DOVER AIR FORCE BASE — President Donald Trump made an unannounced and secretive trip to honor the arrival of Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens, the Navy SEAL from Peoria who was killed over the weekend while on a raid in Yemen.

The family had requested no media at the "dignified transfer," according to a White House press pool report. The "dignified transfer" is a ceremony where the remains of a fallen soldier, sailor, Marine or airman are returned from the location overseas where they were killed. It's a solemn affair and usually held at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

According to a pool report, reporters flew in separately from Fort McNair on a V-22 Osprey and did not see Trump's Marine One helicopter land. According to The Associated Press, reporters were allowed to accompany the president only if the trip wasn't reported until after he had landed at Dover. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, accompanied Trump to the base.

The death occurred during the first counter-terrorism operation of the Trump presidency and has been since mired in controversy as several women and at least one young girl were reported killed during the raid. The White House has not commented on anything related to the civilian deaths. Owens' death was the first military casualty of the Trump administration.

Owens, 36, a 1998 graduate of Illinois Valley Central High School in Chillicothe, died Saturday in the Arabian Peninsula of Yemen, of wounds sustained in a raid against al-Qaida. Owens, a member of the elite and highly classified SEAL Team 6, one of the military's premier special operations units, died during a firefight, according to published reports.

A recipient of two Bronze Stars, a Joint Service Commendation and an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, among others, Owens joined the Navy in 1998 and received his special warfare training in Coronado, Calif. In a statement following his death, the Navy Special Command called Owens a "devoted father, a true professional and a wonderful husband."

After returning to the White House, Trump commented on the trip at the swearing-in of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state.

“I just returned from an amazing visit with a great, great family at Dover,” Trump said. “It is something very sad, very beautiful. Ryan, a great man.”

Three other sailors, presumably with the same SEAL team, were injured. The raid left nearly 30 others dead, including an estimated 14 militants. A fourth U.S. service member was injured when an MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft assisting in the mission nearby had a "hard landing."

Patti Smith, the local chairwoman of the American Gold Star Families, a support group for parents who have lost a loved one while in service, said a gold star banner was delivered to Owens' extended family members.

"While the family is grateful for the outpouring of compassion they are requesting privacy during this time. They welcome cards and notes and have asked they be routed through the organization," she said in an email.

Please send cards or other items to America's Gold Star Families, Navy SEAL, 6403 N Talisman Terrace, Peoria, IL 61615.

All cards will be delivered to the family in a timely manner. For further questions email pattidc@yahoo.com or call 309-231-5090.

Earlier on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, led the House of Representatives in a moment of silence for Owens.

His remarks:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor Ryan Owens, Navy SEAL from Peoria, Illinois –my hometown—who paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country this past weekend in Yemen. Ryan Owens was fatally wounded during a night raid against al-Qa'ida in Yemen with his elite counter-terrorism unit, SEAL team 6. The Department of Defense reported that the raid was a success, but the price was steep. The Constitution of our nation was written in ink, but those principles are defended with blood. This remarkable man’s sacrifice is a painful reminder of the immeasurable cost of our freedom and national security, and the dark evil we face as we wage the war against terrorism. My thoughts and prayers are with Ryan’s grieving family this week—his father, his wife, and his three children. I pray that they would take comfort in knowing that his death was not in vain and that we are mourning his death and remembering his life. He will be posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. I would ask at this time that the House rise and take a moment of silence to pay tribute to Navy SEAL, Chief Petty Officer Ryan Owens, for his exceptional service to our country."