In the immediate wake of the tragedy, the military initiated two investigations. Aug. 7, 2011 -- American communities are mourning the loss of 30 U.S. troops who were killed when Afghan insurgents shot down a helicopter carrying the most elite forces in the US military -- Navy . PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402. He was probably in the top 1 percent of Army aviators, Lee said. September-11-pentagon-attack-survivors-evacuation. A US helicopter crashed in Afghanistan yesterday killing 31 special operation troops, most of them from the elite Navy Seals unit that killed Osama bin Laden. But why? 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The tempo of the missions did not decrease. 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. Our families are in danger,' " Vaughn recalled. The mission continues, uninterrupted.3:39 p.m. Osama bin Laden is located on the third floor of the compound and is shot in the head, above the left eye.Sometime during the operation, three other men (including one of bin Ladens sons) and a woman in the compound are also killed.3:53 p.m. President Obama receives preliminary word that bin Laden is identified and dead.3:55 p.m. SEAL team members move bin Ladens body to the first floor of the compound and place it in a body bag.3:39 p.m.-4:10 p.m. The team locates and retrieves multiple items from the compound for intelligence investigation.4:05 p.m. The first helicopter exits the compound.4:08 p.m. The team destroys the chopper that crashed.4:10 p.m. A backup helicopter scoops up remaining team members and leaves the area.5:53 p.m. The choppers with SEAL team members return to Afghanistan.7:01 p.m. President Obama receives further intelligence information that the body killed in the raid is likely that of bin Laden.11:35 p.m. President Obama addresses the nation about the raid.12:59 a.m. Osama bin Ladens body is buried at sea within 24 hours to comply with Islamic law. In addition to killing the man who was considered the mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, U.S. forces snagged valuable items from the compound during the raid. 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. Charlie Strange, whose Navy cryptologist son, Michael, was on Extortion 17, told The Times last year that it was too much of a coincidence for Taliban to be standing so near the landing zone. Chance, however, a component of war intimately understood by war fighters, can never be completely mitigated. I would say that was the first time that we really had eyes on the LZ.. This critical, but completely uncontrollable, aspect of war, is well-known among fighters like Buddy. 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. Insurgents in Iraq have used Russian-made SA-7s, shoulder-fired missiles tipped with infrared homing devices, against U.S. and British aircraft. Its crazy how many times I can think of where me or the guys I was with had to do that.. The Chinook had no Apache escort, as did the Ranger team that enjoyed the element of surprise when it touched down hours earlier. There was a lot of experience in that cockpit, the flight engineers and the door gunners. Guys on the bush line. 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. 4:08 p.m. - The team destroys the chopper that crashed. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The Chinook helicopter was carrying a quick-reaction force to provide back-up to the troops on the ground in the eastern Afghan province of Wardak, a U.S. official said. Aerial view of Osama bin Laden's compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, made by the CIA. 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. It is not uncommon for commandos to fly some of their missions aboard such aircraft in the war zone, however. The hearing as it took place was meant to honor the heroes of Extortion 17 instead of to answer our questions, Mr. 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. I would say that on the three-minute call is when Gun 2 started looking at the LZ, giving an LZ brief op. 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. 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.On board the Chinook CH-47D were 15 members of SEAL Team Six, 15 SEAL Team Six Support personnel, 1 Bomb Dog, 7 unidentified members of the Afghan National Army, and 1 . In interviewing Buddy for background research for my book, The Final Mission of Extortion 17, which chronicles the people, events, and circumstances of the downing of Extortion 17, I realized that this tragedy illustrates Buddy's words more convincingly perhaps than any other incident. It was the worst day for fatalities in the history of naval special warfare. But some say the official report, which contained no direct criticism of decision-makers that day, did not delve deeply enough. Afghan President Karzai's office released a statement on the incident. Planners had created an absolutely sound mission. But why? There are no survivors. They believe SEAL Team 6 had a target on its back and that persons inside the Afghan National Security Forces may have tipped off the Taliban that night in Tangi Valley. What went so terribly wrong? The Graveyard of Empires: Directed by David Boreanaz. 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. On May 2, 2011, U.S. Special Forces raided an al-Qaeda compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed the worlds most wanted terrorist: Osama bin Laden. There were guys in a tower. