Today we honor and remember the crew and heroes of CH-47D 89-00175 call sign Extortion 17 who were killed on todays date (U.S. 6th of August), in 2011. This was considered the worst loss of U.S. Military life in a single incident in the entire Afghanistan campaign and it has caused quite a bit of controversy and even a published book about the event and what some are saying raises some serious suspicions. Most people know SEAL Team 6 killed Osama bin Laden, but few know what happened afterwards, and why. You can Google the story to read more about it if you wish. On Aug. 6 2011, members of SEAL Team 6 (a quick reaction force being transported to reinforce an engaged unit of Army Rangers in Wardak province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan) approached the drop zone. Taliban forces attacked using rocket propelled grenades. The CH-47 (Chinook helicopter) carrying the SEALS with the call-sign “Extortion 17″ was hit by one of the rockets tearing off ten and a half feet of one of its main rotor blades. Extortion 17 crashed, killing all 38 people on board as well as a U.S. K-9 military working dog named Bart. It is the single largest one day loss of life in the history of Naval Special Warfare division and of the entire 12-year Afghanistan campaign. Those on board included 25 American special operations personnel, five United States Army National Guard and Army Reserve crewmen, seven Afghan commandos, and one Afghan interpreter. It is considered the worst loss of U.S Military life in the Afghanistan campaign, surpassing Operation Red Wings in 2005. The deaths included: 15 U.S. Navy SEALs from the Naval Special Warfare Development Groups Gold Squadron 7 Afghan National Army Commandos, part of Afghan National Army One Afghan interpreter 5 U.S. Naval Special Warfare support personnel. 3 U.S. Army personnel from the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment 2 U.S. Navy SEALs from a west coast based SEAL team. 2 U.S. Army personnel from the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment, part of Colorado Army National Guard 2 U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron 1 U.S. Air Force Combat Controller from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron 1 U.S. Military Working Dog The following sailors assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed: Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana, Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, California. Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Arkansas, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Connecticut, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Massachusetts, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Missouri, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of Washington, West Virginia, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit, Michigan, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, California, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah, Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. 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., and Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah. The following sailors assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit were killed: Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, California, and Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Army soldiers killed were: Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colorado, 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, Kansas. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas.; Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Nebraska. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Neb.; Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, 24, of Tacoma, Washington. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kan.; and Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, 21, of Olathe, Kansas. He was assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), New Century, Kansas. The Airmen killed were: Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 33, of Tallahassee, Florida.; Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, Califonia.; and Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, Pennsylvania. All three airmen were assigned to the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, North Carolina. May they rest in peace and their families find comfort today. Lest We Forget.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 00:21:50 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015