This is the Group Burial for unidentified remains of casualties of the Chinook helicopter (CH-47D 89-00175) which crashed in Afghanistan on August 6, 2011. A senior Afghan government official, speaking anonymously, said that Taliban commander Qari Tahir had fed American forces false information about a meeting of insurgent leaders and fighters waited for the helicopter from both sides of a steep valley: "The Taliban knew which route the helicopter would take. The quick reaction force included SEAL Team 6 and other special operations personnel. [35] The Seattle Times and The New York Times also reported this information. On 6 August 2011, a U.S. CH-47D Chinook military helicopter operating with the call sign Extortion 17 (pronounced "one-seven") was shot down while transporting a Quick Reaction Force attempting to reinforce a Joint Special Operations Command unit of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Tangi Valley in Maidan Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. While classification veils the specifics of these tactics, particularly for special operations raids, manned gunships can detect potential threats through a range of sensors and immediately attack if needed. [33], The New York Post reported that the Pentagon released 30 names from the crash. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The downing of a Chinook helicopter gunship (known by its call sign Extortion 17) in Afghanistan on August 6, 2011, has for years been shrouded in mystery, with the . Chance is still part of the battlefield, says Brady. Now deep in the Tangi Valley, their night vision goggles showing the world around them in greenish hues, the IRF team members readied to hit the ground running as the pilots slowed Extortion 17 and descended toward the village. On Aug. 6, 2011, insurgent forces in Afghanistan shot down an American aircraft. In The Final Mission of Extortion 17, Ed Darack debunks this theory and others and uncovers the truth behind this mysterious tragedy. An official investigation found no evidence of a pre-planned ambush, though it did suggest that other helicopter activity in the area could have tipped off Taliban fighters that more helicopters could be approaching, according to the report. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Aurora, Colorado, Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, 31, of Hays, Kan. Extortion 17 was the call sign of a special operations mission in Afghanistan on Aug. 6, 2011, that responded to an Army Ranger unit engaged in a firefight with the Taliban and in need of backup. Soldiers killed in Chinook shot down on Saturday came from 24 U.S. states First full list of names, ages and hometowns revealed - 17 were Navy SEALs Eye witnesses to the crash describe seeing. Sgt. [7][20][21], Fifteen of the Navy SEALs that were killed were members of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU),[5][22][20] while the other two Navy SEALs were from an unidentified West Coast-based unit. In her first interview about the incident, Marquez said: "I had the sensor operators immediately shift to the eight insurgents the helicopters had taken out. I had to learn how to land while browned-out, wearing NVGs, on the side of a mountain or an uneven field, Lee said. Prior to the mission, the deadliest incident was June 2005's Operation . Terms of Use Six weeks into his deployment, Lee experienced his worst day as a helicopter pilot to that point. | )/SR-71 blackbird cloud behind the chinook; saying thats safe distance! ", "Taliban laid trap for Chinook: official", "Honor Roll: Remembering the 30 U.S. [36][37], After the shootdown of Extortion 17, the insurgent responsible used a two-way radio to brag to others about the act. On this day 11 years ago, 30 American military servicemen and a U.S. military dog were killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter-call sign Extortion 17-was shot down in Afghanistan. In April 2011, American forces turned over control of Combat Outpost Tangi to Afghan government forces. However, the Afghan government forces did not occupy the base, which was seized by the Taliban shortly after the departure of American forces. On August 6, 2011, the final flight of Extortion 17 resulted in the single deadliest incident for the US military during the War in Afghanistan. In fact, the conflict was heating up. Extortion 17 BRIAN BILL FOUNDATION 31 MILE RUCK FOR THE 31 HEROES OF EXTORTION 17 IN WASHINGTON, DC AUGUST 3, 2019 On 6 August 2011, a U.S. Boeing CH-47 Chinook military helicopter was shot down while transporting a quick reaction force attempting to reinforce an engaged unit of Army Rangers in Wardak province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan. [9][11], Almost an hour later (01:50), the aviation brigade commander approved a new landing zone for infiltration of the SEAL team. But no one died. Two of the SEALs were from a West Coast SEAL unit, but the others were from the Gold Squadron of Naval Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU, sometimes known as SEAL Team 6, said the NSW source.. Thirty members of the American special forces have been killed in Afghanistan in the deadliest day of the 10-year war for US military personnel when the Taliban shot down . The second slammed into one of the Chinooks rear rotor blades and exploded, severing 10 feet of it. In mid-2011, combined with a U.S. Army aviation battalion, they had spent weeks conducting operations nearly every other night in Wardak and surrounding provinces south of Kabul to capture or kill Taliban forces, disrupt attack plots, and deny them sanctuary on this strategic approach to Kabul City. It means being informed. Cookie Settings, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars, Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds. We were on goggles the whole time. They were part of his command. 