SOMERSET COUNTY, PA (NewsNation Now) — One of the first U.S. Navy SEALs died Tuesday at the age of 90.
Harry Beal signed up to be a Navy SEAL in 1962 after originally entering the U.S. Navy as a Gunner’s Mate in 1948. He later taught underwater demolition as a SEAL instructor.
His son, Mack Beal, told NewsNation affiliate WTAJ, “he made it through the training and very few people do. Underwater demolition teams and field teams, when they go through their training… they’ve had classes where 100 people would start and no one would finish.”
Harry Beal used to bring his son along to the naval base to meet the other SEALs.
“In the 60’s you were getting your James Bond and Marvel comics and superheroes. I always thought I knew where the superheroes were they were right at the base,” Mack Beal said.
Beal was honored with a bridge named after him in his hometown of Somerset County last year. Rep. John Joyce (PA-13) honored Beal with a proclamation at the U.S. Capitol in 2019.
One of Beal’s goals was to make it to the age of 90 which his son said he was thrilled to accomplish.
“For the seals, one of their biggest ploys in the worst storm that was going on that’s when they would go out and when he passed away the other morning it was when we were having freezing rain, sleet, and hail,” said Mark Beal. “I said dad went out just like they usually did as a SEAL.”
NewsNation affiliate WTAJ contributed to this report.