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. 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. When they arrived at the compound, however, the strike force couldn't locate Tahir, and some of his fighters dispersed. Composed primarily of members of the 75th Ranger Regiment, which falls under the authority of the secretive Joint Special Operations Command, or JSOC, the team sought to capture or kill a powerful insurgent leader, Qari Tahir, known to coalition forces by his designation "Lefty Grove." 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. Hours earlier, pilots Carter and Nichols and crewmembers Specialist Spencer Duncan, Sergeant Pat Hamburger, and Sergeant Alex Bennett, along with pilots and crew of a sister Chinook, Extortion 16, inserted a strike force in the central Tangi Valley. Extortion 17, however, would never reach that landing zone. 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. Flying 250 feet above the valley floor at just under 70 miles per hour, Dave Carter, the pilot to the right of Nichols, guided the helicopter toward a carefully chosen landing zone just over a mile away. "One minute-one minute," transmitted Bryan Nichols, the pilot in command of the helicopter. Army Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, entered the western opening of Afghanistan's restive Tangi Valley, flying alone. All participants will receive this massive 5″ medal, listing the names of the American heroes lost during this mission.At 2:38 a.m. Support Operation Valor by registering for this 10k virtual race. To that effect we’re putting on a nation-wide fitness competition AND hosting a series of Virtual Runs! We want to raise awareness for this tragedy and the ultimate sacrifice made by all these men. The men we lost that day were the “tip of the spear” in every way possible. The men lost that day were the best… of the best… OF THE BEST. But, it’s STILL beyond that to operate as a member of Gold Squad. And even further… it’s an incredible duty, honor, and responsibility to work as a member of DEVGRU. And, it’s most certainly something special to operate as a U.S. It’s one thing to work within the Special Operations community. The downing of Extortion 17 and the massive loss of so many Special Operators sent a shock wave through the SpecOps community within hours. Those killed were some of the U.S.’s most highly trained and battle-honed commandos, including 15 men from the Gold Squadron of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known popularly as SEAL Team 6, which had raided a Pakistan compound and killed Osama bin Laden just three months earlier.” – Ed Darack, “The Final Mission of Extortion 17” All 38 on board, including 31 Americans, perished instantly in the single greatest moment of sacrifice for Americans in the war in Afghanistan. Insurgents fired at the Chinook, severed one of its rear rotor blades, and brought it crashing to the ground. The helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was on a mission to reinforce American and coalition special operations troops. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter approached a landing zone in Afghanistan 40 miles southwest of Kabul. “Early in the morning of Saturday, 0, a U.S.
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