2 U.S. Navy SEALs from a west coast-based SEAL team. Troops in Afghanistan Defense Department officials and military leaders testified at a hearing on the investigation of the August 20111 death of 30 U.S. servicemen in. Baseless Claim That Biden Ordered 'Extortion 17' Three months after the raid that killed bin Laden, Taliban fighters shot down a Chinook helicopter carrying 30 U.S. service members, including. The crash is referred to as Extortion 17 by the callsign of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter involved in the crash. Flying low, the pilots have to maneuver a machine weighing up to 50,000 pounds over mountains, under cover of darkness, in swirling wind and dust, wearing night vision goggles. [11], By 16:25, all of the remains were taken from the crash site via ground convoy and transported to Combat Outpost Sayyid Abad. That same day he obtained a medical waiver he needed to pursue an Army commission to serve an eight-year hitch before going to law school. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Florida, Staff Sgt. There remained many mysteries about the Extortion 17 shoot down. Lees wife, Christy, hoped the news would bring a sudden end to the war. No evidence has emerged to support any of these claims. Caring is more than just slapping a bumper sticker on your car, he said. Were handing rifles to 20-year-olds and asking them to shoot people. The group probably contained the commander and a few of his bodyguards, while the remaining Taliban fighters offered resistance in an effort to buy the group enough time to escape. As Extortion 17 moved into final approach of the target area at 0238 local time, the Rangers on the ground watched in horror as it took a direct hit from an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). For the last two years, hes been an attorney with the law firm Jackson Walker. 130 Extortion 17 ideas | extortion, seal team 6, navy seals Extortion 17 119 Pins 9y K Collection by Kim&Pauly Us Soldiers Troops Fallen Soldiers Military Personnel Military Men American Soldiers American Heroes Naval Special Warfare Fallen Heroes Six weeks later, at around 10:40 p.m., an assault team of Army Rangers and Afghan special operations forces were dropped into an LZ on a mission to capture or kill a Taliban commander named Qari Tahir, who had been responsible for a series of attacks and ambushes in the Tangi Valley, not far from Shank. Theyre going after in very hostile environments, who know the terrain very well, who know the battlescape very well, Darack said. Near the site of the Extortion 17 crash stands a memorial to Taliban fighters killed in the August 2011 battle during which Extortion 17 was shot down. For example, on 8 June 2011 another Chinook helicopter was engaged from five to six locations (i.e., points of origin) with 14 rocket-propelled grenades, forcing the crew to abort their mission. The shoot-down of 'Extortion 17' constitutes the greatest loss of American life from a single battle in the history of the Afghanistan War. Ninty-six days after the death of Osama bin Laden by SEAL Team Six, an old Vietnam era Army Reserve helicopter, call sign "Extortion 17," was shot down in the Wardak Province, Tangi River Valley, Afghanistan on Aug 6, 2011. They were part of the same Army Reserve unit, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment based in Gardner, Kan. Nichols, with three combat tours of duty, also had plenty of experience flying dangerous missions. In March 2009, the U.S. 10th Mountain Division established a base in Tangi Valley after increased Taliban activity in the area. The RPG that struck Extortion 17 threw the helicopter into an uncontrollable spin. Carter and Nichols continued the descent. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. It is also the most disastrous incident in the. Just as ridiculous as saying [President George W.] Bush was responsible for 9/11, Lee said. U.S. Special Operations Command possesses its own specialized ChinooksMH-47sflown by the ultra-secretive 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers. The MH-47s modifications include inflight refueling probes, additional and upgraded sensors, more powerful engines, and more powerful defensive weapons than their conventional counterparts. Find the perfect extortion 17 stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Thirty Americans perished in the blink of an eye, half of which comprised an entire 'troop' from SEAL Team 6's Gold Squadron. [11], In 2013, Congressman Jason Chaffetz said that he would hold an investigation of the United States House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security into the matter. All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, North Carolina. Their deaths are the greatest single loss of life ever suffered by the U.S. Special Operations community in the 24-year history of the U.S. Special Operations Command. The Chinook smashed into the ground, the force ripping off his goggles. But U.S. forces didnt know about every fighter during the raid, and they lost track of at least twoone of whom fired the deadly shot. [25][original research? Please take a moment and pause to honor and remember these heroes. The SEAL Team 6 community was devastated. There are more operations than can be supported by the 160th at any given time, says Major Matthew Brady, a former 160th pilot and company commander. The helicopter crashed into a creek bed and a flash flood shortly afterward washed away some parts of the wreckage. The landing zone had been examined for a previous mission but had not yet been used. