Air Force combat controller is one of the rarest jobs in the military. Chances are, you could serve for 20 years and never meet one. But for members of elite Special Operations units, these warfighters are among some of the deadliest on the battlefield.
Dan Schilling is an author and former combat controller, with over 20 years of combat and clandestine mission experience. He played a critical role in Operation Gothic Serpent which later inspired the movie "Black Hawk Down." He later founded and served as the first commander of two special operations squadrons, whose name and purpose still remains classified.
In his forthcoming book, "Alone at Dawn" Schilling documents the incredible story of Medal of Honor recipient Tech Sgt. John Chapman.
In March of 2002 on a snow-covered Afghanistan mountain, Chapman and a handful of SEALs fought to take the summit in a desperate attempt to save a teammate. Outnumbered by Al Qaeda fighters, Chapman led the charge and was shot multiple times. Thought to be dead, the SEAL team started to retreat, but Chapman regained consciousness.
Alone with the enemy closing in on three sides, Schilling describes Chapman's heroic firefight and the one-man stand that saved the lives of 23 fellow Special Operators.
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