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On August 6, 2011, a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17 (1-7), was shot down in the Tangi Valley of Wardak Province, Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of all 38 people on board, including 17 U.S. Navy SEALs from the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), also known as SEAL Team Six.

The Mission

Extortion 17 was part of a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) tasked with reinforcing a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) unit of the 75th Ranger Regiment, which was conducting a night raid in the Tangi Valley. The QRF included SEAL Team Six members, as well as other U.S. special operations personnel, Afghan commandos, and a U.S. military working dog.

The Shootdown

The helicopter was brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fired by insurgents. The exact circumstances of the shootdown remain unclear, with some theories suggesting that Afghan forces may have leaked information to the Taliban about the mission, while others point to a lucky shot by the insurgents.

Aftermath

The loss of life in Extortion 17 was the single deadliest incident for U.S. forces in the Afghanistan campaign, surpassing the 16 killed in the downing of Turbine 33, a 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) MH-47 helicopter, during Operation Red Wings in 2005.

Key Facts

38 people killed, including:
17 U.S. Navy SEALs from DEVGRU (SEAL Team Six)
2 United States Air Force Pararescue
1 United States Air Force Combat Control Team member
1 pilot and 2 crewmen from the United States Army Reserve
1 pilot and 1 crewman from the United States Army National Guard
7 Afghan National Security Forces personnel
1 Afghan interpreter
1 U.S. military working dog
The incident occurred 40 miles southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan
Theories about the shootdown include:
Afghan forces leaking information to the Taliban
A lucky shot by the insurgents
Revenge for the killing of Osama bin Laden by SEAL Team Six three months earlier