Father of Navy SEAL Killed in Libya: ‘He Was My Hero'

(NECN: Julie Loncich) - "He said, 'don't worry dad. I can take care of myself.' And he could. I knew that."

Ben Doherty knew his son's line of work was dangerous, but he also knew his son was one of a kind.

"He was my hero. No matter what he did, he did it well."

Glen Doherty died last week. He and two other men, as well as the U.S. Ambassador, were killed in an attack on the American Consulate in Libya. 

His father didn't want him there.

"I said, 'that's Ghadafi's territory. That's too dangerous. I don't want him going there.' But he had already decided to go. He made the commitment. He was a man of his word."

Glen Doherty had been in the country for two weeks, providing security detail -- his next chapter in life after having spent nearly 18 years as a Navy SEAL.

"He was instrumental in helping a lot of different people. I didn't know half the things he did. He wouldn't tell me."

During his time as a Navy SEAL, Glen Doherty aided in to of the biggest rescue missions by U.S. Special Operations Forces -- the rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch from Iraqi forces in 2003 and the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009.

"He said he had to practice for a couple of weeks in a boat by putting a pumpkin and an orange on top of the pumpkin, trying to hit the orange. He was a professional sniper."

Glen Doherty was more than a sharp shooter and more than a SEAL.

He was a son, a brother, a boyfriend. He grew up in Winchester, Mass. and excelled at Embry-Riddle in Colorado. His missions took him all over the world on a moment's notice, but he always made time for his father, who last saw him a month ago over a pint at a local pub.

For Ben Doherty, this isn't just the loss of a son, it's the loss of his idol.

"He was my hero."