There was no conspiracy. 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 . 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. Each shouldered a rocket propelled grenade launcher, aimed at the dim silhouette of the approaching helicopter then fired. Oops, this content can't be loadedbecause you're having connectivity problems, Stay always informed and up to date with our breaking news alerts, - The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 5, 2015. What went so terribly wrong? And they sent our guys right into the middle.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A chief warrant officer 5, a member of the Colorado National Guard, Carter had over 4,500 flying hours, including more than 1,000 hours during combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. The fighting lasted at least two hours, he said, the New York Times reported. The Chinook is often used to assist in disaster relief, delivering food and water after earthquakes and floods. A CH-47D Chinook helicopter lands at a small landing zone at Firebase Blessing, in eastern Afghanistans restive Kunar Province at the start of a combat operation. The families accept the fact that a single shot brought down the helicopter. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. MARTHA RADDATZ, LUIS MARTINEZ and MIKE BOETTCHER, helicopter was shot down today by Afghan insurgents, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It's certainly possible. There are more sophisticated threats out there, such as the SA-16. In the rear of the aircraft, the Chinook's passengers stood and prepared to storm out into moonless night once the wheels touched the ground. A Defense Department special operations official told a House subcommittee last year that there is no indication the mission was compromised by the Afghans. All rights reserved. It's a scary thought. "We simply didn't know those guys with those RPGs were there," he said. Their names and their missions had never been revealed before. WASHINGTON - The families of Navy SEAL Team 6 members killed in a disastrous August 2011 helicopter crash in Afghanistan blamed the government for the tragedy, during an emotional press. "It's something that a lot of people who have never been in combat have a hard time understanding," he said. He probably doesnt. But the Team Six connection makes it a major symbolic victory for them. Aug. 6, 2011 -- A helicopter was shot down today by Afghan insurgents as it was rushing to aid troops in a firefight, killing 30 Americans, including 22 Navy SEALs, most of whom belonged to Team 6, the unit whose members were involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said. You never want to use the same landing zone twice, Darack said. One of the engines flew off, and the other caught fire. 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. During the event organized by a group called Freedom Watch, family members and former military personnel claimed President Obama turned the SEALs group into a Taliban target after the administration revealed they had conducted the bin Laden raid. 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. Trump, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, announced a slate of futuristic new policies in a campaign video Friday. KABUL, Afghanistan -- A helicopter crash in Afghanistan's eastern Wardak province has killed 30 U.S. special operation troops and seven Afghan soldiers, the country's president said on. Related: Marcus Luttrell's savior claim's 'Lone Survivor' got it wrong. they won't view it as wrong, just a "necessary" sacrifice for your country. . But this might just take the cake. Their target was a Taliban commander responsible for ambushes and other attacks against U.S. and Afghan forces. At any moment, they could come under rocket attack. Darack did extensive research of what happened next. 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. More than 20 Navy Seals died in the helicopter crash that killed 31 in Afghanistan yesterday. And you know, never before in the history of our county (had) a sitting president released that type of information to the public, especially when he was talking about special forces. 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. The actual mission, dubbed Operation Neptune Spear, officially started in the early-morning hours of May 2, Pakistan time (afternoon of May 1, Eastern Daylight Time). Add in the fact that more sophisticated foreign intelligence agents are on the ground, with signals intelligence assets and deep pockets, and you have a recipe for a plot. This critical, but completely uncontrollable, aspect of war, is well-known among fighters like Buddy. The reality is, every time a helicopter lifts off the ground in a war zone, it might get shot down, Darack said. A Marine speaks into a radio and troops unload a CH-47D Chinook in Afghanistan's Kunar Province. The conspiracy theories didnt bother Lee at first. The compounds unusual and extensive security features, along with further intelligence information, prompted suspicion that the residence was Osama bin Ladens hideout. 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 insurgents had no way of knowing the helicopter would be coming in, at the speed it was coming and at the altitude, Darack said. Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Vaughn was one of the SEAL Team 6 operators who died in the crash. With Robert O'Neill, Patricia Economo, Enrique Garcia, James Obrien. One of the things I vowed, I will never forget. Insurgents in Iraq have used Russian-made SA-7s, shoulder-fired missiles tipped with infrared homing devices, against U.S. and British aircraft. You also want to come in from a different direction for the element of surprise.. The event was organized by Freedom Watch, a conservative advocacy group, at the National Press Club. All but two of the SEALs were from SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama bin Laden, although military officials said none of the crash victims was on that mission in Pakistan against the al . or redistributed. Chance, however, a component of war intimately understood by war fighters, can never be completely mitigated. But why? It had been loaded well within its limits. He would eventually do two tours and become commander of a Chinook unit during his second deployment in 2011. The team boarded Extortion 17 with Dave Carter and Bryan Nichols at the controls. This was preventable only if they just had not taken off that night, Lee said. The Rangers were not in need of rescue. They fail to mention it was Saudis who orchestrated 9/11, yet he elected to go after Iraq and Afghanistan. SEAL Team Six was assigned three pre-invasion missions: two clandestine political missions relating to regime change on the island, and reconnaissance from the sea of the new airfield under construction on the island's southwest coast. However, a shoot down does not necessarily mean insurgents have changed their tactics or hardware. .css-v1xtj3{display:block;font-family:FreightSansW01,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:100;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-v1xtj3:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.1387rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-v1xtj3{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-v1xtj3{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}Russian Cargo Plane Explodes During Pressure Test, Air Force's IRON Wireless Network Protects Nukes, Watch Opposition Group Land Drone on Russian Jet, Pentagon's Mysterious Aircraft Won't Need a Runway, The Secret War to Take out Iran's F-14 Fighters, Meet the E-7 Wedgetail, the Air Forces New Plane, Report: Pilot Error Ruined a $112 Million F-35 Jet, Air Force Grounds Jets: Their Tails May Fall Off, The Messy Battle to Build the F-35's Next Engine, Russia Dredges Up Ancient BTR-50 Vehicles. "He said, 'Mom, there's chatter. PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402. 