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Downing of Extortion 17: The Single Deadliest Incident of the US War in 2 U.S. Navy SEALs from a west coast-based SEAL team. If this was survivable, that was the right crew to have. [11], In 2013, Congressman Jason Chaffetz said that he would hold an investigation of the United States House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security into the matter. For every one that gets lucky, there are hundreds, even thousands, that zip by you., As weve seen a number of times, theres a point that a lucky shot is going to get you and there is only so much you can do to mitigate it, says Glover, the Marine aviator. 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. The first round sailed past the helicopter. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Geneva G. Brier/Released) So the whole team went in one Chinook helicopter Extortion 17. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Extortion 17 could be a bigger scandal and betrayal of Americans than Benghazi. The helicopter made its last radio transmission stating that it was one minute away from the landing zone, then descended to an altitude of 100150ft (3046m) and slowed to a speed of 50kn (58mph; 93km/h) as it approached the landing zone. [25][original research? But what really happened that night? But U.S. forces didnt know about every fighter during the raid, and they lost track of at least twoone of whom fired the deadly shot. Early media reports suggested that the Army had been tardy to recover flight recorders from the downed Chinook, and, as a consequence, the recorders had been swept away by the flood. In April 2011, American forces turned over control of Combat Outpost Tangi to Afghan government forces. Nothing tests the capabilities of a young helicopter pilot like flying in the extreme conditions of Afghanistan. Flying to the Tangi Valley for the second time, Extortion 17 and 16 took a different route, approaching from the northwest instead of the south. This is the Group Burial for unidentified remains of casualties of the Chinook helicopter (CH-47D 89-00175) which crashed in Afghanistan on August 6, 2011. Faced with the possibility of confronting nine or 10 Taliban fighters, planners increased the reinforcement team from 17 to 32 men, formed around the 15-man SEAL group. Two investigations of the incident proved inconclusive. In less than five seconds, the helicopter crashed, killing all occupants, and approximately 30 seconds later, one of the AH-64 Apache helicopters radioed in the crash. Air Force C-17 Crashes Just After Takeoff in Alaska | Dangerous Aerobatics (With Real Video) TheFlightChannel 2.1M views 1 year ago Feature History - Chinese Civil War Feature History 1.9M views. August 6, 2022 marks 11 years since Extortion 17. Restrained by strict rules of engagement in force at the time, the helicopter crews could not have fired without a strong indication of hostile intent. In order to prevent this, American forces called in for support. | READ MORE. Neither did the risk he and his pilots faced every night. Sat 6 Aug 2011 19.08 EDT. After some time, another group of about 10 Taliban fighters was spotted that we suspected could be Qari Tahir himself fleeing the scene. As they started their descent, Lee heard a loud popping noise. There remained many mysteries about the Extortion 17 shoot down. There are more operations than can be supported by the 160th at any given time, says Major Matthew Brady, a former 160th pilot and company commander. The crash claimed the lives of 38 personnel, including 22 special operations forces in Afghanistan Aug. 6, 2011. "All of this raises the distinct possibility of a cover-up as to . U.S. Special Operations Command possesses its own specialized ChinooksMH-47sflown by the ultra-secretive 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers. The MH-47s modifications include inflight refueling probes, additional and upgraded sensors, more powerful engines, and more powerful defensive weapons than their conventional counterparts. There is still a tremendous level of chance for a tragedy of such huge magnitude.. We were told at that time we were the first unit to make it through a rotation without having anyone killed.. The suspicious August 6th, 2011, CH47-D Chinook helicopter crash in Wardak Province, Afghanistan which claimed the lives of 38 American military personnel.Of those 38 lost, 22 were members of Navy SEAL Team 6, the Naval Special Warfare unit responsible for the killing of notorious 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden . AC-130 gunships orbiting overhead directed two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to fire on and kill five enemy fighters. And to this day, people are still debating what really happened. [11], The mission was deemed high risk; two AH-64 Apache helicopters, an AC-130 gunship, and other additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft supported the troop transports on their approach and remained with the ground forces afterwards. Downing of Extortion 17: The Single Deadliest Incident of the US War in Nearby, there were two enemy fighters with rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Donald Trump Retweeted A Conspiracy Theory that Biden Had Seal Team 6 The crash killed all 38 people on board including 25 American special operations personnel, five United States Army National Guard and Army Reserve crewmen, seven Afghan commandos, and one Afghan interpreter as well as a U.S. military working dog. "[30], On 12 August 2011, Jim Lehrer of the PBS NewsHour announced that he would report the Honor Roll at the end of the program with names and photographs of all 30 men. Air Force Officer Speaks Out for First Time About Downing of Extortion The Final Flight of Extortion 17 It was the deadliest helicopter crash in the history of U.S. special operations. Extortion 17: 6 Years Later Retired Air Force Captain Says Pentagon Extortion 16 flew empty. 