Corporal Chapman was a member of the 187th Airborne Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 15 February 1951 and died of those wounds on 17 February 1951.

Chapman was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.