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., he remains obsessively curious about Texans and the Lone Star State culture. During the last several years it is evident that our government has spent a lot of time and resources covering up the truth on many things from both our allies and the American public, Mr. During a press conference on Washington Thursday, family and advocates for the fallen troops called into question the rules of engagement that they say prohibited their sons from being able to return fire, and the White House's decision to announce shortly after the killing of Osama bin Laden that SEAL Team 6 was responsible for the raid. The Associated Press contributed to this report. ", Ed Darack's The Final Mission of Extortion 17, published by Smithsonian Books, will be available on September 19. A volley of three rockets total sped toward the general direction of the approaching Chinook, all launched within a few seconds of each other. This was preventable only if they just had not taken off that night, Lee said. But Chinooks are at their most vulnerable while hovering in place during raids like the one this team is thought to have been conducting. 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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. With David Boreanaz, Max Thieriot, Jessica Par, Neil Brown Jr.. Osama bin Ladens personal journal was also recovered. Military officers interviewed by investigators said they could not recall an IRF ever being sent for such a mission. Helicopter raids are dangerous and unpredictable. Whether enemy fire brought down the Chinook or a tree strike would never be known for sure. The first of the unguided projectiles missed, as the vast majority of rocket propelled grenades shot at helicopters did over the course of the war in Afghanistan. On board were 22 Navy SEALs, rushing to support troops in firefight. "No amount of training, skill, or technology will ever defeat chance on the battlefield. Extortion 17: Directed by Franois Garcia. Its one reason Twitter has put in place safeguards encouraging users to read links before retweeting them. The story itself is tragic, but tons of war propaganda. Several Afghans were on board and were killed, but trust is in short supply in Afghanistan. Special Forces are expected to keep the pressure on the Taliban, working closely with Afghan forces to maintain control as U.S and Coalition troops depart. He would eventually do two tours and become commander of a Chinook unit during his second deployment in 2011. Here are the . Up to 30 Dead in Afghanistan Following Failed Prison Heist, Total Iraq and Afghanistan Pricetag: Over $4 Trillion. Many of these family members are undergoing psychological care over what has become a double tragedy: the deaths of their sons and the cover-up for which these family members feel betrayed by their own government.. The families hope to raise awareness of the incident, which they say the government has largely forgotten since the official report was released in October 2011. Things like Benghazi and the NSA. But we are still sending people to another country to fight, and we need to understand why were doing that, he said. Nearby, there were two enemy fighters with rocket-propelled grenade launchers. It was the largest single loss of life for Seal Team 6, also known as the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, (DEVGRU) in the unit's history. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon in February signed an order requiring the Obama administration to release documents on a continual basis through the spring and summer. The aircraft jerked. 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,. Somebody tipped them off. On his first deployment, he felt fortunate to be surrounded by veteran pilots he could learn from. Everyone on board died within a fraction of a second30 Americans, eight Afghans and one American military working dog. Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Vaughn was one of the SEAL Team 6 operators who died in the crash. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. Nothing tests the capabilities of a young helicopter pilot like flying in the extreme conditions of Afghanistan. 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. Image:U.S. PresidentDonaldTrumpholds a campaign rally at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. October 13, 2020. They are also pretty tough; the only comparable loss to this one was a Chinook shot down in 2005. Originally published August 6, 2011 at 10:50 am Updated August 6, 2011 at 3:16 pm. 4:10 p.m. - A backup helicopter scoops up remaining team members and leaves the area. Their target was a Taliban commander responsible for ambushes and other attacks against U.S. and Afghan forces. Information about the incident is still trickling in, but these are a few of the most important questions in the immediate aftermath. David Tarrant. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The Chinook smashed into the ground, the force ripping off his goggles. I was terrified. The conspiracy theories didnt bother Lee at first. Joe Pappalardo is a contributing writer at Popular Mechanics and author of the new book, Spaceport Earth: The Reinvention of Spaceflight. