No one saw two Taliban armed with grenade launchers standing on a mud-brick turret well within range of the descending chopper. The shootdown was the single, deadliest loss of U.S. forces in the war. Joining the 15members of SEAL Team 6, two pilots and three-man crew inside Extortion 17: ten other Navy and Air Force personnel, eight Afghansand a combat assault dog named Bart. The pilots, crew and Chinook helicopters of "Extortion Company," the conventional Army aviation unit to which Extortion 17 belonged, had supported over 90 percent of raids conducted by Rangers and SEALs of JSOC in that region; the flight in question was nothing out of the ordinary. Aerial view of Osama bin Laden's compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, made by the CIA. Only the pilots, crew, and special operations ground forces commanders knew about the planned flight path and time. Per factcheck.org, while Obama and his advisers were deliberating over which mission to authorize for attacking Bin Ladens compound, Biden advised the president to wait for further confirmation that bin Laden was actually in the compound in Pakistan before acting. Biden was not, as implied, altogether opposed to killing Bin Laden. At that time, this marked deadliest moment in the war in Afghanistan. Retired Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin, who served as deputy undersecretary of defense for Intelligence and was a commander in the Army's super-secret "Delta Force," denounced politicized rules of engagement as a "deliberate plot" within the American armed forces that he says puts political correctness above the safety of the troops. Lees second deployment started in May of 2011. Your life is in danger. They loaded onto Extortion 17, and then Carter and Nichols lifted the Chinook into the night sky. These missiles add ultraviolet tracking to infrared seekers, making them less susceptible to the flares that Chinooks fire to try to throw incoming missiles off course. The Obama administration is violating a judges order to turn over documents in the Aug. 6, 2011, shootdown of a U.S. helicopter call sign Extortion 17 that killed members of SEAL Team 6 in Afghanistan, a watchdog group is charging. He was too busy. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers. Still, the one the president retweeted earlier this week may have been the weirdest yet. File: A US Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter in flight. Rowan Scarborough can be reached at rscarborough@washingtontimes.com. Up to 30 Dead in Afghanistan Following Failed Prison Heist, Total Iraq and Afghanistan Pricetag: Over $4 Trillion. I would say that was the first time that we really had eyes on the LZ.. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. If this [operation] was survivable, that was the right crew to have. SEAL TEAM SIX - Extortion 17 EXPOSED theunitedwest 15.8K subscribers Subscribe 4.7K 394K views Streamed 9 years ago AUGUST 6, 2015 - Today, on the fourth anniversary of the shoot down of. A volley of three rockets total sped toward the general direction of the approaching Chinook, all launched within a few seconds of each other. Were handing rifles to 20-year-olds and asking them to shoot people. U.S. Central Commands official investigation concluded that a rocket-launched grenade from a Taliban fighter standing near the landing zone clipped a rotary wing, sending the Ch-47 Chinook into a violent downward spin. Then they have to stick the landing. The military's public c On a moonless night, an Army helicopter carrying 17 members of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama Bin Laden, is shot down in Afghanistan. On such missions, the Chinook pilots nearly always fly at night, wearing night vision goggles, or NVGs. An official report was released in October 2011 but family members say it did little to fill in the details and left more questions than answers. "A NATO helicopter crashed last night in Wardak province," Karzai said in the statement. Strange. Many military experts at the time, including some of Obamas top military advisers, had questioned the White Houses public praise of SEAL Team 6 and said it put members in danger. (AP). The ensuing crash killed all 16 on board, eight Army special operations aviators, and eight Navy SEALs. The co-pilot, Bryan Nichols, was one of Lee's closest friends in the Chinook company. Navy SEALs. Helicopter raids are dangerous and unpredictable. The force included seven Afghan soldiers and an Afghan interpreter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Fallen Angel: Call Sign - Extortion 17: Directed by Karl Horstmann, Stephen Spivey. They have to slow down to land or allow troops to rappel to the ground. Get everything off your social media. JSOC and aviation commanders, prepared for virtually any outcome, quickly formulated a plan: they would send a team on one helicopter to bolster the Ranger-led force. "Sometimes the enemy just gets that terribly lucky shot. On a moonless night, an Army helicopter carrying 17 members of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama Bin Laden, is shot down in Afghanistan. Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalersthe Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Navy SEAL's Savior Claims 'Lone Survivor' Got It Wrong. Its crazy how many times I can think of where me or the guys I was with had to do that.. Extortion 17's pilots and crew ranked among the very best military helicopter pilots in the world (Carter had amassed more than 4,000 hours of cockpit time), and the helicopter, a CH-47D, the fastest and one of the most powerful and nimble in the U.S. military, had been maintained to the highest standards. The helicopter was in great operational shape. He has written about soldiers returning home from war and the mental health crisis facing young people. Strange also blamed top military brass for sending the troops into a situation they were allegedly ill-equipped and unprepared to handle. The U.S. Army knows the risks when it plans air assault operations in Afghanistan. She also said the team was hindered by rules of engagement that prohibited their firing on potential targets unless they could see a weapon. International reactions to bin Ladens death ranged from favorable to mixed. The loss of a Chinook helicopter carrying members of Navy SEAL Team Six made yesterday the deadliest single day in the entire Afghan War for the U.S., The New York Times reports. The tragedy took some of the glow off SEAL Team 6s grand achievement just three months earlier: A team penetrated Pakistan airspace, infiltrated a compound in Abbottabad and killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The hearing as it took place was meant to honor the heroes of Extortion 17 instead of to answer our questions, Mr. The front rotor shattered, and the back pylon sheared off. Are such missiles appearing in Afghanistan? After Vice President Joe Biden revealed that SEAL Team 6 carried out the operation that killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011, Strange said the members of his son's team gave startling indications to their families they were about to meet their demise. They knew. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. The alleged hit on SEAL Team 6 is a reference to the downing of a Chinook transport helicopter by insurgents a few months after the bin Laden raid. Lee and his friend Bryan Nichols flew their Chinook into battle several timesthe first night, dropping off troops at a landing zone (LZ) almost 10,000 feet above sea level. In the immediate wake of the tragedy, the military initiated two investigations. The team began intense training for the operation, which included practicing in a life-sized replica of the compound. I find it quite disturbing that the government is not willing to give us the answers we deserve. "We have an ideology problem with this war, and we need to address it. Ohio Republican Secretary of State 'actively' considering Senate run against Sherrod Brown, DeSantis family spends the afternoon at Houston Rodeo ahead of governor's speech, Marianne Williamson launches campaign against Biden, vows to fight 'forces of hatred, injustice and fear', Haley blasts both Democrats and fellow Republicans, including Trump, over exploding national debt. Over time, certain memories will fade, certain details will fade. He finished his contract with the Army shortly afterward, and that September enrolled in Southern Methodist Universitys Dedman School of Law. Some Arab countries and leaders condemned the actions of the United States. It just wasnt.. A spokesman for the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, confirmed that insurgents had been gathering at the compound, adding that eight of them had been killed in the fighting. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers. Just after entering the Tangi, as Extortion 17 continued to descend and decelerate toward its landing zone, the helicopter passed through the narrowest portion of the valley. "The downing of Extortion 17 was a catastrophic and unprecedented tragedy for our nation," Reid testified. Legal Statement. DevGru is an emblem of U.S. military power, known worldwide. We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country. It means being informed. At this difficult hour, all Americans are united in support of our men and women in uniform who serve so that we can live in freedom and security.". This incident could be a sign of things to come: The crash happened in Tanji, where the U.S. closed a combat outpost in April. But at least you should care about them and appreciate what were asking of them.. I was terrified. The helicopter plunged tail first. [PHOTOS:Fighting in Afghanistan Continues]. Landing in deserts or mountainsides, the helicopter rotors kick up clouds of sand and dust, causing brownouts that can blind a pilot. EXPLOSIVE: CIA Whistleblower Exposes Bidens Alleged Role With the Deaths of Seal Team- Claims to have Documented Proof. They dont even produce under their own self-imposed deadline, Mr. Klayman told The Washington Times. On his right wrist, he wears a bracelet with the names of the five crew members of Extortion 17. Nothing tests the capabilities of a young helicopter pilot like flying in the extreme conditions of Afghanistan. 