u/Optimal-Stuff-460

Full credit to original authors!

Extortion 17 was the call sign of a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook military helicopter that was shot down on August 6, 2011, during the war in Afghanistan.

The incident resulted in the single deadliest loss of American lives in a single event during the entire Afghan campaign, and the greatest loss of life in the history of U.S. Special Operations Command.

Key Details of the Incident:

* The Mission: The operation took place in the Tangi Valley of the Maidan Wardak province (west of Kabul). A platoon of U.S. Army Rangers had been inserted into the valley to capture or kill a senior Taliban commander named Qari Tahir.

* The Quick Reaction Force (QRF): As the situation on the ground developed and enemy combatants began to gather, a Quick Reaction Force was hastily assembled to reinforce the Rangers. Due to the urgency, the entire reinforcing element was loaded onto a single helicopter (Extortion 17), while a second Chinook (Extortion 16) flew empty as a decoy/support bird.

* The Shootdown: As Extortion 17 slowed down and maneuvered to land at approximately 2:38 AM, Taliban fighters stationed in a two-story building fired a barrage of unguided rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). One RPG struck the helicopter's aft rotor blade, causing a catastrophic structural failure that destroyed the assembly and sent the aircraft crashing down within seconds.

Casualties:

All 38 people on board were killed instantly:

* 17 U.S. Navy SEALs (including 15 members from the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group, or SEAL Team 6, and 2 from a West Coast-based unit)

* 5 Naval Special Warfare support personnel (including explosive ordnance disposal technicians, a cryptologic technician, and an information systems technician)

* 3 U.S. Air Force Air-Special Operations Command (AFSOC) operators from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron (two Pararescuemen and one Combat Controller)

* 5 U.S. Army National Guard and Army Reserve flight crew members

* 7 Afghan National Army Commandos

* 1 Afghan interpreter

* 1 Military Working Dog (named Bart)

Will edit more later.tired.now!

Took a while.sorry sawada iura and sengoku!work is on the way!

:)

O Inverno está a chegar.