Chillicothe post office honors late native Navy SEAL

CHILLICOTHE, Ill. (AP) - The U.S. post office in Chillicothe (chihl-uh-KAH'-thee) has been named in honor of a Navy SEAL killed in action last year.

Senior Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens was a 1998 graduate of Illinois Valley Central High School. He was killed Jan. 29, 2017 while serving with SEAL Team 6 in operations against al-Qaida in Yemen.

Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria sponsored legislation to rename the post office for Owens. LaHood said at a dedication Monday that Americans should remember the sacrifices of people such as Owens.

Owens' sister Kristen Treutle quoted legendary U.S. Gen. George Patton: "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived."

Owens deployed 12 times and completed more than 1,000 missions.