David Tapper: Fallen Navy SEAL – Honoring his Life & Ultimate Sacrifice

Petty Officer First Class David Tapper was the youngest of six children. And as the only boy, he was a protector from the very start. One of his sisters recalls “We grew up with him protecting his mother and sisters. Then he grew up to protect his country.”

Tapper enlisted in the Navy right after high school in 1989 with the dream of becoming a Navy SEAL. Two years later, in 1991, that dream came true when he graduated from SEAL training. Tapper’s first deployment was to Afghanistan shortly after the 9-11 terror attacks. He then fought for two months in 2003 during the early, most dangerous stages of the Iraq war.

Tapper was also part of the team that rescued wounded POW Jessica Lynch and helped recover the bodies of nine American soldiers buried near the hospital where she was held.

Tapper was listed as a Photographer’s Mate First Class Petty Officer, but according to Anthony Cordesman, from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “titles are meaningless” in the SEAL teams. They’re designated primarily for combat, and there’s no doubt Taper was an elite operator who closely guarded the secrets of his missions.

Rev. Joe Beggs, the pastor of Tapper’s hometown church, said Tapper once said to him “Joe, don’t ask me what I’m doing. Even if I was allowed tell you, you wouldn’t want to know.”

Tapper was the father of 4 children: two boys and two girls.

After serving in Iraq for two months, Tapper returned to New Jersey for a visit during a six-week leave in the summer of 2003. Tapper confessed he was reluctant to return to the war zone.
“He said it was too soon,” said one of his sisters. “He wanted to stay with his children and spend more time with his family in Atco.”

But duty called, and Tapper answered, heading back to Afghanistan.

While he was away overseas, his family had no way to contact him, by mail or phone, but Tapper did his best to stay in touch. He spent his 32nd birthday, on Saturday August 16th on duty, but was able to call his wife and children on Sunday, August 17th, and Monday, August 18th.

Two days later, he was dead.

Tapper was conducting combat operations near Orgun, in the lawless Paktika province. He was ambushed and shot in the back. Tapper died later that day at a hospital at Bagram Air Base.

RIP, Sir. Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“MEN NEVER DIE UNTIL THEY ARE FORGOTTEN”