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 navigator on the AC-130 gunship said there was simply too much gun and engine noise to think that the Chinook could make an undetected entrance. 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. Special forces routinely use helicopters in raids on homes in Afghanistan. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Military officials told her operating outside of these rules "damages our efforts to win the hearts and minds of our enemies. Some of the most highly trained and skilled war fighters in history, the Rangers moved overland to a location where intelligence indicated Lefty Grove and his small cadre of fighters would be holding a meeting. 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. 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. 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. 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. He has written about soldiers returning home from war and the mental health crisis facing young people. The workhorse in Army aviation, the tandem rotor, heavy-lift Chinook helicopter is used for carrying troops, equipment, supplies and even the mail. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers. 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. There was a lot of experience in that cockpit, the flight engineers and the door gunners. "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," Obama said in a statement. It just wasnt.. "One minuteone minute," transmitted Bryan Nichols, the pilot in command of the helicopter. Back in May, the families of the SEALs went public with concerns that the Obama administration was at least partially responsible for the deaths [] While the vast majority of attempts to down helicopters failed, the lucky shot that took down Extortion 17 had a precedent. Whether enemy fire brought down the Chinook or a tree strike would never be known for sure. Click here for reprint permission. Conspiracy theories started almost immediately. 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. He spoke out against banning girls education. 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,. Located in a remote and dangerous province in eastern Afghanistan, the base was the target of near-constant rocket attacks from Taliban insurgents. The Benghazi attack in 2012 plays a part in some other versions of the tale. So the whole team went in one Chinook helicopter -- Extortion 17. If this [operation] was survivable, that was the right crew to have. 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., 3 Questions About the SEAL Team Six Crash, Russian Cargo Plane Explodes During Pressure Test, better protected from newer, more sophisticated threats, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft that supported the raid, including a Predator drone, and a variety of highly specialized spy planes, had kept continuous watch over the region during the operation. "No amount of training, skill, or technology will ever defeat chance on the battlefield. U.S. Justin Buddy Lee will never forget that night six years ago. One by one, fathers and mothers of the victims of the crash spoke about what they see as gaping holes or inconsistencies in the review of what U.S. Special Operations considers its most deadly incident. WASHINGTON The families of Navy SEAL Team 6 members killed in a disastrous August 2011 helicopter crash in Afghanistan blamed the government for the tragedy, during an emotional press conference in Washington Thursday. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. 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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. Insurgents shot down a U.S. military helicopter during fighting in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 Americans, most of them belonging to the same elite unit as the Navy SEALs who killed former Al. But why? 4:05 p.m. - The first helicopter exits the compound. He taught helicopter pilots how to fly in high altitudes at an aviation training site in Colorado. 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. Caring is more than just slapping a bumper sticker on your car, he said. 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. I was terrified. And Justice unilaterally set a new deadline for the release and then ignored it, Mr. Klayman said. The incident comes just months after DevGru's raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The co-pilot, Bryan Nichols, was one of Lee's closest friends in the Chinook company. The crash sent shock waves throughout U.S. special operations. And thats fine; thats what you signed up for, Lee said. Over time, certain memories will fade, certain details will fade. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Aerial view of Osama bin Laden's compound in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, made by the CIA. The crash killed 38 people, including 15 Navy SEALs. 4:08 p.m. - The team destroys the chopper that crashed. Somebody was leaking to the Taliban, said Mr. Market data provided by Factset. Furthermore, according to the lore, due to the alleged Iran angle, the Iran nuclear agreement in 2015 was in fact a payoff to Iran for whatever role they played in the earlier conspiracy. That means more raids, more targets and more reliance on Afghan competenceall of which add up to more special forces casualties. Several Afghans were on board and were killed, but trust is in short supply in Afghanistan. They dont even produce under their own self-imposed deadline, Mr. Klayman told The Washington Times. 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. The story itself is tragic, but tons of war propaganda. Apparently, someone tipped them off that the SEALs were coming; the helicopter was attacked from three sides in a coordinated ambush. Fallen Angel.. In 2006, he was called into Afghanistan, where he turned 25. That June, the U.S. military launched Operation Hammer Down to drive out insurgents entrenched in remote strongholds of eastern Afghanistan. Is Russias Only Aircraft Carrier Cursed? Asked for comment, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. James Gregory said: "We share in the grief of all of the families who lost their loved ones.