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He pushed hard on the cyclic stick to tilt the helicopter forward. Buy images; Sell images; The reality is, every time a helicopter lifts off the ground in a war zone, it might get shot down, Darack said. The torque of the spinning rotor assembly, now catastrophically imbalanced, ripped the rear pylon off the Chinooks fuselage. The Tangi Valley is a strategic terrain that connects the two primary highways that lead to Kabul. [29], Other reports alleged that the Taliban had laid an elaborate trap for American special-operations forces, luring them in with false information. To remove the risk of rocket-propelled grenades downing helicopters in Afghanistan 100 percent, youd have to remove the opposable thumbs of every fighting-age male in the objective area, and thats not how we win a counter-insurgency., Ed Darack Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The official statement from U.S. Central Command stated that a Taliban fighter scored a lucky shot with a rocket-propelled grenade. All of them were men of courage, integrity, and honor. Tragically, as Extortion 17 was nearing its landing zone, Taliban fighters, hidden in a building, fired two or three rocket-propelled grenades at close range, leaving the pilot no chance to perform evasive maneuvers. But even a precisely aimed shot fired from an unguided weapon by a seasoned fighter is subject to the ballistics-altering whims of atmospheric variation, subtle and undetected flaws in launcher or projectile, and uncontrollable environmental factors such as wind gusts, large temperature variations, or even particulates in the air. He was probably in the top 1 percent of Army aviators, Lee said. August 6, 2017 marks the 6 year anniversary of the downing of Extortion 17, a bigger scandal than Benghazi in large part due to the fact that America lost 30 of its military personnel, including 17 Navy SEALs, the largest loss of life in the Afghan war. We were on goggles the whole time. Campbell was one of 30 Americans killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, with the call sign Extortion 17, crashed in Afghanistan. He is the founder of Darack Research, a company that innovates unmanned systems, which grew out of his July 2014 Air & Space article Build Your Own Drone. [42], In 2017, Air Force captain Joni Marquez, the firing officer on an AC-130 gunship that had accompanied Extortion 17 on the final flight, made a similar claim. I find it extremely suspicious that, after the alleged killing of Osama Bin Laden, there was a very suspicious burial at sea for a covered corpse that was alleged to be Bin Laden. On Aug. 6, 2011, on the deadliest day in special operations history, 30 Americans, including 17 Navy SEALs, died when a Chinook helicopter crashed. Eleven U.S. servicemen aboard Extortion 17 entered the military after the 9/11 attacks, answering the call to arms as so many brave Americans have done throughout the history of our great country. Touch device users can explore by touch or with swipe . In fact, the conflict was heating up. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers. Three hours after disembarking from the Chinooks, the assault force had secured the compound and detained a number of Tahirs men, but they hadnt found Tahir himself. 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. In combat, its mission is to transport large teams of elite assault troops, including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, to and from the battlefield. Enterprise. All topics Extortion 17 Documentary Soon after US Navy Cryptologist Michael Strange and the elite SEAL Team 6 capture and kill Bin Laden, they are deployed to Afghanistan, where their Chinook is shot down. 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 He knew the pilots and crew members aboard Extortion 17. If this was survivable, that was the right crew to have. 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. After some time, another group of about 10 Taliban fighters was spotted that we suspected could be Qari Tahir himself fleeing the scene. The Extortion 17 chopper was part of Operation Neptune Spear a few months earlier. 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. 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 extortion 17 crash photos. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas, Tech. At the pilots request, the AC-130 flashed an infrared spotlight, which could be seen only through night vision goggles, to light up the landing zone. The suspicious August 6th, 2011, CH47-D Chinook helicopter crash in Wardak Province, Afghanistan which claimed the lives of 38 American military personnel. Neither did the risk he and his pilots faced every night. [7][27][28] During the battle, American forces observed a small group of Taliban trying to flee the scene. Also if an Afghan soldier member of this team opened fire on this seal team then way was all the bodies Cremated and evidence destroyed?? In light of that raids success, the shootdown of Extortion 17 incited a flurry of conspiracy theories: The Taliban were tipped off; it was a trap; it was retribution for the killing. [9][10], After American intelligence services discovered in 2011 that senior Taliban leader Qari Tahir was possibly in Tangi Valley, Wardak province, Afghanistan, local American forces launched a mission to apprehend or kill him. And thats fine; thats what you signed up for, Lee said. As he did, he felt the craft leveling off. 1h 33m "A U.S. Army helicopter carrying 30 Americans, most members of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6 is shot down in Afghanistan. [25][original research? The aircraft jerked. 