lost teammate.
Chapman, leading the charge, was gravely wounded in the initial assault.
Believing he was dead, his SEAL leader ordered a retreat. Chapman
regained consciousness alone, with the enemy closing in on three
sides.
John Chapman's subsequent display of incredible valor -- first saving
the lives of his SEAL teammates and then, knowing he was mortally
wounded, single-handedly engaging two dozen hardened fighters to save
the lives of an incoming rescue squad -- posthumously earned him the
Medal of Honor. Chapman is the first airman in nearly fifty years to be
given the distinction reserved for America's greatest heroes.
Alone at Dawn is also a behind-the-scenes look at the Air Force Combat
Controllers: the world's deadliest and most versatile special operations
force, whose members must not only exceed the qualifications of Navy
SEAL and Army Delta Force teams but also act with sharp decisiveness and
deft precision -- even in the face of life-threatening danger.
Drawing from firsthand accounts, classified documents, dramatic video
footage, and extensive interviews with leaders and survivors of the
operation, Alone at Dawn is the story of an extraordinary man's brave
last stand and the brotherhood that forged him.