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos The aircraft jerked. [9][11], Meanwhile, the group of Taliban fighters split in two. 3 U.S. Army Reserve personnel from the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. The remaining two fighters ducked into a stand of trees and disappeared from the Apaches infrared scanners. We continue our work at the Museum so that theirservice and sacrifice will never be forgotten. The suspicious August 6th, 2011, CH47-D Chinook helicopter crash in Wardak Province, Afghanistan which claimed the lives of 38 American military personnel.Of those 38 lost, 22 were members of Navy SEAL Team 6, the Naval Special Warfare unit responsible for the killing of notorious 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden . David Tarrant, The Dallas Morning News Critics blame Biden for Extortion 17 attack. The forward rotor system then tore off, stressed by the imbalance and the strain of carrying what would normally be a shared load. It was a good crew, it really was. The co-pilot, Bryan Nichols, was one of Lees closest friends in the Chinook company. And I condemn anyone who would dare denigrate the flag of the greatest country in the world which is made so by the heroic actions of these great men. On the Extortion 17 crash, credible journalism was produced on this subject by Ed Darack in his book, "The Final Mission of Extortion 17." The SEALs who died in the crash belonged to Gold Squadron, while the SEALs who killed bin Laden belonged to Red Squadron. Two fired at roughly the same time. They are not the same SEALs, and these two events are not connected to one another. So many unsettling details are coalescing with the resurgence of Extortion 17. Whether enemy fire brought down the Chinook or a tree strike would never be known for sure. What we saw is that if the enemy knew where you were going to attack, they would back some guys with RPGs off 500 meters or so, to shoot during an ingress, Glover explains. The US soldiers killed in the 2011 Afghanistan Boeing Chinook shoot-down with the call sign Extortion 17 (Photo: XY) SGT Alexander J. Bennett SPC Spencer Duncan (youngest onboard) CWO Bryan J. Nichols The mission was flown by conventional pilots flying unmodified CH-47Ds. They reached the site at 04:12 and found no survivors. The two may have been those who escaped Apache cannon fire, or they may have split away from either of the groups that formed after the start of the raid. He said: "They wanted to attack our Mujahideen who were in a house, but our Mujahideen resisted and destroyed a helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. Lees second deployment started in May of 2011. Senior Chief Robert James Reeves was one of those Americans. Extortion 17 could be a bigger scandal and betrayal of Americans than Benghazi. When the shock subsided, questions arose and persisted. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. He would eventually do two tours and become commander of a Chinook unit during his second deployment in 2011. First, the Obama administration's Defense Department's crash report stated that there were no eyes in the sky over the Chinook . One of the things I vowed, I will never forget. As the operation got underway, our airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, including an MQ-9 Predator, detected a group evading the Rangers, moving towards the north. [12][13], Six minutes prior to reaching the landing zone, the empty CH-47D left the formation as planned. 1h 33m "A U.S. Army helicopter carrying 30 Americans, most members of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6 is shot down in Afghanistan. Their deaths are the greatest single loss of life ever suffered by the U.S. Special Operations community in the 24-year history of the U.S. Special Operations Command.[5][22][15][23]. Im a 25 year veteran involved in many support missions and I find this downing of Ext 17 very suspect indeed! Privacy Statement Around 02:23, the two helicopters departed the forward base. Today. But at least you should care about them and appreciate what were asking of them.. The Chinook is often used to assist in disaster relief, delivering food and water after earthquakes and floods. I didnt want to die., He remembered the words of his old flight instructor: Never stop flying the aircraft.. So where did it go?? Lee earned his wings at Fort Rucker, Ala., then deployed to Pakistan, where he did humanitarian missions, learning to fly into and out of mountainous terrain. The men who serve in the American military are the finest! [40], In October 2011, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that an investigation following the shootdown concluded "that all operational decisions, linked to the incident, were deemed tactically sound."
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