Naval Special Warfare Remembers Two Fallen SEALs
23 April 2024
SILVER STRAND TRAINING COMPLEX, Calif. -- Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers and Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram were honored during a memorial service at the Silver Strand Training Complex, April 18.
Chambers and Ingram were both reported missing at sea while they were conducting a night-time seizure of a vessel that was illegally transporting advanced lethal aid from Iran to resupply Houthi forces in Yemen in early January 2024.
"Chris and Gage epitomize Naval Special Warfare's core values: integrity, courage, and selflessness," said Capt. Blake L. Chaney, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Group 1. "Our solemn duty is to pay tribute to their unwavering sacrifice, service, and dedication to duty."
Throughout the ceremony, close friends and family recalled special moments that celebrated and honored the lives and legacy of both Chambers and Ingram.
"Chris will always be remembered as a true hero, not for his actions, but for the way he embraced life," said one of the speakers during the ceremony. "He was revered by both his superiors and his subordinates alike."
Chambers enlisted in the Navy on May 17, 2012, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill., in July 2012. He served with West Coast-based SEAL units since graduating from SEAL qualification training in Coronado, Calif., in 2014. His awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat "C," three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and other personal and unit awards.
Ingram enlisted in the Navy on Sept. 25, 2019, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Ill., in November 2019. Ingram served with West Coast-based SEAL units since graduating from SEAL qualification training in Coronado, Calif., in 2021. His awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and various personal and unit awards.
"Gage was someone – if you met him, you would never forget him," said one of the speakers during the ceremony. "He had a way of making everyone he interacted with feel special."
Following the remarks during the ceremony, teammates of Chambers and Ingram stood in formation and, one by one, pressed their Tridents into a wooden plaque emblazoned with the fallen operators' names, carrying on a long-held tradition immortalizing their profound respect for their fallen brothers.
The events leading to the loss of Chambers and Ingram remain under investigation. Naval Special Warfare's top priority is to respect the families' privacy while providing unwavering support to them, their loved ones, and our personnel affected by this loss.
Chris and Gage embodied the virtue of love, the kind that warriors of great renown are known for," said one of the speakers during the ceremony. "Their presence enriched our lives in countless ways, continuing to serve as a source of inspiration, motivation, and growth within our community. Their legacy lives on in our hearts and minds, a timeless reminder of their forever legacy."