After completing The Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Chapman served with the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines at Quantico, Virginia, from April 1936 until August 1937.

On board Astoria following the outbreak of World War II, Chapman took part in the early Pacific raids culminating in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, and earned the Navy Commendation Ribbon with Combat "V".

From August 1946 until May 1949, he was stationed at Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC), Washington, D.C., serving as executive officer, G-3 Section, Division of Plans and Policies.

In August 1954, he was named commanding officer, Marine Barracks, United States Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan, serving in this capacity until May 1956.

Following his promotion, Chapman was assigned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina serving as commanding general, Force Troops, FMF Atlantic, until August 1961.

In January 1969, President Park Chung Hee of the Republic of Korea presented Chapman with the Order of National Security Merit, First Class.

As commandant, General Chapman issued orders in 1969, changing some policies within the Corps to bring an end to racial violence while maintaining discipline against persons of any race who failed to live up the standards of the United States Marines, acknowledging discrimination in the past, making concessions to African-American culture, and ordering that "legitimate grievances" of racial discrimination would "receive sympathetic consideration and rapid response."

[1] By the end of his tenure, Chapman witnessed the III Marine Amphibious Force withdrawal from Vietnam and the strength of the Corps drop from a peak of 289,000 to 198,000.

Anticipating an austere budget and fewer Marines, he had earlier made his move for a "hard, lean, fully combat-ready Corps," reduced in size, but not in professionalism.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors on January 14, 2000, at which he was eulogized by former Commandant General Carl Mundy, a friend, fraternity brother, and protégé.

Chapman's awards include: This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.