Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver. A number of the DEVGRU SEALs were devastated by this loss . They then repeated and emphasized a few related questions: How could this happen? Since the agencys main task is to eavesdrop on phone and Internet messages, it may have recorded communications related to the attack. President Trump has been known, over the years, to tweet some bizarre things. 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. 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. The SEALS intentionally . Men he knew. The helicopter was in great operational shape. 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. Lees wife, Christy, hoped the news would bring a sudden end to the war. 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. 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. Somebody tipped them off. 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. The front rotor shattered, and the back pylon sheared off. But this might just take the cake. But Chinooks are at their most vulnerable while hovering in place during raids like the one this team is thought to have been conducting. Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. At that time, this marked deadliest moment in the war in Afghanistan. Extortion 17: Directed by Franois Garcia. Aaron Vaughn's mother, Karen, also demanded an explanation for why her son and his team were not using a special operations aircraft, such as the Chinooks flown by special operations pilots, which have specialized defenses designed to fly commandos deep behind enemy lines. As they started their descent, Lee heard a loud popping noise. As they made their approach, there was a line of thunderstorms nearby. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. That means more raids, more targets and more reliance on Afghan competenceall of which add up to more special forces casualties. The workhorse in Army aviation, the tandem rotor, heavy-lift Chinook helicopter is used for carrying troops, equipment, supplies and even the mail. 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. The next night, the pair had orders to drop off more troops in the same spot. You never want to use the same landing zone twice, Darack said. That June, the U.S. military launched Operation Hammer Down to drive out insurgents entrenched in remote strongholds of eastern Afghanistan. The helicopter crashed into a creek bed and a flash flood shortly afterward washed away some parts of the wreckage. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. Somebody was leaking to the Taliban, said Mr. The conspiracy theories didnt bother Lee at first. The Joint Combat Assessment Team report identified, through detailed metallurgical analysis, the type of projectile that blew Extortion 17 out of the sky: an antipersonnel unguided ballistic rocket propelled grenade. The operators from SEAL Team Six were flown by a crew of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the same regiment that flew the bin Laden raid. Helicopter raids are dangerous and unpredictable. A silhouette of a flight engineer manning an M240 machine gun on the ramp of a CH-47D Chinook in eastern Afghanistan. The attack on August 6 was the most devastating day in SEAL Team Six history, as well as the single largest loss of life for U.S. forces since the war in Afghanistan began in October. 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. There was no conspiracy. 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. Several Afghans were on board and were killed, but trust is in short supply in Afghanistan. 4:10 p.m. - A backup helicopter scoops up remaining team members and leaves the area. Forces to the threat of spying. We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country. President Trump has been known, over the years, to tweet some bizarre things. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Caring is more than just slapping a bumper sticker on your car, he said. 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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. 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. These materials provided much-needed intelligence about bin Ladens role within al-Qaeda and the organizations inner-workings. On such missions, the Chinook pilots nearly always fly at night, wearing night vision goggles, or NVGs. 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 . The reality is, every time a helicopter lifts off the ground in a war zone, it might get shot down, Darack said. A CH-47D Chinook helicopter (the same model as Extortion 17) speeds through the Sierra Nevada Mountains at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, near Bridgeport, California, during mountain warfare training exercises. Legal Statement. No one is planting victory gardens, and were not rationing. For the last two years, hes been an attorney with the law firm Jackson Walker. In fact, Chinooks are better protected from newer, more sophisticated threats than from older, more crude ones. 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. Virginia-based Navy SEALs in a training exercise. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The shootdown was the single, deadliest loss of U.S. forces in the war. Darack, a writer and photographer, is the author of four previous books, including Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalersthe Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan, Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Strange. He would not have hesitated to fly with any of them. The Justice Department said at least 50 documents in the Pentagon have been identified as relevant, but only one has been turned over. RETWEET!, The president went on to follow that last command, although the Oscar the Midnight Rider account has since been suspended by Twitter. (AP). Not all U.S. presidents are missed once they leave the White House. Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. 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. But why? All rights reserved. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst. All rights reserved. Lees second deployment started in May of 2011. ", Tags: Navy SEALs, Navy, Afghanistan, Allen West, Michele Bachmann. AP sources: Crash kills members of SEAL Team 6. Three of the . 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. Youve got [Apaches] flying around, so theres a lot of noise going on and, basically, this entire valley knows that theres something happening in this area. 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. It's true that members of SEAL Team 6 died tragically in a helicopter crash not long after the Bin Laden mission, but the particular soldiers who perished weren't part of that operation, says O'Neill. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Finally Sells Japan Tomahawk Missiles. They were sitting there, waiting. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "Sometimes the enemy just gets that terribly lucky shot. Were handing rifles to 20-year-olds and asking them to shoot people. See GlobalPost: Navy SEALs had "kill" order on Osama bin Laden, report claims. 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. As more responsibilities fall on the shoulders of special forces, the risk of more losses like this one will continue to increase. 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. It just wasnt.. Extortion 17, however, would never reach that landing zone. The family members, speaking at the National Press Club, tried to reopen the book on the crash, in which 30 Americans were killed, most of them belonging to the same unit as those who carried out the raid on Usama bin Laden earlier that year. Justin Buddy Lee will never forget that night six years ago. 4:08 p.m. - The team destroys the chopper that crashed. 