2 U.S. Army personnel from the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment, part of the Colorado Army National Guard, PO1 John Douangdara & Navy SEAL Dog Bart, Of the 22 NSW members killed, 17 were SEALs, and five were direct support personnel, according to the source in the NSW community. Extortion 17 and the Truth The Havok Journal Fact check: Biden did not leak SEAL Team 6 identities - USA TODAY The five other Navy casualties were NSW (Naval Special Warfare) support personnel; in addition to these, three AFSOC operators, one Combat Controller and two Pararescuemen, all members of the 24th Special Tactics Squadron, died in the crash. Rest in peace, gentlemen; you will not be forgotten. The forward rotor system then tore off, stressed by the imbalance and the strain of carrying what would normally be a shared load. Originally just two people, the group eventually swelled to a total of nine or ten fighters, and the special operations task force commander and the Immediate Reaction Force commander became concerned that it might include Tahir. Following a scorched earth tactic may have killed the two shootersand possibly a greater number of innocentsprior to Extortion 17s return that night, but counterinsurgency doctrine dictates that such tactics lead to potentially far worse long-term consequences. "It's a math problem. At that moment, Extortion 17 slowed to 58 mph, at no more than 150 feet, approaching a spot framed by trees and mud-brick huts, and "sparkled" by the infrared designator on an AC-130 gunship. Extortion 17 and its 38 occupants would not return. Over time, certain memories will fade, certain details will fade. The true story behind the recovery of Extortion 17 All topics Extortion 17 Documentary 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. His account of the brave pilots, crew, and passengers of Extortion 17 and . ], Four years after the downing of Extortion 17, there were many theories about a possible government coverup. Patrick D. Hamburger, 30, of Lincoln, Neb. [12][13], Six minutes prior to reaching the landing zone, the empty CH-47D left the formation as planned. On this day 11 years ago, 30 American military servicemen and a U.S. military dog were killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicoptercall sign Extortion 17was shot down in Afghanistan. At the time of the Juy Zarin raid, the battalion had been flying in Afghanistan for about two weeks. A source from the Navys special operations community described the reaction as Shock and disbelief. Instead, two rigorous U. S. military investigations followed every moment of the mission to determine what went wrong on Extortion 17s final flight. [45] McChrystal cited a previous "overreliance on firepower and force protection" and the need to reduce civilian casualties and win the cooperation of the local population. unfolded that night are commonly referred to as Extortion 17, which is the call sign for the helicopter transporting the special op-erations personnel. A hearing was set to get answers to questions surrounding the high-profile shoot-down of an American helicopter in Afghanistan and how the remains of the fallen service members were handled. [11], The 30 American deaths represent the greatest loss of U.S. military lives in a single incident in the war in Afghanistan that began in 2001. PDF AFGHANISTAN: HONORING THE HEROES OF EXTORTION 17 - GovInfo In The Final Flight of Extortion 17, Ed Darack debunks this theory and others and uncovers the truth behind this mysterious tragedy. U.S. Navy Seals 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. . NFTs Simplified > Uncategorized > extortion 17 crash photos. They reached the site at 04:12 and found no survivors. Lees wife, Christy, hoped the news would bring a sudden end to the war. [1][2][3][4], The resulting crash killed all 38 people on board including 17 US Navy SEALs, two United States Air Force Pararescue, one United States Air Force Combat Control Team member, one pilot and two crewmen of the United States Army Reserve, one pilot and one crewman of the United States Army National Guard, seven members of the Afghan National Security Forces, and one Afghan interpreter. One of the things I vowed, I will never forget. When the auto-complete results are available, use the up and down arrows to review and Enter to select. Extortion 17: Were American Servicemen in Afghanistan Set Up For The worst of the wounded was one of Lees crew members, who suffered what was later diagnosed as a severe traumatic brain injury. Some news stories reported that investigators