News

Local Navy SEAL describes mission that led to Medal of Honor in video

Courtney Mabeus

02/29/2016

Feb. 26--VIRGINIA BEACH

A Navy SEAL scheduled to receive the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony Monday said he plans to continue working within the tightknit and secretive community of elite warfighters.

"I'm going to continue being a SEAL," Edward Byers said in a 7:15 video released by the Navy Friday afternoon.

The Navy has not said where Byers, a senior chief special warfare operator, is assigned nor does Byers specify the sort of work he plans to continue. Byers has been a member of various East Coast SEAL teams based in Virginia Beach.

Byers participated in the rescue of Dr. Dilip Joseph, who was kidnapped along with his driver and Afghan interpreter in December 2012 in a remote portion of the Laghman Province in the eastern part of Afghanistan. Byers was part of a rescue team that traveled four hours across mountainous terrain at night to assault the compound where the doctor was held.

A guard spotted the rescue team as it reached Joseph's building. Byers followed Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas D. Checque, 28, who died as a result of injuries he suffered.

Byers entered the building and struggled with a guard before flinging himself on top of Joseph, he said in the video.

"The reason I did that is because I'm wearing body armor and I want to protect him from any other potential threats in the room," Byers said in the video. "Anyone who's been in combat knows that in those moments you either react or get killed."

While holding Joseph, Byers was able to pin another combatant to a wall by the throat while awaiting additional help.

Byers said he noticed other medics working on Checque only after he left the building with the doctor. Byers, a certified paramedic, helped with resuscitation efforts. Checque was reportedly a member of Naval Special Warfare Development Group, the Virginia Beach-based unit known as SEAL Team 6.

Byers entered the Navy in September 1998 and attended the basic underwater demolition/ SEAL course in 2002. He has completed eight overseas deployments with seven combat tours. Previous decorations include five Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts.

"People that I consider heroes are the men I work with," Byers said.

He will be the 11th living service member to be awarded the Medal of Honor for action in Afghanistan.

In the video, Byers said he is honored and humbled to receive the honor but does not consider himself a hero.

"I'm going to be a representative for the Navy and the naval special warfare community," he said. "There's a weight that that carries with it, and that weight is the sacrifice that everybody has made within this community."