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. Nearby, there were two enemy fighters with rocket-propelled grenade launchers. For now, let's assume the Chinook was shot down, and by a rocket. But this might just take the cake. The incident comes just months after DevGru's raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Some of those Seals were members of Seal Team 6 that took part in the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, the AP reported today; although they were not actual participants in the Pakistan raid, according to the New York Times. Were very concerned that the administration had disclosed that the Navy SEALs had carried out a successful attack on bin Ladens compound resulting in his death. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. Special forces are very selective on who they partner with, but any collaboration with Afghans opens up U.S. The two Apaches, Gun 1 and Gun 2, on scene were never emphatically told to move near the landing zone to scan for threats. The team was responding to an Army Ranger unit that was engaged in a firefight with the Taliban and needed backup. So the whole team went in one Chinook helicopter -- Extortion 17. He grew up in Tyler, went to Texas A&M, joined the Corps of Cadets and stared in shock at the news thattwo planes slammed into the World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. The second probe, led by Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Colt, explained in excruciating detail what all those familiar with military operations and helicopter aviation in Afghanistan already knew: chance and chance alone, took down Extortion 17. Virginia-based Navy SEALs in a training exercise. Information about the incident is still trickling in, but these are a few of the most important questions in the immediate aftermath. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. Were asking people to do incredible things. Around 2:40 a.m., an Apache pilot flying in support came on the radio and shouted: Fallen Angel. Throughout, he said, Justice lawyers have refused to take his phone calls. More than 20 Navy Seals died in the helicopter crash that killed 31 in Afghanistan yesterday. Members of Navy SEAL Team Six formed the core of the IRF, with other American special operations personnel and highly-vetted Afghans playing integral roles. 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. No one is planting victory gardens, and were not rationing. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. His unit called itself Extortion Company. One of his Chinooks, flying under the call sign Extortion 17 (one-seven), was tasked with the special operations mission the night of Aug. 6. The route had been carefully planned, and gunships maintained continuous watch over the intended landing zone during Extortion 17's approach. . This story has been corrected to reflect that only some of the families of the fallen SEALs say their loved ones were deliberately endangered. To minimize the danger as much as possible, pilots will land Chinooks out of range of any weapons they know they enemy to have, and an Apache or a UAV will fly overhead to check for threats before the Chinooks drop off any soldiers. The more likely explanation seems to be that the president, like a lot of us, tweets without thinking, especially if the subject matter is something that praises him or denigrates his political opponents. Guys on the bush line. On April 29, 2011, President Barack Obama authorized a small special operations team, known as SEAL Team Six, to carry out a raid on the compound. Nobody involved had overlooked even the most minute detail. That means more raids, more targets and more reliance on Afghan competenceall of which add up to more special forces casualties. But the Team Six connection makes it a major symbolic victory for them. Two investigations of the incident proved inconclusive. And we really feel that this put our guys in an unnecessary risk, Hamburger said. Onboard were 17 members of SEAL Team 6; five naval special warfare operators, including one to intercept communications and another to handle Bart the war dog; five Army flight crewmen, including a National Guard and an Army Reserve pilot; and three Air Force personnel. They start the movie showing George W Bush saying that after 9/11 we will hunt down those responsible. Led by firebrand Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), Congress is to launch an official investigation into the mysterious helicopter crash that killed several members of the Navy SEAL team 6 in Afghanistan in 2011. The Taliban silenced him. It's a scary thought. Is Russias Only Aircraft Carrier Cursed? The