Navy SEAL killed on rescue mission hailed as hero tonight a u.s. navy s.e.a.l. is being remembered as a military hero for his part in rescuing an american doctor kidnapped by the taliban. the s.e.a.l. is a member of the very same storied team of special operators, s.e.a.l. team 6, that was last in the news for taking out osama bin laden . jim miklaszewski at the pentagon has the report on this tonight. jim, good evening. reporter: good evening, brian. president obama and defense secretary leon pa net it at that hailed this navy s.e.a.l. for his valor, willing to sacrifice his own life to save another. petty officer nikolas check was a member of the navy's elite special operations s.e.a.l. team 6. the 28-year-old was a highly decorated navy veteran killed sunday in afghanistan during a hostage rescue mission. he set out to rescue an american relief worker kidnapped on the road east of kabul. joseph was held hostage in eastern afghanistan . under the cover of darkness, the navy s.e.a.l. rescue team was flown into the area aboard assault helicopters. as they approached the compound on foot, they came under intense enemy fire from ak-47s, heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. in the fierce firefight he took a single bullet sxlaand later died from the wound. the s.e.a.l.s killed seven taliban fighters and captured two others and rescued dr. joseph unharmed. he was a season combat veteran in both iraq and afghanistan where he earned a bronze star and two other awards for valor in combat. he's a native of monroeville, pennsylvania, where he lettered in wrestling in norwin high and was widely admired by coaches and classmates alike. i remember nick real well. he was one of those guys you love on your team. he's a really special, special person. so he won't be forgotten. dr. joseph works with an american relief organization, morningstar, providing free medical care for afghan civilians. he was safely flown north of kabul and expected to return to the u.s. soon. military officials stress tonight that nobody made any mistakes here. that both dr. joseph and s.e.a.l. check were simply doing their jobs, and that both fully recognized the risk going in, brian. jim miklaszewski with the story out of the pentagon tonight. thanks.