The Navy SEAL killed in a counterterrorism raid on al Qaeda has been identified as a 36-year-old, highly decorated commando from Peoria, Illinois.
William “Ryan” Owens was killed Sunday during the surprise intelligence-gathering assault in Yemen that wounded three other military personnel and killed 14 al-Qaida militants.
“Ryan gave his full measure for our nation, and in performing his duty, he upheld the noblest standard of military service,” Defense Secretary James Mattis said Monday in a statement. “The United States would not long exist were it not for the selfless commitment of such warriors.”
Owens, who enlisted in the military in 1998 and rose through the ranks, became a chief special warfare operator on the elite SEAL Team 6 — the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011.
He had received many accolades throughout his decades-long career including three Bronze Stars, which both were stamped with a “V” to highlight his combat valor, according to Military.com.
His death marked the first U.S. service member to be killed in the line of duty since President Trump took office.
Trump and top military officials deemed the early-morning raid a “success,” saying they captured valuable intel.