>>> EARLIER THIS YEAR AN
AGONIZED GOLD STAR FATHER SPOKE
TO CBS NEWS TO FIND OUT MORE
ABOUT A HIGH PROFILE JANUARY
RAID IN YEMEN THAT TOOK THE LIFE
OF HIS SON, A MEMBER OF THE
FAMED S.E.A.L. TEAM 6.
NOW AFTER AN EIGHT MONTH
INVESTIGATION INVOLVING TWO
DOZEN OFFICIALS AND SPECIAL
OPERATIONS INSIDERS NBC NEWS
CYNTHIA McFADDEN HAS THIS
EXCLUSIVE REPORT ON THE SECRET
MILITARY ACTION THAT CLAIMED THE
LIFE OF RYAN OWENS.
>> RYAN DIED AS HE LIVED, A
WARRIOR AND A HERO.
>> YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THIS
EMOTIONAL MOMENT FROM PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S FIRST ADDRESS TO
CONGRESS.
THE PRESIDENT'S TRIBUTE TO RYAN
OWENS, A NAVY S.E.A.L. KILLED IN
YEMEN AS HIS GRIEVING WIDOW
CORRIN CAPTURED AMERICA'S HEART.
RYAN, A 36-YEAR-OLD FATHER OF
THREE DIED IN THE FIRST MILITARY
OPERATION THE PRESIDENT APPROVED
WITHIN A WEEK OF TAKING OFFICE.
RYAN WAS PART OF A TEAM OF NAVY
S.E.A.L.S SENT TO GO AFTER AL
DADE TERRORISTS.
>> RYAN'S LEGACY IS ETCHED INTO
ETERNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
WHAT WERE YOU FEELING WHEN YOU
SAW THAT?
>> I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS HIS
SPEECH AT ALL.
>> Reporter: BILL OWENS IS RYAN
OWENS FATHER.
>> I KNOW HOW WONDERFUL HE IS SO
I DON'T NEED THAT REAFFIRMATION
FROM THE PRESIDENT.
>> Reporter: BILL OWENS SPENT
NEARLY HIS ENTIRE LIFE SERVING
OTHERS, IN THE ARMY AS A GREEN
BERET, IN THE NAVY AND AS A
POLICEMAN AND HE UNDERSTOOD RYAN
COULDN'T EVEN TELL HIM ABOUT HIS
SECRET MISSIONS, BUT NOW HE
WANTS TO KNOW ALL ABOUT HIS LAST
ONE.
HE'S WORRIED IT WAS RUSHED AND
ILL CONCEIVED FROM THE START.
>> I FEEL THAT SOMEBODY HAS TO
STICK UP FOR RYAN AND FIND OUT
WHY THIS HAPPENED.
I'M HIS FATHER AND I'LL DO IT.
>> Reporter: IT ALL BEGAN DURING
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, A
PROPOSAL FOR AN ON THE GROUND
RAID IN YEMEN.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
>> Reporter: BY JANUARY WITH THE
INAUGURATION LOOMING YEMEN
DECISIONS WERE DEFERRED TO
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
FIVE DAYS INTO THE TRUMP
PRESIDENCY HIS NEW SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE, JAMES MATTIS,
RECOMMENDED THE MISSION TO THE
PRESIDENT AT A WHITE HOUSE
DINNER.
NBC NEWS CONSULTANT SHAWN NAIL
LOR IS AN EXPERT ON AMERICA'S
SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
>> Reporter: IT WAS THE FIRST
TIME HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM
HAD GOTTEN TOGETHER.
PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT FOR ME.
>> WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY UNUSUAL.
YOU DON'T OFTEN HEAR ABOUT MAJOR
COMBAT ACTIONS BEING APPROVED
OVER A MEAL, YOU KNOW, IN A
DINING ROOM AS OPPOSED TO IN THE
SITUATION ROOM OR SOMEWHERE IN
THE PENTAGON.
>> Reporter: DURING OUR
INVESTIGATION WE'VE BEEN TOLD
SOME OF WHAT WAS SAID DURING
THAT DINNER.
TWO WHITE HOUSE SOURCES SAY
ALTHOUGH SECRETARY MATTIS SAID
THE RAID COULD BE A GAME
CHANGER, BOTH STEVE BANNON AND
JARED KUSHNER BOTH WORRIED ABOUT
ACTING ON AN OBAMA PLAN.
THE NEXT MORNING PRESIDENT TRUMP
ASKED MICHAEL FLYNN WHAT HE
THOUGHT.
OUR WHITE HOUSE SOURCES TOLD
PRESIDENT TRUMP A TIP FROM AN
ALLY SAID THAT THE MOST WANTED
TERRORIST IN THE WORLD WOULD BE
GREAT.
>> FLYNN SAID THAT EXECUTING
THIS PARTICULAR MISSION WOULD BE
A GOOD WAY TO DO THAT.
>> COULD THAT HAVE BEEN THE
REASON FOR THE RAID'S TIMING?
WE MIGHT NEVER KNOW.