3 U.S. Army Reserve personnel from the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment. At any moment, they could come under rocket attack. Humm, to have all the Seal Team 6 members in one place at one time?? The landing zone had been examined for a previous mission but had not yet been used. When asked what lessons Americans can draw from the crash of Extortion 17, Lees answer is simple: Americans should care about what happens in Afghanistan because theyve sent Americans to war there. The workhorse in Army aviation, the tandem rotor, heavy-lift Chinook helicopter is used for carrying troops, equipment, supplies and even the mail. The mission was flown by conventional pilots flying unmodified CH-47Ds. The mission was flown by conventional pilots flying unmodified CH-47Ds. 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. ], Four years after the downing of Extortion 17, there were many theories about a possible government coverup. The IRF also included two SEALs from another team, five Navy special operations support personnel, three Air Force special tactics airmen, seven Afghan National Army commandos, a translator, and a combat assault dog. But why? 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. Lee had just flown the night before on a similar mission with one of the pilots, David Carter. See more ideas about extortion, navy seals, seal team 6. Are all DEVGRUs saved in a sperm bank? Just three months earlier, members of a counterpart SEAL Team 6 squadron successfully raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden. Sgt. But the CH-47D has neither a flight nor voice recorder, only an engine performance data recorder for maintenance. It wasnt preventable. He would not have hesitated to fly with any of them. August 12, 2022. by Samantha Franco. It was brought down by multiple shots. The helicopter plunged tail first. This remains the greatest single loss of life to Naval Special Warfare since the Afghan War started in 2001. Their target: an Afghan named Qari Tahir and his group of fighters. Some news stories reported that investigators couldnt find the helicopters black box, referring to the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. ", "Taliban laid trap for Chinook: official", "Honor Roll: Remembering the 30 U.S. They may have seen Extortion 17 and its landing zone through their own night vision goggles or simply aimed by sound alone. When the auto-complete results are available, use the up and down arrows to review and Enter to select. 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. Originally just two people, the group eventually swelled to a total of nine or ten fighters, and the special operations task force commander and the Immediate Reaction Force commander became concerned that it might include Tahir. Chance is still part of the battlefield, says Brady. The team boarded Extortion 17 with Dave Carter and Bryan Nichols at the controls. Forces Killed in Helicopter Crash", "30 Americans Killed in Afghanistan Helicopter Crash", "Pentagon names 30 Americans killed in downed Afghan chopper", "Pentagon releases names of 30 Americans killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash", "22 Navy SEALs among 30 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan as NATO helicopter is shot down", "30 Americans, including 22 Navy SEALs, killed in Afghan copter crash", "Names of Afghan Helicopter Attack Victims Released", "The OBJECTIVE GINOSA strike Payback for the shootdown of Extortion 17", "Military killed Taliban who downed US helicopter", "Afghan soldiers enter a Taliban nest without U.S. troops by their side", "Congress to probe lethal crash that killed SEAL Team 6 members", "A retired Air Force captain says Pentagon covered up real cause of deadly chopper crash", "A Retired Air Force Captain Says Pentagon Covered Up Real Cause of Deadly Chopper Crash", "Rules of Engagement Are a Dilemma for U.S. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, California, Tech. Our area of operation was the entire country of Iraq, and every mission was at night, says David Pat Gates, a pilot with Carters unit , the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (2-135th), a Colorado Army National Guard unit based in Aurora, Colorado. American, French and Afghan National Police forces carried out a three-day sweep of the area, and the area was then deemed secure. At 02:15, one group of three Taliban fighters took a position in a stand of trees; the remaining six or seven men entered a building located some 2km (1.2mi) from the target compound. His account of the brave pilots, crew, and passengers of Extortion 17 . Photo by Sgt. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Geneva G. Brier/Released) The crew of Slasher 02, the AC-130 circling above, flipped the switch on their powerful light. We continue our work at the Museum so that theirservice and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Gold Star father Bill Vaughn had a heartfelt message to American "leaders" while discussing a documentary that investigates the Extortion 17 helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. [9][11], Meanwhile, the group of Taliban fighters split in two. When the two Chinooks had first touched down in the village, a group of eight fighters armed with AK-47 rifles and RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launchers bolted from the compound. Will this ever be exposed! Extortion 17 and 16 werent MH-47s and their crews were not Night Stalkers. Find the perfect extortion17 stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Classified reports, published by Wikileaks, teem with notes from pilots and crew of all types of military helicopters who saw RPG attacks throughout the war. Nichols had deployed three times to combat zones, and Carter, with more than 4,000 hours of flight time, was one of the most experienced helicopter pilots in the U.S. military. "Over two years after Extortion 17 was shot down, the families still have these unanswered questions," said Klayman. Please take a moment and pause to honor and remember these heroes. On such missions, the Chinook pilots nearly always fly at night, wearing night vision goggles, or NVGs. He said that insurgents had assumed a strong tactical position without knowledge of the helicopter's flight path. A Black Hawk Down of the war in Afghanistan, the deadliest day for the U.S. in 12 years of that conflictand a military investigation that covered up evidence of an inside job by the Taliban. [11][12], As the Rangers approached the target compound, ISR aircraft observed several people leaving the compound. A catastrophic crash seemed unavoidable. 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. In March 2009, the U.S. 10th Mountain Division established a base in Tangi Valley after increased Taliban activity in the area. At 23:30, one of the Apache support helicopters engaged in a brief skirmish with a different group of eight Taliban fighters 400m (440yd) north of the compound, killing six. American forces continued to carry out operations in the area (mostly via helicopter and using special forces), encountering resistance from Taliban fighters on several occasions. Lees wife, Christy, hoped the news would bring a sudden end to the war. Available for both RF and RM licensing. On his right wrist, he wears a bracelet with the names of the five crew members of Extortion 17. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine There's also that little issue that came up when 6 Navy SEALs' funerals were conducted by a Muslim Cleric that condemned them to Hell during the service. June 5, 2022 Posted by: Category: Uncategorized; No Comments . [1][2][3][4], The resulting crash killed all 38 people on board including 17 US Navy SEALs, two United States Air Force Pararescue, one United States Air Force Combat Control Team member, one pilot and two crewmen of the United States Army Reserve, one pilot and one crewman of the United States Army National Guard, seven members of the Afghan National Security Forces, and one Afghan interpreter. Editor's Note: On August 6, 2021, 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. LZ is ice, transmitted one of the Rangers on the ground, indicating the landing zone was free of enemy activity. It was a hard landing, but it would have been worse if they had landed tail first. Operating with no lights save for the faint green glow of night vision goggles and cockpit instrument panels, the two helicopters, call signs Extortion 17 (one-seven) and Extortion 16, lifted into the darkness and accelerated toward a destination less than 20 miles west. The article stated that the helicopter crashed after an RPG round impacted the aft rotor assembly. The helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was on a mission to reinforce American and coalition special operations troops. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a62b75e7a99f5de39e28d378788f7ec9" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Content on this website is free to use and share, but please provide a link back to Spec Ops Magazine as a source. This hearing also serves to Lee heard the call, and he knew what it meant. Cookie Policy 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. All rights reserved. So many unsettling details are coalescing with the resurgence of Extortion 17. There are a lot of bullets out there that say To whom it may concern,says Major Doug Glover, a U.S. Marine F/A-18D weapons and sensors operator who was a senior watch officer for the Marine air operations center in southern Afghanistan. Sometimes the enemy succeeds in delivering one of these To whom it may concern projectiles. The Taliban shot at the Chinooks all the time with RPGs and rifles, Darack said. Six weeks into his deployment, Lee experienced his worst day as a helicopter pilot to that point. Here, in silence, are the names and photographs of all 30 men. Because unarmed villagers, unaffiliated with the Taliban, could also have been in those trees and among the groups milling about the village, the gunships could not have fired. Extortion 17 August 6, 2022 marks 11 years since Extortion 17. Seven Afghan National Army commandos and one Afghan civilian interpreter were also killed in the crash. The five other Navy casualties were NSW (Naval Special Warfare) support personnel; in addition to these, three AFSOC operators, one Combat Controller and two Pararescuemen, all members of the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, died in the crash. All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, North Carolina. Aired: 08/01/21 Rating: NR The first grenade missed Extortion 17. The U.S. Navy SEAL task force assigned to conduct operations in Tangi Valley was well conditioned to the dangerous operating environment. Ed Darack March 2015 The Chinook's cargo capacity, speed,. One of the things I vowed, I will never forget. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Flying to the Tangi Valley for the second time, Extortion 17 and 16 took a different route, approaching from the northwest instead of the south. And to this day, people are still debating what really happened. 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. But we are still sending people to another country to fight, and we need to understand why were doing that, he said. "[30], On 12 August 2011, Jim Lehrer of the PBS NewsHour announced that he would report the Honor Roll at the end of the program with names and photographs of all 30 men. 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.. "Before Benghazi there was Extortion 17.. Saturday August 6 th 2011 was a day that changed the lives of my family forever. Privacy Statement Recovery of wreckage from the crash site lasted until 9 August 2011. Photo by Jake Simkin for Coffee or Die Magazine. He grew up in Tyler, went to Texas A&M;, joined the Corps of Cadets and stared in shock at the news that two planes slammed into the World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. 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 And now, the government wants to make the Taliban legitamet. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas, Spc. Why did it happen? No evidence has emerged to support any of these claims. The conspiracy theories didnt bother Lee at first. During a previous deployment to Iraq, Carters unit flew dozens of similar raids, which he often planned and led, and gained a reputation for working well with special operations troops. The second shot hit the rear tail rotor assembly. 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. Pinterest. Regarding the downing of Extortion 17, all of the DEVGRU Operators aboard were members of the Gold Squadron. No one is planting victory gardens, and were not rationing. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL)Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Florida, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL)Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL)Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, California, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL)Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. All hand picked by Red Squadron really makes your neck hair standup! Lee, now a captain, was placed in command of a Chinook helicopter unit at Forward Operating Base Shank. At the flight controls were David R. Carter of the Colorado Army National Guard and copilot Bryan J. Nichols, a Kansas-based Army reservist. Six minutes from their estimated landing time, Extortion 16 broke away from the lead Chinook and orbited at a location close enough to help if needed. I will never forget what they did, he said. For every one that gets lucky, there are hundreds, even thousands, that zip by you., As weve seen a number of times, theres a point that a lucky shot is going to get you and there is only so much you can do to mitigate it, says Glover, the Marine aviator. Lees second deployment started in May of 2011. To address some unanswered questions, the committee received briefings, classified and unclassified, on the operational component leading up to the loss of the 30 servicemen and eight Afghan nationals and the postmortem handling of the 30 American servicemen on Extortion 17. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. The "had Seal team 6 killed" is a likely reference to what's known as the "Extortion 17" incident, the August 2011 tragedy in which a Chinook military helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan,. They are not the same SEALs, and these two events are not connected to one another. Its crazy how many times I can think of where me or the guys I was with had to do that.. At 2:36 a.m., Extortion 17 requested an infrared spotlight, visible only through night vision goggles, to illuminate the landing zone. Caring is more than just slapping a bumper sticker on your car, he said. May God give them the strength to carry on without them. 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. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Nebraska, Sgt. Copyright 2023 | National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, The Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization. Were handing rifles to 20-year-olds and asking them to shoot people. Landing in deserts or mountainsides, the helicopter rotors kick up clouds of sand and dust, causing brownouts that can blind a pilot. "All of this raises the distinct possibility of a cover-up as to . by FighterSweep Staff Apr 25, 2017 Retired Air Force Captain Joni Marquez is claiming the Pentagon hid the truth and lied about the circumstances that led to a Chinook helicopter crash that. Courtesy . Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kan. Should the Apache pilots have fired into the stand of trees after the two fighters ducked out of sight? One of the engines flew off, and the other caught fire. Less than five seconds after the RPG round hit, the helicopter spun uncontrollably, plummeting into a dry creek bed and erupting in a ball of fire that killed all on board. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Capable of loitering overhead for hours undetected, small fleets of unmanned craft passed imagery to mission planners before and during the raid at Juy Zarin, allowing them to recognize individual fighters, learn their habits, pinpoint where they slept, and identify the types of weapons they carried. Campbell was one of 30. The incident became known as "Extortion 17" after the helicopter . The 30 American Servicemen killed in action (KIA) with the downing of Extortion 17. [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. Commanders frequently request CH-47 Chinooks to insert troops. Two were still alive." The following was transcribed from the above video press conference. He would eventually do two tours and become commander of a Chinook unit during his second deployment in 2011. Two fired at roughly the same time. When the Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter was hit, all 38 onboard were instantly killed. The crash sent shock waves throughout U.S. special operations. Upon learning of Tahirs possible location, a U.S. Army Rangers and Afghan Special Forces team was deployed into the valley from the south. There are no survivors. It was reported that the Taliban fighters had no information of the helicopter's flight path and that they had been in the right place at the right time. In July 2010, an RPG-wielding fighter put a round into the tail boom of a Marine AH-1W Super Cobra, downing it and killing both pilots. But at least you should care about them and appreciate what were asking of them.. 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. However, the Afghan government forces did not occupy the base, which was seized by the Taliban shortly after the departure of American forces. They reached the site at 04:12 and found no survivors. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. The Chinook helicopter they were aboard was shot down by . The shooters origin remains a mystery. 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. The second slammed into one of the Chinooks rear rotor blades and exploded, severing 10 feet of it. Having studied and directly observed the counter-insurgency campaign in Afghanistan, Ive watched commanders and individual American troops consistently lean far to the side of restraint to encourage Afghans to side with American interests long after U.S. forces have left. A Department of Defense official asserted that there were no leaks from the Afghans. The helicopter crashed into a creek bed and a flash flood shortly afterward washed away some parts of the wreckage. For helicopter crews in Afghanistan, the most dangerous times are landing and taking off. On his first deployment, he felt fortunate to be surrounded by veteran pilots he could learn from. A few minutes past 2 a.m.on August 6, 2011, at a dusty forward operating base40 miles south of Kabul, Afghanistan, the rotors of two U.S. Army CH-47D Chinooks began to turn. Or when something went terribly wrong. There is still a tremendous level of chance for a tragedy of such huge magnitude.. 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. About a dozen of the 33 troops in the back of the helicopter suffered broken bones, heavy bruises and scrapes. The IRF commander then made a critical decision: In order to get everyone on the ground as quickly as possible and deny the Taliban time to react, he ordered the entire force to fly in Extortion 17. Joining the 15 members of SEAL Team 6, two pilots and three-man crew inside Extortion 17: ten other Navy and Air Force personnel, eight Afghans and a combat assault dog named Bart. Ranger assault helicopters had already engaged the enemy and killed six of eight Taliban fighters, causing the other two to retreat. He presents the Final Flight of EXTORTION 17 (spoken one seven and seventeen), like a Defense Attorney or an investigator. The shootdown was the single, deadliest loss of U.S. forces in the war. It was the deadliest helicopter crash in the history of U.S. special operations. [43][44], American rules of engagement were tightened by Gen. Stanley McChrystal in 2009 in order to improve American counterinsurgency strategy. The sheer amount of experience with our pilots, flight engineers and back-seaters and mechanics offered a wealth of knowledge, he said. When the shock subsided, questions arose and persisted. THIS COMBAT MARINE SALUTES YOU ALL WE ALL GET A NEW STATION WHEN GOD OKS OUR TRANSFER I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT GOD LOVES WARRIORS A BIT MORE THAN WE MIGHT REALIZE, I always suspected ObamaTard had something to do with this tragedy. In order to prevent this, American forces called in for support.