On August 6, 2011, a U.S. CH-47D Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down while transporting a Quick Reaction Force attempting to reinforce a unit of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Tangi Valley in Maidan Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan.
The resulting crash killed all 38 personnel on board, which included:
23 U.S. Navy SEALs
2 U.S. Air Force Pararescue
1 U.S. Air Force Combat Control Team member
1 pilot and 2 crewmen of the U.S. Army Reserve
1 pilot and 1 crewman of the U.S. Army National Guard
7 members of the Afghan National Security Forces
1 Afghan interpreter
1 U.S. military working dog
Navy SEALs:
PO1 Darrick C. Benson
CPO Brian R. Bill
PO1 Christopher G. Campbell
PO1 Jared W. Day
PO1 John Douangdara & Navy SEAL Dog “Bart”
CPO John W. Faas
CPO Kevin A. Houston
Lt. Cmdr. Jonas B. Kelsall
MCPO Louis J. Langlais
CPO Matthew D. Mason
CPO Stephen M. Mills
CPO Nicholas H. Null
PO1 Jesse D. Pittman
SCPO Thomas A. Ratzlaff
CPO Robert J. Reeves
CPO Heath M. Robinson
PO2 Nicholas P. Spehar
PO1 Michael J. Strange
PO1 Jon T. Tumilson
PO1 Aaron C. Vaughn
SCPO Kraig M. Vickers
PO1 Jason R. Workman
U.S. Army:
SGT Alexander J. Bennett
SPC Spencer Duncan (youngest onboard)
CWO Bryan J. Nichols
CWO David R. Carter (oldest onboard)
SSG Patrick D. Hamburger
U.S. Air Force:
TSgt John W. Brown
SSgt Andrew W. Harvell
TSgt Daniel L. Zerbe
They shall never be forgotten.