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. They knew. 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 World is a public radio program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter. The fighting lasted at least two hours, he said, the New York Times reported. A volley of three rockets total sped toward the general direction of the approaching Chinook, all launched within a few seconds of each other. 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. As is routine on such missions, two Apache attack helicopters provided extra cover and security for Extortion 17, while circling above was an AC-130 aircraft, a gunship that also provides surveillance. It's a scary thought. While the vast majority of attempts to down helicopters failed, the lucky shot that took down Extortion 17 had a precedent. As reported on by The Daily Beast, Trump retweeted a message posted by an account called Oscar the Midnight Rider 1111, which alleges that Hiden Biden and Obama may have had Seal team 6 killed! But why? At 2:38 a.m. on August 6, 2011, a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, entered the western opening of Afghanistan's restive Tangi Valley, flying alone. Our families are in danger,' " Vaughn recalled. They happened to be in the right place at the right time. Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. they won't view it as wrong, just a "necessary" sacrifice for your country. The story itself is tragic, but tons of war propaganda. One of the things I vowed, I will never forget. They stayed fixed on enemy squirters, or runners, until just a few minutes before landing. After the crash, the forces that were involved in the firefight "broke contact" with the enemy so they could go provide perimeter security for the crash site, the official said. 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. "We will draw inspiration from their lives, and continue the work of securing our country and standing up for the values that they embodied.". Apparently, someone tipped them off that the SEALs were coming; the helicopter was attacked from three sides in a coordinated ambush. He finished his contract with the Army shortly afterward, and that September enrolled in Southern Methodist Universitys Dedman School of Law. It means being informed. Could an enemy have specifically targeted the U.S. special forces team that took down bin Laden? But why? PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402. It launched in the belly of the aircraft which made a hard landing and only two soldiers were injured in that attack but this time all on board were killed. It had been loaded well within its limits. 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. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content. A catastrophic crash seemed unavoidable. The conspiracy has a number of moving parts, all of which have surfaced before, but none of which have any truth to them. Some news stories reported that investigators couldnt find the helicopters black box, referring to the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. 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. But Tahir and a group of his fighters escaped. The helicopter was shot down by insurgents. If this [operation] was survivable, that was the right crew to have. 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. Whether enemy fire brought down the Chinook or a tree strike would never be known for sure. 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. Two investigations of the incident proved inconclusive. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers. "One minuteone minute," transmitted Bryan Nichols, the pilot in command of the helicopter. When the shock subsided, questions arose and persisted. With Robert O'Neill, Patricia Economo, Enrique Garcia, James Obrien. It wasnt preventable. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy. David Tarrant. The missions commanders decided to insert another team to go after Tahir while the Rangers held the compound. Click here for reprint permission. It marked the greatest single incident loss of American life in the war in Afghanistan, the deadliest moment in the history of SEAL Team Six and the entirety of the Navy SEALs, and the deadliest single incident in the history of U.S. Special Operations Command. We had guys who had flown in Desert Storm, guys who had just come off active duty, Lee said. 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. The Chinook smashed into the ground, the force ripping off his goggles. Your life is in danger. A silhouette of a. One of the engines flew off, and the other caught fire. Its almost always a miss.. Lee had just flown the night before on a similar mission with one of the pilots, David Carter. ", While not commenting directly on the allegations, he called those who were lost "warriors" who represented "the diversity and talent of America and its military.". 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. 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. They heard a helicopter coming, they grabbed their RPGs, and they fired in quick succession, Darack said. With Sean Hannity, Raj Kala, Justin Torrence, Vee Bhakta. However, the AP has reported, the Afghan forces never staffed the outpost after American forces left, and the Taliban moved back in. 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. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. They were part of his command. Fallen Angel.. The military's public contradictions raise more questions than answers.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. 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. But the CH-47D has neither a flight nor voice recorder, only an engine performance data. All of us know that going into it.". 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. Nigerians await election results in competitive race. Extortion 17 then plummeted to the ground and erupted in a massive fireball. Throughout, he said, Justice lawyers have refused to take his phone calls. Still, the one the president retweeted earlier this week may have been the weirdest yet. The Chinook had no Apache escort, as did the Ranger team that enjoyed the element of surprise when it touched down hours earlier. The incident comes just months after DevGru's raid that killed Osama bin Laden. It's unclear how far away the helicopter was from the initial firefight when it went down and unclear how the troops in the firefight got to the crash location, the official said. The RPG that struck Extortion 17 threw the helicopter into an uncontrollable spin. 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. "He said, 'Mom, there's chatter. "A NATO helicopter crashed last night in Wardak province," Karzai said in the statement. "We've allowed politics to become more important than the lives and safety of those men and women," he says. 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. Just as ridiculous as saying [President George W.] Bush was responsible for 9/11, Lee said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Missions like this one to insert or remove an assault force are the military equivalent of a perfect 10 in the Olympics -- equal parts skill, experience and daring. U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because families of those killed are still being notified. It's certainly possible. 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 . Additional forces were then sent to secure the crash site. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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.