couldnt find the helicopters black box, referring to the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. Hi there! Austin Williams visits the gravesite of U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher C. Campbell in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, May 30, 2016. extortion 17 crash photos - nftcollectionlab.com Every mission is potentially life-threatening. The article stated that the helicopter crashed after an RPG round impacted the aft rotor assembly. Were asking people to do incredible things. [43][45], 2011 Afghanistan Boeing Chinook shootdown, United States Air Force Combat Control Team, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Tangi Valley, Wardak province, Afghanistan, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Naval Special Warfare Development Group's, Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians, United States House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, Call Sign Extortion 17: The Shoot-Down of SEAL Team Six, List of aviation accidents and incidents in the war in Afghanistan, "Elite Force Died in Bid to Save Comrades", "Taliban shot that brought down American Chinook killing 30 US commandos was 'lucky', officials believe", "Taliban shoot down US helicopter in Afghanistan; 38 killed", "Worst US loss of life in Afghan war as helicopter crash kills 38", "US military helicopter crash in Afghanistan kills 38", Executive Summary (Crash of CH-47D Aircraft in Wardak Province, Afghanistan on 6 August 2011), "Families suspect SEAL Team 6 crash was inside job on worst day in Afghanistan", "DOD Identifies Service Members Killed in CH-47 Crash", "Tragedy devastates special warfare community", "Friends remember three area soldiers killed in Afghan crash", "Chinook Crewmembers Line of Duty Deaths", "US special forces Afghan helicopter downed by Taliban", "Chopper crash kills 31 U.S. troops, 7 Afghans", "Copter Downed by Taliban Fire; Elite U.S. Unit Among Dead", "Impact on special forces of Navy Seals helicopter loss", "SEAL Team 6 Families Believe the 2011 Chinook Shootdown in Afghanistan was Planned | Navy SEALs Blog by USNavySEALs.com", "Army delayed Chinook helicopter's black box until it was too late", "Obama stonewalls SEAL Team 6 helicopter crash probe, watchdog says", "US helicopter shot down in Afghanistan was sent in after night raid went awry", "US military probes deadly Afghan helicopter crash", "What happened on night of deadly Afghanistan helicopter crash? ", "Taliban laid trap for Chinook: official", "Honor Roll: Remembering the 30 U.S. Worst US loss of life in Afghan war as helicopter crash kills 38 As they made their approach, there was a line of thunderstorms nearby. Just as ridiculous as saying [President George W.] Bush was responsible for 9/11, Lee said. As he did, he felt the craft leveling off. On Aug. 6, 2011, insurgent forces in Afghanistan shot down an American aircraft. The previous highest U.S. death toll from a single incident in the war came from a rocket attack on a Chinook helicopter carrying Navy SEALs during Operation Red Wings on June 28, 2005. At 2:36 a.m., Extortion 17 requested an infrared spotlight, visible only through night vision goggles, to illuminate the landing zone. In The Final Mission of Extortion 17, Ed Darack debunks this theory and others and uncovers the truth behind this mysterious tragedy. On such missions, the Chinook pilots nearly always fly at night, wearing night vision goggles, or NVGs. It was the deadliest helicopter crash in the history of U.S. special operations. New documentary investigates events surrounding Extortion 17 helicopter Lieutenant Commander (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana, Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 44, of Santa Barbara, California, Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 34, of Green Forest, Arkansas, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers 36, of Kokomo, Hawaii, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 31, of Stamford, Connecticut, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 31, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 35, of West Hyannisport, Massachusetts, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 37, of Kansas City, Missouri, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 35, of Fort Worth, Texas, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer(Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 30, of Washington, West Virginia, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 32, of Shreveport, Louisiana, Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 34, of Detroit, Michigan, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 28, of Angwin, California, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 36, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 28, of Taylorsville, Utah, Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 26, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, Cryptologist Technician(Collection)Petty Officer 1st Class(Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Call Sign Extortion 17 - Wikipedia Air & Space/Smithsonian contributing editor Ed Darack is the author of The Warriors of Anbar; War Moments; The Final Mission of Extortion 17; Victory Point; and three