Navy SEAL who died on mission to seize missiles had North Texas connections, officials say
A 27-year-old North Texas man was one of two Navy SEALs who died during a mission to seize Iranian-made missiles off the coast of Somalia in mid January, officials said.
Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, from Roanoke in Denton County, slipped while trying to board a ship carrying Iranian-made weapons to Yemen on Jan. 11, according to KDFW-TV. As he went under, Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher Chambers, 37, of Maryland, jumped in to save him, but both SEALS drowned in the Arabian Sea.
The search and rescue mission turned into a recovery effort on Sunday, and the Navy released the names of the two men Monday.
“My deepest condolences go out to the family of Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, a brave Texan serving in the U.S. Navy who gave his life for our nation,” Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said on X.
In a statement issued Monday, President Joe Biden called the men’s deaths a “profound loss for our country.”
“These SEALs represented the very best of our country, pledging their lives to protect their fellow Americans,” Biden said. “Our hearts go out to the family members, loved ones, friends, and shipmates who are grieving for these two brave Americans.”
The incident is being investigated by the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, the Associated Press reported.
Ingram enlisted in the Navy in 2019 and graduated from SEAL training in 2021. Chambers enlisted in 2012 and graduated from SEAL training in 2014.