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers. Hes also sent more than his fair share of curious retweets, often of the accounts of conspiracy theorists and those associated with QAnon and other outlandish conspiracy frameworks. On the fourth anniversary of the worst one-day loss of military life in the war on terror, families of the dead say they are aghast that the government will not honor basic requests under the Freedom of Information Act. But why? 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. 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. Among the 38 occupants inside the Chinook were some of the most highly trained and battle-seasoned fighters in the U.S. military, including 15 commandos from the Navys SEAL Team 6,the unit that three months earlier had killed Osama bin Laden. No one is planting victory gardens, and were not rationing. An initial investigation indicates the helicopter was shot down by insurgents in the volatile Tangi valley of Wardak province, several hours south of Kabul. A man reads the front page of a newspaper featuring the news that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was shot dead deep inside Pakistan in a night-time helicopter raid by US covert forces, ending a decade-long manhunt for the mastermind of the September 11 attacks. Strange also blamed top military brass for sending the troops into a situation they were allegedly ill-equipped and unprepared to handle. 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. Were pleading with the judge to do something, and hes just sitting on it., In one of his motions, Mr. Klayman stated: As this Court must be aware, this is not an ordinary Freedom of Information Act case, it involves obtaining records concerning the deaths of Navy SEAL Team 6 and other special operations forces on a mission with the call sign Extortion 17. The helicopter was in great operational shape. A Defense Department special operations official told a House subcommittee last year that there is no indication the mission was compromised by the Afghans. Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. Honestly, sir, I dont think anybody had really looked at the LZ, said the pilot of Gun 1. As they started their descent, Lee heard a loud popping noise. File: A US Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter in flight. Misinformation regarding the skills of the pilots and crew, and nonsensical conspiracy theoriesoften politically motivatedfollowed, much of which unfortunately continues to this day. This time, they might simply have run out of luck and encountered an RPG-armed enemy who was in the right place at the right time. In 2006, he was called into Afghanistan, where he turned 25. Additional forces were then sent to secure the crash site. Throughout, he said, Justice lawyers have refused to take his phone calls. By what name was Fallen Angel: Call Sign - Extortion 17 (2021) officially released in Canada in English? The compounds unusual and extensive security features, along with further intelligence information, prompted suspicion that the residence was Osama bin Ladens hideout. He would not have hesitated to fly with any of them. Due to the sheer magnitude of loss of life, combined with recent news of SEAL Team Six's successful raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, global media outlets lionized the tragedy. It was a good crew, it really was. I had to learn how to land while browned-out, wearing NVGs, on the side of a mountain or an uneven field, Lee said. About a dozen of the 33 troops in the back of the helicopter suffered broken bones, heavy bruises and scrapes. 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. Theyre going after [enemy fighters] in very hostile environments, who know the terrain very well, who know the battlescape very well, Darack said. Navy SEALs. The two Apaches, Gun 1 and Gun 2, on scene were never emphatically told to move near the landing zone to scan for threats. He finished his contract with the Army shortly afterward, and that September enrolled in Southern Methodist Universitys Dedman School of Law. 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. Seven Afghan commandos were also reportedly killed. The fighting lasted at least two hours, he said, the New York Times reported. I mean, at any time if we would have found these squirters, or they would have found weapons, we were the way I was understanding it, we were going to be clear to engage due to the fact that they had weapons, but we had to [positively identify] them first., He added: So we hadnt started looking at the LZ yet, just due to there was so much more of a threat to the east with the squirters. 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. The second RPG round had connected with one of Extortion 17's aft rotor blades, severing more than 10 feet of it when it exploded. It wasnt preventable. The families accept the fact that a single shot brought down the helicopter. The landing zone was small, and the commanders didnt want to split up the strike force. One helicopter crashes, but there are no injuries. 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. The guy was incredibly skilled.. August 6, 2011 / 6:08 PM / CBS Boston KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A military helicopter was shot down in eastern Afghanistan, killing 31 U.S. special operation troops, most of them from the. See GlobalPost: Navy SEALs had "kill" order on Osama bin Laden, report claims. