(Washington, D.C., August 6, 2013) Today marks the anniversary of the death of 17 SEALs, 5 SEAL support personnel, 5 National Guardsmen, and 3 Air Force members. These fallen eagles were killed in battle in Afghanistan August 6, 2011 when the Taliban shot down their Chinook CH-47 with a rocket propelled grenade.
The 30 Americans included: 1) Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Jonas B. Kelsall, 2) Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Louis J. Langlais, 3) Special Warfare Operator Senior Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Thomas A. Ratzlaff, 4) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer (ExpeditionaryWarfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Kraig M. Vickers,
5) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Brian R. Bill, 6) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) John W. Faas, 7) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officern (SEAL) Kevin A. Houston, 8) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason, 9) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Stephen M. Mills, 10) Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chief Petty Officer (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist/Diver) Nicholas H. Null, 11) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Robert J. Reeves, 12) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Heath M. Robinson, 13) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Darrik C. Benson, 14) Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Parachutist) Christopher G. Campbell, 15) Information Systems Technician Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist/Freefall Parachutist) Jared W. Day, 16) Master-at-Arms Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) John Douangdara, 17) Cryptologist Technician (Collection) Petty Officer 1st Class (Expeditionary Warfare Specialist) Michael J. Strange, 18) Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL/Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist) Jon T. Tumilson, 19) Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Aaron C. Vaughn, 20) Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jason R. Workman, 21) Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class (SEAL) Jesse D. Pittman, 22) Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class (SEAL) Nicholas P. Spehar, 23) Chief Warrant Officer David R. Carter, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), 24) Chief Warrant Officer Bryan J. Nichols, assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), 25) Staff Sgt. Patrick D. Hamburger, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 135th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), 26) Sgt. Alexander J. Bennett, assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), 27) Spc. Spencer C. Duncan, assigned to the 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), 28) Tech. Sgt. John W. Brown, 29) Staff Sgt. Andrew W. Harvell, 26, of Long Beach, CA, and 30) Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Zerbe, 28, of York, PA.
“We honor our fallen heroes on this tragic day and pledge to all Americans that we will get to the bottom of why Extortion 17 went down. We have succeeded in triggering a congressional inquiry regarding the shoot-down and we vow to get answers for the families of our nation’s heroes,” states Larry Klayman, founder of Freedom Watch and counsel to some of the families.
For more information, contact Freedom Watch at daj142182@gmail.com or Tel: (424) 274-2579.