other books. The Museum Executive Team worked with these men. 360 EXTORTION 17 ideas | extortion, navy seals, seal team 6 There's also that little issue that came up when 6 Navy SEALs' funerals were conducted by a Muslim Cleric that condemned them to Hell during the service. The pilots and crew of Extortion 17, however, had ideal experience and abilities for the mission that night. Photo by Jake Simkin for Coffee or Die Magazine. BUT the Chief Command and those who elected him will pay for there failure to seek Yahwahs guidance before going to war or to vote for a new president! Extortion 17 - IMDb Copyright 2023 | National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, The Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization. [34] Kevin Sieff and Greg Jaffe of The Washington Post reported that U.S. officials confirmed the deaths, including 22 SEALs. According to Glover, improved systems in place enable U.S. forces to monitor a target for days or even weeks prior to an operation, so they theoretically will know of even well-hidden potential RPG shooters throughout a village before transport helicopters first touch down. When the shock subsided, questions arose and persisted. The Final Mission of Extortion 17: Special Ops, Helicopter Support, SEAL Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the U.S. War in Afghanistan Hardcover - September 19, 2017 by Ed Darack (Author) 223 ratings Editors' pick Best History See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover Intelligence on August 6th indicated Qari Tahir was in Tangi Valley, just a short helicopter flight from the SEAL base camp. Strange, 25, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 35, of Rockford, Iowa, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL)Aaron C. Vaughn, 30, of Stuart, Florida, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL)Jason R. Workman, 32, of Blanding, Utah, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL)Jesse D. Pittman, 27, of Ukiah, California, Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL)Nicholas P. Spehar, 24, of Saint Paul, Minnesota, Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, 47, of Centennial, Colo. The US soldiers killed in the 2011 Afghanistan Boeing Chinook shoot-down with the call sign Extortion 17 (Photo: XY) SGT Alexander J. Bennett SPC Spencer Duncan (youngest onboard) CWO Bryan J. Nichols Explore. I had to learn how to land while browned-out, wearing NVGs, on the side of a mountain or an uneven field, Lee said. Photo by Sgt. 360 EXTORTION 17 ideas | extortion, navy seals, seal team 6 - Pinterest As for himself, he speaks out about Extortion 17 because he wants to remember the men on that mission. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), Grand Island, Nebraska, Sgt. Extortion 17 BRIAN BILL FOUNDATION 31 MILE RUCK FOR THE 31 HEROES OF EXTORTION 17 IN WASHINGTON, DC AUGUST 3, 2019 On 6 August 2011, a U.S. Boeing CH-47 Chinook military helicopter was shot down while transporting a quick reaction force attempting to reinforce an engaged unit of Army Rangers in Wardak province, west of Kabul, Afghanistan. Are all DEVGRUs saved in a sperm bank? Two fired at roughly the same time. But the CH-47D has neither a flight nor voice recorder, only an engine performance data recorder for maintenance. Commanders frequently request CH-47 Chinooks to insert troops. The SEALs who assaulted Osama bin Ladens compound were drawn from Naval Special Warfare Development Groups Red Squadron, according to several sources in the special operations community.. Of those 38 lost, 22 were members of Navy SEAL Team 6, the Naval Special Warfare unit responsible for the killing of notorious 9/11 mastermind Osama For the last two years, hes been an attorney with the law firm Jackson Walker. The Tangi Valley is a strategic terrain that connects the two primary highways that lead to Kabul. Terms of Use The incident became known as "Extortion 17" after the helicopter . Pinterest. In light of that raids success, the shootdown of Extortion 17 incited a flurry of conspiracy theories: The Taliban were tipped off; it was a trap; it was retribution for the killing. The sheer amount of experience with our pilots, flight engineers and back-seaters and mechanics offered a wealth of knowledge, he said. Several minutes later, a 20-man Pathfinder team (specializing in downed-aircraft rescue and recovery) arrived at the site. Deadliest Day in Spec Ops History: The Extortion-17 Chinook Crash Its almost always a miss.. The front rotor shattered, and the back pylon sheared off. During the Ranger insertion earlier that night, the CH-47D had approached from the south; this time, it approached from the northwest. See more ideas about extortion, navy seals, seal team 6. Immediately after Ryan shared an intimate photo of his own, the cybercriminal demanded $5,000, threatening to make the photo public and send it to Ryan's family and friends. It was a good crew, it really was. Eleven U.S. servicemen aboard Extortion 17 entered the military after the 9/11 attacks, answering the call to arms as so many brave Americans have done throughout the history of our great country. Advertising Notice The Afghan soldiers were an essential part of the package; they were trained to move with our forces to the