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. This misinformation persists in part because those unfamiliar with the battlefield aren't taking into account a fundamental part of war: chance. U.S. or redistributed. They were part of his command. Navy SEAL Team Six, the heroic unit that killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011, is in grave danger due to the reckless actions of the Obama administration. Back in May, the families of the SEALs went public with concerns that the Obama administration was at least partially responsible for the deaths [] "Their deaths are a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan,'' President Obama said Saturday. The Taliban, of course, has taken credit, saying it shot down the helo during a special forces raid on a home. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Its like taking a paper towel roll, cutting it in half and strapping it to your eye, Lee said. Still, SEAL Team Sixs bold raid to take down bin Laden was an extraordinary operation that most experts regard as a resounding success. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. But special forces don't get such a cushion: Because they can react more quickly, they undertake more dangerous missions; their risk tolerance is much, much higher. Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Tex., was reportedly the leader of the Navy SEAL team killed in the Chinook helicopter attack on Aug. 6. 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. It alleges thatthe 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, which took place when Biden was vice president, did not actually kill the al-Qaeda leader, but rather a body double, and that Iran had been part of the conspiracy as well. All of us know that going into it.". Fallen Angel: Call Sign - Extortion 17: Directed by Karl Horstmann, Stephen Spivey. Karen Vaughn says she wants to know why her son Aaron and his team were not using special operations aircraft which have defenses in place to help allow helicopters to go deep behind enemy lines. Strange. Extortion 17, however, would never reach that landing zone. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. In all, 38 people died that night after the chopper was shot down by a Taliban-owned rocket-propelled grenade or RPG over the Wardak Province on Aug. 6, 2011. "We've allowed politics to become more important than the lives and safety of those men and women," he says. 4:05 p.m. - The first helicopter exits the compound. The Obama administration is violating a judge's 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 . They have to slow down to land or allow troops to rappel to the ground. They start the movie showing George W Bush saying that after 9/11 we will hunt down those responsible. More than 20 Navy Seals died in the helicopter crash that killed 31 in Afghanistan yesterday. You never want to use the same landing zone twice, Darack said. The crash sent shock waves throughout U.S. special operations. My life is in danger. 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. Were handing rifles to 20-year-olds and asking them to shoot people. Lee is 36 now, a civil attorney in Dallas, a world away from Afghanistan. At that time, this marked deadliest moment in the war in Afghanistan. While the vast majority of attempts to down helicopters failed, the lucky shot that took down Extortion 17 had a precedent. And we really feel that this put our guys in an unnecessary risk, Hamburger said. The helicopter crashed into a creek bed and a flash flood shortly afterward washed away some parts of the wreckage. This crash is incredibly demoralizing. The had Seal team 6 killed is a likely reference to whats known as the Extortion 17 incident, the August 2011 tragedy in which a Chinookmilitary helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan, killing 38 people, 25 of them Navy Seals, in the deadliest day for the U.S. in the entire Afghanistan war. She also said the team was hindered by rules of engagement that prohibited their firing on potential targets unless they could see a weapon. Over time, certain memories will fade, certain details will fade. On his right wrist, he wears a bracelet with the names of the five crew members of Extortion 17. There was no conspiracy. They dont even produce under their own self-imposed deadline, Mr. Klayman told The Washington Times. He probably doesnt. The crash killed 38 people, including 15 Navy SEALs. All Rights Reserved. But over time, they became more disturbing, including one that suggested the Taliban had been tipped off by someone inside the Afghan government as revenge for bin Ladens killing. How SEAL Team 6 . The terrorist leader was not only a major player within al-Qaeda but also a figurehead that attracted supporters and recruits from around the world. However, a shoot down does not necessarily mean insurgents have changed their tactics or hardware. The Taliban silenced him. 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. He has written about soldiers returning home from war and the mental health crisis facing young people. 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. It requires the highest level of skills from the pilots because they are some of the most dangerous operations..
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