THE PENTAGON SAID THE JANUARY
29th DATE WAS PICKED BECAUSE OF
INTELLIGENCE REPORTS AND BECAUSE
IT WAS A MOONLESS NIGHT.
OUR INVESTIGATION BROUGHT US TO
THE HORN OF AFRICA AND A NATION
SURROUNDED BY SOME OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS REAL ESTATE IN THE
WORLD.
JIBOUTI.
>> Reporter: IT'S A COUNTRY MOST
AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HEARD OF,
YET THE U.S. HAS A MAJOR
MILITARY PRESENCE HERE.
IT'S FROM HERE THAT THE NAVY
S.E.A.L.S LAUNCHED THAT RAID
INTO YEMEN WHICH WENT TERRIBLY
WRONG.
FROM THE AMERICAN BASE HERE,
YEMEN IS LESS THAN 100 MILES
AWAY.
THE PENTAGON SAID THE PURPOSE OF
THE SECRET MISSION WAS TO GATHER
VALUABLE INTELLIGENCE ABOUT AL
QAEDA IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA
KNOWN AS AQAP.
THE TERRORIST GROUP HELD BY
ELREMI.
SO JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT ON
JANUARY 29th U.S. FORCES SWOOPED
INTO THE ANARCHY OF YEMEN.
S.E.A.L. TEAM 6 HIT THE GROUND
FIVE MILES DOWNHILL FROM ITS
OBJECTIVE, A COMPOUND IN A TINY
VILLAGE.
RIGHT FROM THE START.
TROUBLE.
AQAP WAS ON TO THEM.
>> OVERHEAD SURVEILLANCE OF THE
MISSION SHOWED PEOPLE MOVING IN.
>> THEY WERE DEPENDING ON THE
ELEMENT OF SURPRISE AND AT THIS
POINT THEY'RE COMPROMISED.
>> A DECISION WAS MADE TO
PROCEED WITH THE ASSAULT ANYWAY.
>> WE DO NOT KNOW AT WHAT LEVEL
THAT DECISION WAS MADE?
>> NO.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THAT
DECISION.
AS THEY GOT CLOSE, ACCORDING TO
THE PENTAGON, THE S.E.A.L.S MET
UNEXPECTED AND FIERCE
RESISTANCE, INCLUDING WOMEN WHO
TOOK UP ARMS.
>> WHAT SOME SOURCES SEE AS A
STUNNING ADMISSION THAT THE U.S.
FAILED TO NOT RECOGNIZE A
TERRORIST FORCE.
WE ASKED GENERAL DAVID FERNEZ
ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG.
HE CLOSELY FOLLOWED THE MISSION
THAT NIGHT, BUT IT WAS
CONTROLLED BY A SEPARATE SPECIAL
OPERATIONS TASK FORCE ALSO IN
JIBOUTI.
>> WERE YOU MONITORING IT HERE,
HOWEVER?
>> YES.
>> SO YOU KNEW THINGS WERE
GOING --
>> YES.
>> -- BADLY?
>> COMPLICATED.
THERE WAS A CASUALTY.
>> THE CASUALTY WAS RYAN OWENS.
HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED JUST AS
THE RAID BEGAN.
>> RYAN OWENS WENT DOWN WITHIN
THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES WE'RE
TOLD.
>> RIGHT.
>> MEDIVAC AIRCRAFT WERE
DISPATCHED, THEN MORE TROUBLE.
A MARINE CORPS OSPREY WENT DOWN
AND INJURED THE THREE PEOPLE
ABOARD.
IT WAS LATER DESTROYED.
>> SO THE PENTAGON SAID IT HAD A
HARD LANDING.
>> HARD LANDING IS THE PHRASE
THE PENTAGON LIKES TO USE WHEN
IT DOESN'T WANT TO SAY CRASH.
>> THE S.E.A.L.S CALLED IN
FIGHTER JETS AND ATTACK
HELICOPTERS WHICH LET LOOSE ON
THE TARGET VILLAGE.
THE DESTRUCTION WAS MASSIVE AND
DIMINISHED THE ATTEMPTS TO GET
LAPTOPS AND CELL PHONES.
>> IT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
AFTERMATH THAT HAS ANGERED AND
FRUSTRATED GOLD STAR FOREBILL
OWENS.
PART TWO OF OUR REPORT IS NEXT.
>>> LATER, A LIFE WE
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>> PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS THERE TO
PAY HIS RESPECTS BUT OWEN'S
FATHER BILL DECLINED TO MEET THE
PRESIDENT.
HE WAS STRICKEN WITH GRIEF AND
ANGRY ABOUT HIS SON'S MISSION.
HERE AGAIN IS NBC NEWS CHIEF
LEGAL AND INVESTIGATIVE NEWS
CORRESPONDENT CYNTHIA McFADDEN.
>> THIS NEVER BEFORE BROADCAST
SECRET DRONE VIDEO SHOWS THE
TERRORIST COMPOUND STILL
SMOLDERING THE NEXT DAY.
14 AL QAEDA FIGHTERS WERE KILLED
BUT EVEN MORE CIVIVILIANS DIED.