Chinook is often used to assist in disaster relief, delivering food and water after earthquakes and floods. The Pentagons witness stuck to a theme that no mistakes were made that night, though the investigative file contained testimony from a number of witnesses saying the mission was riddled with missteps. The families of some of the 17 SEAL Team 6 commandos who were killed in an ambush in Afghanistan during a helicopter flight to help Army Rangers pinned down by Taliban gunmen accused the. See GlobalPost: Navy SEALs had "kill" order on Osama bin Laden, report claims. By late 2010, analysts were able to link the courier to a large, highly-secured compound in Abbottabad, a town about 35 miles north of Islamabad. Military officials told her operating outside of these rules "damages our efforts to win the hearts and minds of our enemies. 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. Every mission is potentially life-threatening. But Chinooks are at their most vulnerable while hovering in place during raids like the one this team is thought to have been conducting. But why? An initial investigation indicates the helicopter was shot down by insurgents in the volatile Tangi valley of Wardak province, several hours south of Kabul. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. The families of these deceased heroes have been stonewalled by the Obama Department of Defense and the Obama National Security Agency in disrespect over their sons unexplained tragic deaths. All Rights Reserved. The next night, the pair had orders to drop off more troops in the same spot. The CH-47D that embarked on the mission that day had been built in the 1960s, she said, and last retrofitted in the 1985. The crash took the lives of 17 SEALs and five special warfare development group operators, making it the worst one-day loss in the history of U.S. naval special operations. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This is all, needless to say, completely unsubstantiated if not outright false. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. On board were 22 members of the elite Seal Team Six, two U.S. Air Force Para-rescue men, three Army reserve personnel, a U.S. Air Force Combat Controller, the pilot and co-pilot, a U.S . or redistributed. He probably doesnt. The military's public c Read allOn a moonless night, an Army helicopter carrying 17 members of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama Bin Laden, is shot down in Afghanistan. The Pentagon on Thursday identified the Americans as 17 members of the elite Navy SEALs, five Naval Special Warfare personnel who support the SEALs, three Air Force Special Operations personnel and. During an attempted reinforcement effort during Operation Red Wings on June 28, 2005, high on the slopes of a mountain called Sawtalo Sar in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar Province, a lucky shot took down an Army Special Operations Chinook, call sign "Turbine 33." The helicopter was shot down by insurgents in August 2011; many of those killed were part of the same Navy SEAL Team 6 unit that carried out the raid on Usama bin Laden's compound three months . The families of some of the 17 SEAL Team 6 commandos who were killed in an ambush in Afghanistan during a helicopter flight to help Army Rangers pinned down by Taliban gunmen accused the Obama administration of deliberately endangering their loved ones for political ends. U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because families of those killed are still being notified. The insurgents had no way of knowing the helicopter would be coming in, at the speed it was coming and at the altitude, Darack said. Honestly, sir, I dont think anybody had really looked at the LZ, said the pilot of Gun 1. Charles Strange, whose son Michael, 25, died in the attack said Obama personally promised him a thorough investigation of what happened but has failed to deliver. However, it would be a very lucky shot to hit a moving Chinook with an RPG and they typically fly high to avoid such dangers as well as small arms fire. RETWEET!, The president went on to follow that last command, although the Oscar the Midnight Rider account has since been suspended by Twitter. In combat, its mission is to transport large teams of elite assault troops, including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, to and from the battlefield. Photo: AP, Thousands of passengers are stranded after Colombias Viva Air grounds flights, The last of Mexicos artisanal salt-makers preserve a 2,000-year-old tradition, I cannot give up: Cambodian rapper says he will sing about injustice despite threats from govt, Ukrainian rock star reflects on a year of war in his country, Ukrainian refugees in Poland will now be charged to stay in state-funded housing, This Colombian town is dimming its lights to attract more tourists to view the night sky, Kneel and apologize!: 76 years after island-wide massacre, Taiwan continues to commemorate and debate the tragedy.