Retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Harlan Page Chapman, the longest-held Marine prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery tomorrow morning with full military honors and a ceremonial flyover.
Chapman was born on September 27, 1934, in Carlisle Township, Ohio, and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps through the Navy ROTC program at Miami University in 1956. He trained as a pilot and earned his designation as a Naval Aviator in 1958. His early career included assignments with Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron 1 in California and Japan, as well as postings with H&MS-33 and the 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, where he completed Army Jump School.
In 1964, Chapman joined Marine Fighter Squadron 212 in Hawaii and later deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. On November 5, 1965, while flying a mission over North Vietnam, he was shot down and captured. Chapman spent more than seven years in captivity, enduring harsh treatment and interrogation before his release during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973.
His conduct as a prisoner of war earned him the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and perseverance. The citation described his refusal to provide information to his captors and his determination to uphold the Code of Conduct, even under severe conditions.
After returning home, Chapman completed refresher flight training and took command of Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 314 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in 1974. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1976 after 20 years of service. His decorations included the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star with Valor, and ten Air Medals.
Chapman died on May 6, 2024, at the age of 89. Tomorrow’s ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery will begin at 11 a.m. at the Post Chapel, followed by interment with a military flyover honoring his service.
His burial will mark the final tribute to a Marine whose endurance and devotion to duty came to symbolize the resilience of American prisoners of war during Vietnam.