16 INCLUDING CHILDREN.
>> 10 CHILDREN OF THE AGE OF 13
DIED.
>> COMBAT, ESPECIALLY CLOSE
COMBAT, IS A MESSY BUSINESS.
I CAN TELL YOU THOUGH THAT THEY
DID EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO
PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE FOR
INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
IT'S A DIRTY BUSINESS,
ESPECIALLY UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
IN MISSIONS LIKE WERE PERFORMED
THAT NIGHT IN YEMEN.
>> INDEED, EVERYTHING THAT
HAPPENED THAT NIGHT MIGHT WELL
HAVE BEEN CHALKED UP TO THE FOG
AND TRAGEDY OF WAR HAD IT NOT
BEEN FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN
WASHINGTON JUST HOURS LATER.
>> THE WORD FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE, THE RAID WAS A SUCCESS.
>> THIS WEEKEND WE CARRIED OUT A
VERY SUCCESSFUL RAID AGAINST AL
QAEDA AND THE ARABIAN PENINSULA.
>> BUT THAT WAS CHALLENGED.
>> WHEN YOU LOSE A $75 MILLION
AIRPLANE OR MORE IMPORTANTLY AN
AMERICAN LIFE IS LOST, I DON'T
BELIEVE YOU CALL IT A SUCCESS.
>> THE WHITE HOUSE STRUCK BACK.
>> I THINK ANYBODY WHO
UNDERMINES THE SUCCESS OF THAT
RAID OWES AN APOLOGY AND
DISSERVICE TO THE LIFE OF CHIEF
OWENS.
>> DON'T HIDE BEHIND THE DEATH
OF MY SON TO TRY AND JUSTIFY
THAT THIS RAID WAS A SUCCESS
BECAUSE IT WASN'T.
>> A MONTH AFTER RYAN WAS KILLED
THE PRESIDENT SAID HE UNDERSTOOD
BILL OWENS' PAIN AND THEN
ADDRESSED THE YEMEN RAID
HIMSELF.
>> WELL, THIS WAS A MISSION THAT
WAS STARTED BEFORE I GOT HERE.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, YOU
KNOW, JUST -- THEY WANTED TO DO.
>> THE PRESIDENT APPEARED ON FOX
AND FRIENDS.
>> THEY EXPLAINED WHAT THEY
WANTED TO DO, THE GENERALS, WHO
ARE VERY RESPECTED.
MY GENERALS ARE THE MOST
RESPECTED WE'VE HAD IN MANY
DECADES, I BELIEVE, AND THEY
LOST RYAN.
>> WHEN HE SAYS THEY, REFERRING
TO THE GENERALS, THEY LOST
RYAN --
>> THAT'S IT IN A NUTSHELL.
HE EVIDENTLY DOESN'T FEEL
RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH HE'S
THE ONE THAT SIGNED OFF ON IT
AND INITIATED THE ACTION SO THAT
KIND OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
>> ON CAPITOL HILL GENERAL
JOSEPH BOTELL DID WHAT THE
PRESIDENT DID NOT DO.
>> I ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THIS.
WE LOST A LOT ON THIS OPERATION.
WE LOST A VALUED OPERATOR.
WE HAD PEOPLE WOUNDED.
WE CAUSED CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.
LOST AN EXPENSIVE AIRCRAFT.
>> HE TESTIFIED VALUABLE
EVIDENCE WAS GATHERED THOUGH
SOURCES WE TALKED TO DISAGREED
AND SAID NO SIGNIFICANT
INTELLIGENCE WAS, IN FACT,
COLLECTED.
>> IT WAS A SCREWUP FROM THE
START THAT ENDED BADLY.
NO MATTER WHAT I DO, I STILL --
IT'S STILL THERE.
>> THIS SPRING IN ARLINGTON
NATIONAL CEMETERY BILL OWENS SAW
HIS SON'S HEADSTONE FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
HIS GRIEF STILL LACED WITH
DOUBTS.
>> CYNTHIA AND HER TEAM REPORT
THERE IS WIDESPREAD CONCERN
ABOUT THE OVERUSE OF SPECIAL
FORCES, NOT JUST BY THIS
ADMINISTRATION BUT OVER THE PAST
DECADE.
AS FOR LESSONS LEARNED,
ACCORDING TO EXPERTS IN THE
SPECIAL OPERATIONS FIELD AND ON
CAPITOL HILL, THE YEMEN RAID
INDICATES THAT TRUNCATED
DECISION MAKING CAN LEAD TO
DISASTROUS RESULTS LIKE THE
DEATH OF A NAVY S.E.A.L. AND
CIVILIANS ON THE GROUND.
>>> THIS WEEK WE HIGHLIGHT
ANOTHER LIFE WELL LIVED.
NORMAN DYHRENFURTH LED THE FIRST
EXPEDITION THAT BROUGHT
AMERICANS TO THE TOP OF THE
WORLD.
>> HOUR AFTER HOUR THEY STRUGGLE
ON.
>> ON MAY 1st, 1963, JAMES
WHITAKER PLANTED AN AMERICAN
FLAG AT THE TOP OF MT. EVEREST.