target. There are no survivors. Lee had just flown the night before on a similar mission with one of the pilots, David Carter. [11], At 02:00, the special operations task force commander and the Immediate Reaction Force commander decided to add additional (non-SEAL) reinforcements, increasing the size of the team to 33. [29], Other reports alleged that the Taliban had laid an elaborate trap for American special-operations forces, luring them in with false information. Campbell was one of 30. Six weeks into his deployment, Lee experienced his worst day as a helicopter pilot to that point. Extortion 17 - National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum This group grew in number over the course of the night, but American forces were at first too preoccupied to engage. I am so proud to be an American and I thank all of the families left behind to mourn their loss. Recovery of wreckage from the crash site lasted until 9 August 2011. On the night of 8 August 2011, an F-16 dropped four GBU-54 "Laser JDAM" bombs on the man, his accomplice and four associates in the Chak Valley, which lies to the west of the Tangi Valley. Seven Afghan National Army commandos and one Afghan civilian interpreter were also killed in the crash. They were part of his command. When tactical conditions allow, they initiate operations by calling out enemy forces. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, California, Tech. The landing zone was small, and the commanders didnt want to split up the strike force. [35] The Seattle Times and The New York Times also reported this information. The helicopter crashed less than 5 seconds later, killing all 38 people on board. August 2011 Attack on U.S. [9][11], Six minutes later, the Rangers concluded securing the compound, detained several people and began to move on foot toward the crash site. In fact, the conflict was heating up. Were handing rifles to 20-year-olds and asking them to shoot people. The mission had begun about four hours prior to the shootdown, when the two helicopters touched down side by side in Juy Zarin, a village in the bare rock-walled Tangi Valley of Wardak Province. Just three months earlier, members of a counterpart SEAL Team 6 squadron successfully raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a62b75e7a99f5de39e28d378788f7ec9" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Content on this website is free to use and share, but please provide a link back to Spec Ops Magazine as a source. 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. )/SR-71 blackbird cloud behind the chinook; saying thats safe distance! The mission was flown by conventional pilots flying unmodified CH-47Ds. On 6 August 2011, a U.S. CH-47D Chinook military helicopter operating with the call sign Extortion 17 (pronounced "one-seven") was shot down while transporting a Quick Reaction Force attempting to reinforce a Joint Special Operations Command unit of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Tangi Valley in Maidan Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan. Early life Aired: 08/01/21 Rating: NR A junior, he was ready to fight, but the war would be over, he figured, before he even got out of college. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Why did it happen? As Extortion 17 moved into final approach of the target area at 0238 local time, the Rangers on the ground watched in horror as it took a direct hit from an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade). This would not be the first time that an Afghan military member has been an undercover Taliban Terrorist and shot our US Military! We are here today at the request of many of the families of the fallen heroes aboard Extortion 17 to obtain answers to their ques-tions where answers can be found. On August 6, 2011, the final flight of Extortion 17 resulted in the single deadliest incident for the US military during the War in Afghanistan. Learnt of this today, very surprising after ladens raid was covered in the media here. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Prior to the mission, the deadliest incident was June 2005's Operation . 29 Photos Documentary 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. We had guys who had flown in Desert Storm, guys who had just come off active duty, Lee said. [39], During the same Pentagon news conference in which he announced that the F-16 airstrike had incapacitated "less than 10" of the insurgents involved, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander in Afghanistan John R. Allen said that the military investigation would also review whether small-arms fire or other causes might have contributed to the downing. Oct 26, 2016 - Explore Concerned Citizen's board "EXTORTION 17", followed by 829 people on Pinterest. There was a lot of experience in that cockpit, the flight engineers and the door gunners. The Chinook is often used to assist in disaster relief, delivering food and water after earthquakes and floods. The second slammed into one of the Chinooks rear rotor blades and exploded, severing 10 feet of it. Not feelin it! At 02:15, one group of three Taliban fighters took a position in a stand of trees; the remaining six or seven men entered a building located some 2km (1.2mi) from the target compound.