We witnessed how the Navy SEALs made a grand entrance for the premiere night of Act of Valor at the Arclight Theater. The movie has become well known due to the fact that it featured real Navy SEALs playing themselves, as opposed to Hollywood actors.

One of the SEALs who made his big screen debut over the weekend, however, was no longer around to watch his first movie. It is just one more reminder that the SEALs in Act of Valor are nothing less than the real deal.

Fallen SEAL Aaron Vaughn, who was among the SEALs who were killed in what is now known as the darkest day in the history of naval special warfare, is one of the SEALs featured in Act of Valor.

Navy Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn was killed on August 6, 2011, when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter that he and his fellow special warfare operators were riding in was shot down in Wardak province, Afghanistan. He left behind his wife, Kimberly, and their two young children. He was only 30 years old.

Vaughn is a native of Obion County, Tennessee. He was honored during screenings of Act of Valor at Hollywood Showcase in Union City on February 25; a percentage of concession sales during the evening’s showings went to the Children of Aaron Vaughn Memorial Fund. There were also memorial bracelets available for sale, the proceeds of which also went towards the memorial fund.